Our Board
We are a group with extensive educational experience
Dr Andrew Jacobs – Co-Founder.
Andrew holds a PhD in theoretical physics and worked as an academic mathematician before becoming a quant for Deutsche Bank in London (2000-2012). After leaving London, Andrew and his family were based in Munich, where he successfully piloted a version of The Institute before settling here in Melbourne. Andrew has a broad range of educational experience including university and high school teaching as well as one-on-one tutoring from primary school to undergraduate university level. Andrew co-founded The Institute with Dr Doug Lynch, a medical doctor, who specialised in Critical Care and medical education - Doug retired from the Board at the end of 2023.
Professor Kerry Landman
Kerry is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne. She has devoted her career in applied mathematics to cross-disciplinary research to help solve real-world problems, from industry to biology. She has been an enthusiastic, dedicated and supportive teacher, research supervisor and mentor to students and early career researchers. In 2007, Kerry became the first female mathematics professor at The University of Melbourne. In 2014, Kerry was awarded the ANZIAM medal – the premier medal of the Australia and New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics Society. In 2019 Kerry was elected to be a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
Dr John Banks
John holds a PhD in Mathematics from La Trobe University, having completed a Bachelor of Arts with co-majors in Sociology and Mathematics. Until he retired in 2021, his academic career was very strongly focussed on teaching. He received several university teaching awards and grants while at La Trobe University. He then moved to The University of Melbourne to take up the position of Academic Manager of the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Centre (MSLC), steering the MSLC through the tumultuous period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout the period, he maintained (and continues to maintain) a major interest in web development as the author of a conference registration system used by the Australian Mathematical Society and its affiliates. He has been assisting the Institute with daily operations since 2022.
Dr Rachel Wilson
Rachel is a Senior Lecturer at RMIT University, Melbourne and has been teaching within the higher education sector for over 25 years, specialising in the Screen Production discipline. Rachel is heavily involved in local screen and media culture and sits as a director on the 3RRR community radio station, was a short documentary selector for the Melbourne International Film Festival from 2006-2018 and past Australian Screen Production Education and Research Association (ASPERA) board member (2007-2013) and President (2010-2011). Rachel’s research focuses on the student experience and the importance of belonging in higher education, moving image archival practices, and the media representation of trauma.
Linda Shardlow
Linda holds Bachelor of Science, Diploma of Education and Master of Education degrees from the University of Melbourne. She is an experienced secondary mathematics teacher with nearly 40 years of classroom practice in government and independent schools, both single sex and co-educational. Currently, Linda is working as an educational consultant for secondary schools, a proof reader of educational texts for Amba Press and as a clinical practice specialist with pre-service teachers doing their Master of Teaching degree at the University of Melbourne. Linda is passionate about enabling, encouraging, and supporting teacher agency in the pursuit of excellence in classroom practice based on a secure framework of evidence in order to support, and accelerate, positive impact on student learning. She has a special interest in girls' learning in mathematics. Linda is also a member of the Panel of Educators, Teachers and Leaders for the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).
