Professor Sandra Gattenhof

Biography

Sandra Gattenhof is

Professor and Academic Lead, Learning and Teaching in the School of Creative Arts, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice (CIESJ) at Queensland University of Technology. She has previously been Discipline Leader Dance, Drama, Music. Sandra research centres on cultural evaluation, understanding the social impact arising from arts engagement and creative community consultation.

Over the past ten years Sandra has led major arts impact and evaluation consultancies for Australian and Pacific cultural organisations including Australian Research Council Linkage Project The Role of the Creative Arts in Regional Australia: a social impact model (2019-2022), Social Impact Research and Evaluation Strategy for the Puuya Foundation in Lockhart River (2021-2023), and Valuing the Arts Australia and New Zealand (2020). A life-long arts educator, Sandra is recognised as a leader in arts and creative learning and has published high profile outputs in the fields of arts and cultural evaluation, arts education, and contemporary performance.

Sandra is currently chair of the board for the award-winning Dead Puppets Society, advisory group member for Education Program and Queensland Performing Arts Centre, board member for Council of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS), board member of technology-led performance company Counterpilot. Sandra is an observer on National Advocates for Arts Education having previously been Drama Australia’s representative for ten years. In 2012 Sandra was awarded Drama Queensland Life Membership and in 2021 was award the Drama Australia President's Award. Sandra is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Sandra has been at the forefront of the development of The Arts national curriculum serving as an Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Advisory Group Member and Drama consultant.

Sandra has been a recipient of many awards: Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) Excellence in Research Award, QUT Creative Industries Faculty Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research and Innovation, Vice-Chancellor’s Performance Award (in recognition of a significant and superior contribution to the work of the University), Carrick Awards Citation Nominee for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning; and 2006 QUT Creative Industries Faculty Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence (Early Career). Her creative practice and research centres on theatre for children and young people, contemporary performance primary drama education and new media/interactive teaching environments.