Leading Science Education On The State Stage

At Rosebank College, our educators are more than teachers; they are passionate mentors, dedicated to inspiring, guiding, and empowering every student. This month, we celebrate two members of our Science faculty, Siran Galeb and Marie Serratore, who both took to the stage at the 2026 STANSW Conference to share their expertise with Science educators from across the state.

Making the Invisible Visible: As Coordinator of Accreditation and Professional Practice, and a teacher of Year 11 and 12 Physics and Stage 5 Science, Siran brings a rare blend of classroom passion and system-wide leadership to Rosebank. "Science is uniquely able to make the invisible visible," she says, describing the reward of watching students move from memorising formulae to genuinely understanding the world around them.

Much of Siran's work happens beyond her own classroom: liaising with Universities on pre-service teacher placements, supporting mentor teachers, and guiding early career teachers and HALT applicants through a process that can feel daunting and isolating. "I wanted to be the person who makes that process clearer and less isolating," she explains, a motivation that carries into her own journey toward Lead accreditation.

That same instinct for practical support shaped her STANSW presentation on ‘AI as a metacognitive tool for science teaching and learning’. "Teachers needed practical, critically-minded ways to use AI, rather than vague warnings," Siran says.

Fostering Curiosity, Confidence and Control:  As Science Coordinator and Biology teacher, Marie is driven by a belief in science's power to explain the living world. "It helps explain the processes that affect our everyday lives, from genetics and evolution to human health and disease," she says. Beyond her own classroom, she works to foster a love of science across the whole Rosebank community, while supporting fellow teachers to bring that same enthusiasm into theirs.

Maintaining her Highly Accomplished Teacher accreditation, Marie presented at STANSW on ‘Analysing HSC data to improve student outcomes’ and, in particular, ‘Designing custom AI bots’ that give students targeted, syllabus-specific support. Her motivation was to always ensure that AI promotes learning rather than replacing it.

Her interest grew from noticing students, especially when stressed, turning to AI to do their thinking for them. "I saw this as a real risk," she says, "as it can diminish curiosity, resilience, and the sense of achievement that comes from overcoming challenges."

For Marie, Science is about teaching students to question evidence, wherever it comes from, and to become thoughtful, independent thinkers.

Siran and Marie's presentations reflect a shared conviction: that AI, used thoughtfully and critically, can strengthen rather than replace genuine learning. Their willingness to share their expertise beyond Rosebank speaks to the depth of talent within our Science faculty, and to our broader culture of collaborative, lifelong learning.

We are proud to celebrate Siran and Marie's achievement, and grateful for the passion and expertise they bring to our students, staff, and community every day.