Contact Us
Wonder of Science fosters a STEM culture in Queensland schools - where students, teachers, and their parents/carers understand the importance of STEM and believe that STEM education and careers are accessible to them.
Want to partner with us? Want more information about school involvement or funded regions?
General Enquiries
Email: wonderofscience@uq.edu.au
Phone: (07) 3443 1194
Postal Address
Wonder of Science
C/O Graduate School
Level 6, Building 62
The University of Queensland
St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072
To contact a team member directly, please see details below
Dr Kaylene Cooper (nee Butler) Manager
Email: kaylene.cooper@uq.edu.au
Phone: (07) 3443 1195
Dr Kaylene Cooper is a vertebrate palaeontologist and STEM educator who joined as a Program Officer for Wonder of Science in 2018 and is currently the initiative’s Manager. Kaylene’s PhD research focused on extinct kangaroos from the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in northwestern Queensland, Australia. While volunteering as a Young Science Ambassador during her PhD she developed a passion for STEM education which sparked her career as a STEM educator and science communicator.
Kaylene received a Bachelor of Science majoring in Zoology with First Class Honours in 2013 and a PhD in 2018 from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. During this time Kaylene also described a new genus and two new species of ancient kangaroo from Riversleigh. She then went on to work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Queensland University of Technology before beginning work with Wonder of Science.
Kaylene also has extensive experience as a science communicator having worked with schools, social media, news, and TV programs such as Totally Wild.
Eleanor Knox Program Officer
Email: e.knox@uq.edu.au
Phone (07) 3346 0530
After completing a Bachelor of Science (Zoology) at the University of Melbourne and a Masters of Natural Resources Studies at the University of Queensland, Eleanor's career pathway led her to Colorado, USA, where she spent over a decade as a Senior animal keeper at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo working with great apes. This experience developed her love of animal behaviour and training, and engaging visitors with the zoo's wildlife conservation programs, such as sustainable palm oil awareness.
Eleanor is excited to broaden her science communication and engagement skills into other STEM fields. Along with further experience as a science communicator at Scienceworks (Museums Victoria) and SparkLab (Queensland Museum), she joined Wonder of Science as a Program officer in 2024.
Eleanor continues to focus on connecting people to the natural world around them, to encourage action on conservation - particularly with younger generations. Eleanor believes that an inquiry-based learning model is an excellent way to engage students in STEM and that better science communication throughout all levels of expertise is vital to creating a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world.
