Contacts
Group membership
Professor Susan Howitt completed her PhD at ANU, working on the genetics of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. She then changed fields, moving to the John Curtin School of Medical Research to work first on the E. coli ATP synthase and later becoming involved in a project on the GABAA receptor. Both projects used genetic approaches to address the structure and function of these proteins and this research led to her current interest in another class of membrane proteins, nutrient transporters. In 1997 Susan was appointed to a lecturing position. This has led to an increasing interest in learning and teaching and she has completed a Master in Higher Education. Her current research interests are in the area of student learning, in particular relating to conceptual learning and learning about research.
She is also the Senior Tuckwell Fellow, with responsibility for developing and coordinating a program for the Tuckwell Scholars.
Research interests
My science research interest is in how transporters function and we aim to understand their molecular mechanisms. We are using heterologous expression systems to characterize transporters and mutant variants that have been generated by site-directed mutagenesis or random methods. This allows us to test hypotheses about which regions of the transporter are important for function. Our current focus is on sulphate transporters from plants and bicarbonate transporters from cyanobacteria.
I am also interested in educational research, focusing on two related areas, learning for conceptual understanding and learning about research. The latter includes research into how students understand the nature of science and the research process and is supported by an OLT grant. We are examining learning in lab classes, courses about science and in undergraduate research projects, with the aim of enhancing learning about the nature and practice of research. By focussing on ways of thinking and practising in students' chosen discipline, we hope to better prepare students for their future careers in a complex and changing world.
Recent grants
- TREASURE (Teaching Research: Evaluating Assessment Strategies for Undergraduate Research Projects). Funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching, 2012-2014.
Professor Susan Howitt is an Associate Director of Education and the Deputy Head of the Biology Teaching and Learning Centre. In this capacity she has the responsibility for the mentoring of teaching-focused academics in the Research School of Biology, and supporting educational research projects. She will also supervise the ANU Hubs and Spokes (in Medical Sciences) appointee liaising with the University of South Australia and our Joint Bachelor of Medical Science. She is the College First Year Course Adviser, and represents the Research School of Biology on the various College-level committees, and she is also the Senior Tuckwell Fellow, with responsibility for developing and coordinating a program for the Tuckwell Scholars.