How an Academic Skills Adviser can help
If you want to make an appointment to see an Academic Skills Adviser, here's what you need to know.
Academic Skills Advisers can help you develop the study skills you need for university.
Appointments work best one on one, but if you have a group assessment and want to discuss it together, you can bring your group to the appointment.
Before you make an appointment
Before you book in to see an Academic Skills Adviser, we recommend attending some of our free learning workshops. They'll help you develop key study skills, including writing, presentation and exam preparation.
What to bring to your appointment
On the day of your appointment, remember to bring:
- your task sheets, criteria sheets, assignment rubrics and course profiles
- your assignment or plan (either digital or printout).
If you have draft or text to discuss
If you plan to discuss your writing/a text during the consultation, please be sure to follow both steps below:
- Email the relevant adviser your draft/text and the task requirements before the consultation (Please use the relevant Academic Skills Adviser's email address from the list on StudentHub).
- Attend the consultation with either a hard (paper) copy of your draft/text or electronic access to it on your laptop or tablet.
How an appointment can help
(Back left to right) Dr Kevan Jones, Dr Bernadette Huber, Dr Eva King
Academic Skills Advisers
Our advisers assist undergraduate and postgraduate students in all programs to clarify ideas from workshops and develop their study skills. They will provide you with feedback on assignments and help you develop effective reading, writing and time management strategies.
An appointment with an Academic Skills Adviser can help you:
- develop your reading and assignment-writing skills and manage the research process
- adapt to HDR (Higher Degree by Research) studies
- gain feedback on your first few assignments before you submit them
- clarify assignment expectations and help you plan
- develop skills introduced in workshops you're unable to attend
- interpret and use feedback from lecturers, tutors or supervisors
- prepare for exams, tackle specific subject-related issues and avoid procrastination
- develop your numeracy skills (enquire at sslearningdev@uq.edu.au)
- manage any problems arising with lecturers, tutors or supervisors in a confidential manner
- develop your use of academic language skills.
Academic Skills Advisers don't provide:
- proofreading services, including grammar and spellchecking. You can find a proofreader through the UQ Student Union.
To make an appointment with an Academic Skills Adviser
Meet the Academic Skills Advisers
Sheree Millen
Academic Skills Adviser
I have been involved in helping students to learn since 2000, when I completed my first teaching qualification. Since then, I have worked in universities and colleges in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Indonesia, and Japan. My own educational background is in Arts and Humanities - Applied Linguistics and International Development, and most recently in Trauma-Aware Education. I enjoy the role of Academic Skills Adviser because my particular interest is in assisting students to flourish in their studies as well as to achieve their educational goals. When I am not at work, I enjoying being outside in nature or relaxing with my cat and a good novel.
Dr Bernadette Huber
Academic Skills Adviser
I joined the team as Senior Academic Success Coordinator, leading initiatives for students on Progression Alerts, Progression Interventions, or interruptions. My work is informed by the conviction that universities should support a transformative and joyful educational experience for everyone. I have a BA in Comparative Literature, an MA in German as a Second and Foreign Language (both from University of Vienna) and a PhD in Writing Studies (UQ). I became passionate about student support initiatives when I worked as an academic writing mentor at the University of Vienna, Austria. I discovered that writing at university can be taught and learned and how many techniques and different approaches to writing there are (there's not one right one!). So I did my PhD on the affective experience of undergraduate academic writing to understand the multifaceted experiences and challenges of university study even more. Outside of work, I love good discussions and cooking pasta.
Dr David Rowland
Academic Skills Adviser
I joined Student Support and Wellbeing Services as an Academic Skills Adviser in the last millennium, so that either makes me old or very experienced! I initially aimed to be a physics / maths teacher, and was a maths lecturer for six years before becoming an Academic Skills Adviser. This quantitative background means a particular interest of mine is helping coursework and research students develop their statistical literacy. However, I have broad interests and a love of reading and teaching mean I also greatly enjoy working with students to develop their oral and written communication skills. Outside of uni, I could be characterised as a Whovian, and when an undergraduate designed and built my own model TARDIS console room.
Dr Eva King
Academic Skills Adviser
I joined the UQ Academic Skills Advisers team in 2021. I really enjoy assisting both under-graduate and post-graduate coursework students of all disciplines to develop their capacity to learn productively, along with the skills to communicate their knowledge and understanding to others in their assessments. I also enjoy working with HDR students to assist them with milestone preparation, responding to feedback, and thesis writing. My approach is to first explore students’ situations and existing strategies with them, and then work together to develop ways to become more effective and efficient learners and academic writers. My practice is informed by my educational and professional background in Veterinary Science, Veterinary and Health Professions Education and International Student Education. I also have a keen interest in workplace learning and qualitative research. When I’m not at work, you’ll find me enjoying the great outdoors on land and sea, travelling, reading, or rehabilitating our bush block near the Border Ranges.
Dr Veronica Ong
Academic Skills Adviser
I have been a language and learning educator across various Australian and international universities for close to 20 years. In my previous roles, I contributed to curriculum renewal and academic support initiatives at both the central university and school/faculty levels, including developing and implementing whole-of-program strategies for student transition, engagement, retention and academic success across the student life-cycle. I first trained as an English language and literature teacher before pursuing a Master in Education (TESOL), and subsequently completing a PhD in Education from the University of New South Wales in 2015. My dissertation adopted an academic literacies lens to investigate learning transfer for international non-native English speaker (NNES) students transitioning from an Academic English pathway program to their respective postgraduate studies at an Australian G8 university. Since then, I have lectured in both Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and postgraduate Education courses at Curtin University, WA and the University of Sydney. More recently, I returned to supporting students as an Academic Skills Adviser. I really enjoy working with students on a one-to-one basis, and believe in the importance of providing individualised learning support. I am particularly interested in helping students develop their research and academic writing skills, as well as exploring the ethical use of emerging technologies for learning. When I am not at work or being kept busy raising teenage boys, I relish exploring nature trails, and doing botanical illustrations.
Dr Kevan Jones
Academic Skills Adviser
I am a UQ Academic Skills Adviser, specialised in tertiary academic skills development. My priority interests are effective study and research communication - especially public speaking. I have a Bachelor of Science in Plant Science and a PhD in Agricultural science, both from UQ. My speciality was plant pathology, specifically fungal diseases. My doctorate was on fusarium wilt in bananas. During my PhD, I was a tutor, lab demonstrator and occasional course co-coordinator. Through this, I discovered my true love for teaching. I am a firm believer in the power of higher education to drive a fairer, more informed & equitable society. Outside of work, I am both a Morris dancer and folk musician (button accordion).