Dr Niamatullah Ibrahimi
Dr Niamatullah Ibrahimi (pictured above) is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations.
“With the rapid pace of change in international power relations and emerging challenges, like climate change and new technologies, it’s an exciting time to specialise in this area,” says Dr Ibrahimi.
“I have the privilege of teaching several subjects as part of our Bachelor of Global Studies and Master of International Relations degrees. All subjects equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to not only understand the complexities of international politics but to also become agents of positive change in their future careers.”
As an educator, Dr Ibrahimi places students at the heart of everything he does.
“I strive to put students at the centre of every stage of the teaching process, from designing the curriculum to delivering engaging lectures and assessing their progress. My priority is to foster students’ drive and passion to learn, explore and grow.”
“I believe that education is a powerful and transformative process. Seeing my students grow and become leaders in the field is rewarding for me as a lecturer and a testament to the power of education in unlocking the unique potential that lies within every student.”
Dr Brigid McCarthy
Dr Brigid McCarthy, Lecturer in Journalism, is passionate about shaping the next generation of journalists.
“I teach media and journalism subjects in the Bachelor of Media and Communication degree, and I also teach the Work Integrated Learning subject, Upstart,” says Dr McCarthy.
Upstart allows students to undertake real-world journalism in a campus-based newsroom, producing news and features for an online magazine or live broadcast.
“Upstart is a particularly challenging but rewarding subject for students. They must pitch and develop their story ideas, work to strict deadlines and revise work until it’s publication worthy. I try to foster a supportive environment where students can really test themselves against these high expectations and feel the exhilaration of doing real journalism work.”
What does Dr McCarthy enjoy most about teaching?
"The little things," she says.
“Having a great classroom discussion, seeing a student who initially struggled begin to thrive with a little support, having former students tell me that their Upstart experience helped them get to where they are, when a student surprises me with an amazing idea or piece of work – all of these things are rewarding.”
Dr Yuri Cath
Senior Lecturer, Dr Yuri Cath, says philosophy is essential to understanding the world around us, and our place in that world.
“Students who study philosophy at university learn how to think about life’s big questions in a systematic and rigorous way and, in the process, they develop logical and critical thinking skills that can be applied to all of life’s questions, big or small.”
In his teaching, Dr Cath shows students how philosophy applies to their lives now and into the future.
“I place a big emphasis on helping students to see how philosophy can illuminate contemporary issues concerning new technologies. For example, we explore topics like how Aristotle helps us to evaluate the value of online friendships and social robots, and how ideas from ancient Chinese philosophy might help us to navigate the ethical dangers involved in chatbots which aim to simulate conversations with people who have died.”
For Dr Cath, being part of a student’s learning journey is the best part of teaching.
“Watching a student’s growth in their abilities, and their confidence in those abilities, as they learn how to properly develop, express, and critique their own ideas and arguments is incredibly rewarding.”
