Dr Mariusz Sterna

Dr Mariusz A. Sterna is a casual Academic and Professional at Flinders University. Mariusz’s doctoral degree (conferred Sept 2023) was completed at Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, under the supervision of Prof John Halsey, Dr Jane Jarvis and Dr Ann Luzeckyj.

Mariusz's general academic interest centres on aspects of above average human intelligence broadly understood as intellectual and academic giftedness and its educational, affective, social and institutional implications.

His current academic / research interest focuses on educational systems’ learner inclusivity policy and practice approaches that impact academic success and retention, engagement and agency, belonging and socio-emotional well-being of individual students and groups characterised by various types of vulnerabilities.

His doctoral thesis titled: ‘Gifted students and their school libraries: educational environments, experiences and explorations’ informs on the up to now unexplored, unique relationship that intellectually gifted students have with their school libraries. The study employed a three phase MMR, Pragmatism as a research design and methodology framework and three separate investigative spatial theoretical frameworks. Theoretical works of Hall’s Proxemics (1966), Foucault’s Heterotopia (1967) and Soja’s Thirdspace (1996) were used to interrogate and discuss the research findings. By applying spatial theoretical tools, Mariusz pioneered a unique way of re-defining school libraries as lived, dynamic spaces of privilege, marginalization, oppression and emancipation.

Mariusz is a leading authority on giftedness, merging theoretical / research-based knowledge with practitioner background of teaching in schools for 20 years. He was a founding board member of Australia's first independent school for gifted students, and later that school’s first Deputy Principal. Mariusz's qualifications, expertise and experience also extend to supporting students with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Mariusz presented his doctoral research findings at international conferences and presentations to academic staff and HDR students. He is currently working on peer reviewed publications based on his doctoral research.