Campbell McRobbie
My recollection is that I was introduced to Cam, as a potential colleague, by Barry Fraser. Barry had already established collaborative relationships with Cam and was working with him to develop the science education programs at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Prior to my first visit to QUT there was a faculty opening for which Cam encouraged me to apply. At the time it was not convenient for me to return to Australia, however Cam’s initial overture to consider this position catalyzed an ongoing collaborative relationship and an adjunct appointment at the University.
I began a program of collaborative research with Cam McRobbie at QUT in 1993 when I first visited the University to undertake on-site research at Kelvin Grove high school and another nearby high school which there was a high proportion of Chinese immigrants. In a context of the teaching and learning of physics and chemistry we were interested in sociocultural factors including English imperialism, stereotype threat, and ongoing research on beliefs and metaphors as they related to the teaching and learning of science. I returned for follow-up intensive research in 1995 and continued my collaborative research with Cam until his retirement in 2005.
Our publications included 1 co-edited (with Barry Fraser and Cam) International Handbook of Science Education, 7 journal articles and 1 book chapter.
