Research interests:

• information behaviour and information practices
• information literacy
• evidence-based librarianship

Current research projects:

My current research project focuses on the information behaviour of academics working on short-term contracts and examines the influence of current higher education environments – that are particularly precarious – on their information needs, seeking, use, and practices.

Thesis research:

My thesis, entitled ‘Information in transition: Examining the information behaviour of academics as they transition into university careers,’ examined early career academics as they move from doctoral education to academic positions in Australia and Canada. The study explored academics’ information needs related to teaching, research and service as they transition from student to staff roles. The goal was to better understand the complexities of new academics’ professional, personal and research-related development. Existing published research explores doctoral students’ experiences and scholars’ research/teaching needs; however, this literature does not examine the implications of transition between roles. The study used a grounded theory methodology and qualitative research design (multiple in-depth interviews, check-ins, and document analysis) to capture academics’ information activities in the context of doctoral preparation for academic work. The results contribute to the scholarly literature in education and information studies, as well as inform university administrators and academics’ understandings of the supports needed for successful career transition.

I completed my PhD at the School of Information Studies at Charles Sturt University in Australia in 2016. My supervisors were Professor Lisa M. Given and Dr. Annemaree Lloyd.