Keynote Speakers
Dr. Pooja Gupta Sidney
Associate Professor, Developmental Psychology, University of Kentucky, US
Dr. Pooja Gupta Sidney is an Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology, and coordinator for the Developmental, Social, Health Psychology PhD program, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, US. Her research focuses on how children and adults think, learn, and solve problems in mathematics. More specifically, Dr. Sidney is interested in features of mathematical instruction that help students connect new learning with their existing prior knowledge. In addition to studying mathematical cognition, she also investigates students’ mathematics anxiety, attitudes, identity, and sense of belonging. In the context of this research, Dr. Sidney provides thoughtful mentoring to graduate and undergraduate students on topics including research methods, quantitative skills, professional development, and transparent and responsible science. Outside of work, she is a mom of two young children and three cats.
Prof. Pirjo Aunio
Professor, Special Education, University of Helsinki, Finland
Since early 2000 Pirjo Aunio has done research about development and learning of mathematical skills, with a special focus on learning difficulties in mathematics. Together with her group she has developed evidence based assessment and intervention methods to be used in early childhood education and comprehensive school to provide possibilities for early identification and prevention of learning difficulties. She has published more than 90 peer-review articles and books related to her research area. Aunio works as a professor (Special Education, 2013->) and director of a doctoral program (Cognition, Learning, Instruction and Communication), and board member of Doctoral School in University of Helsinki. She also has distinguished visiting professor (Early Childhood Education) position in University of Johannesburg (South Africa). She is in a member of editorial board for two international scientific journals and regular reviewer for international scientific journals and research grant foundations.
Prof. Steven Howard
Professor, Early Start and the School of Education, University of Wollongong, Australia
Steven Howard is a Professor with Early Start and the School of Education at University of Wollongong. He was Australia’s sole ARC Future Fellow in Education in 2024 and is a current member of the ARC College of Experts. He is also a member of the Editorial Board for the leading early child development journal, Early Childhood Research Quarterly. Steven has internationally regarded expertise in early self-regulation and related abilities, seeking to understand young children’s progress in foundational areas of development (including and beyond self-regulation) and leveraging that information to implement and evaluate programs to support children’s continued growth. In the last 10 years he has published >100 peer-reviewed articles and 8 books/chapters. He has led or been a Chief Investigator on teams that have secured over $63M in research funding, including the ongoing 7-year ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child and 3-year SPROUTS study. Steven has active collaborations in >10 countries (e.g., UK, US, South Africa, Italy, Norway, Japan) and 235 co-authors. Currently he supervises 11 PhD students and has 16 PhD students who completed and who have gone on to successful careers academia, industry and government.
Prof. Victoria Simms
Professor, School of Psychology, Ulster University, Northern Ireland
Victoria Simms is a developmental psychologist with a specific interest in the development of mathematical thinking in children. Victoria's work also focuses on the long-term consequences of preterm birth, specifically cognitive and educational outcomes. Victoria has recently been appointed as the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Numerical Cognition. Victoria also chairs the board of the Northern Ireland Science Festival, one of the largest science festivals in Europe.