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Professor Karen Trimmer

Professor Karen Trimmer
Name Karen Trimmer
Position Professor (Educational Leadership)
Section School of Education
Office G408
Location Toowoomba Campus
Phone +61 7 4631 2371
Extension 2371
Email
Qualifications DipEd Nedlands CAE , BSc UWA , BEd Murdoch , GCertPubSectMgt Flinders , MEd(Hons) Murdoch , DBA Curtin

Karen Trimmer (BSc; BEd; MEd(Hons); GCertPSM; DBA) is Professor of Educational Leadership, with the University of Southern Queensland, and previously held roles as Assistant Dean Staffing, A/Head of School and A/Head of College for Indigenous Studies, Education and Research. Her scholarship and research focus is leadership for community capacity building, through research that impacts on education and social justice policy and governance through professional development and empowerment of leaders in education organisations and communities. Karen was awarded the inaugural Australian College of Education Leaders (ACEL) ‘New Voice’ in Education Leadership Research scholarship in 2015 and currently works within the Professional Studies program to develop leadership in practice. She received a More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative (MATSITI) grant to investigate factors impacting retention of Indigenous pre-service teachers at USQ; and has also been funded to conduct the evaluation of OLT projects, Skilling Up: Improving educational opportunities for Aboriginal Education Workers through technology-based pedagogy in 2014-15; and Engaging and partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and community to improve student outcomes in 2017-18. Karen was a member of the Aboriginal Voices Project working to conduct systematic reviews to identify research which can develop evidenced understanding of the issues and possible solutions to the multiple and complex contexts of Aboriginal school education in Australia. She also has a deep interest in enhancing Indigenous postgraduate education and works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and postgraduate students in addition to publishing with international scholars in Canada, Lapland and New Zealand.


  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education ( 130301 )
  • Education Assessment and Evaluation ( 130303 )
  • Educational Administration, Management and Leadership ( 130304 )
  • Education Assessment And Evaluation ( 390402 )
  • Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Education ( 450200 )
  • Educational Administration ( 390403 )
  • Specialist Studies In Education ( 390400 )
  • Comparative And Cross-Cultural Education ( 390401 )
  • Inclusive Education ( 390407 )

Educational leadership, Indigenous postgraduate education, professional studies


  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education ( 130301 )
  • Education Assessment and Evaluation ( 130303 )
  • Educational Administration, Management and Leadership ( 130304 )
  • Education Assessment And Evaluation ( 390402 )
  • Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Education ( 450200 )
  • Educational Administration ( 390403 )
  • Specialist Studies In Education ( 390400 )
  • Comparative And Cross-Cultural Education ( 390401 )
  • Inclusive Education ( 390407 )