I love learning new things and connecting people and ideas. I’ve been lucky to have had a career that has taken me to so many different parts of the world and has provided me an arsenal of random facts that make me a formidable pub quiz contestant (as long as they don’t ask about reality TV or cricket). When not working I’ll most likely be found binge-watching a thriller series, cracking a cryptic crossword, sweating it out at the gym or camping in the outback.

What was the start of your interpretation journey?

Which time around?! I’ve been in and out of formal study for more than 30 years.

My original degree was a BSc(Hons) majoring in Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide. The plan was to be a research scientist, although I soon found the day-to-day reality of laboratory life was not a great fit for me. I heard there was this thing called Science Communication, and I was accepted into the ANU/Questacon program (also known as the Science Circus) in 1998.

Later, in the early 2010s, I returned to university to complete a PhD in museum visitor experiences, where I focused on the psychology of how visitors perceive the design of the exhibition environment. My PhD was through the University of Queensland’s School of Tourism, although I was based at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide during my studies.

Most recently, I have developed an interest in leadership and governance, and their role in making cultural organisations the best versions of themselves. In 2025 I completed the AICD’s Company Director’s Course. I also have a Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Australian Institute of Management.

What does interpretation mean to you?
Interpretation is what transforms information and data into meaning and memory. Good interpretation should make you think, get you in the feels, and change the way you see the world.

When and how did you start working in interpretation?
My interpretation work grew out of my Science Communication training. My first work in Sci Comms was in the UK, doing exhibition development for science-based visitor attractions. My job was to find ways to make scientific concepts and discoveries relevant, interesting, and easy to understand for a range of audiences. I later discovered the term “Interpretation” when I started to apply those same skills to different places and topics – national parks, history museums, and so on.

What is your favourite interpretive project to date and why?

I’m going to cheat and say two:

My first major project, a permanent exhibition about the Solar System at the National Space Centre in Leicester, UK, will always have a special place in my heart. It opened in 2001 and was a much-loved feature of the Centre until it was closed in 2025 for a complete refurbishment. If you’d told me back in 2001 that people would still be engaging with my work nearly a quarter of a century later, I wouldn’t have believed you!

The second was an Interpretation Plan and a series of themed self-guided walking tours for West Terrace Cemetery in Adelaide. While this project won a number of tourism and interpretation awards, the real pleasure I gained from it was how much I learned about the history of my home city in doing it. I still love sharing those tidbits. Want to know the *real* reason Adelaide is known as the City of Churches? I can tell you….

What role does Interpretation have in the world today?
A story has travelled the world before the facts have put their shoes on. Stories are politically powerful and thus interpretation is not neutral. We should strive to use our skills ethically, thoughtfully, and for the greater good.