Cate Challen: From biotech to the classroom

Cate Challen’s career path is anything but linear – and that’s exactly what makes it so rich. Today, she is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education at Queensland University of Technology, where she teaches pre-service high school maths teachers and researches inclusive professional learning environments in schools. But her story began in science, and her time at The University of Queensland laid the foundation for a journey that would span biotechnology, business, and education.

Cate graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 2001, followed by a Master and then a Doctor of Biotechnology at UQ, completing her doctorate in 2011. After graduation, she moved into business development roles in the biotech industry, working first with a venture capital firm, then a biotech company in Melbourne, and eventually heading up business development in San Diego for a small drug discovery company.

It was in the US, volunteering in local schools, that Cate had what she calls a defining moment. “I discovered I was super passionate about educating the next generation of scientists and mathematicians,” she says.

“Leaving biotech to become a teacher felt scary at first, but I soon realised I wasn’t starting again. My skills were transferable and valuable in ways I hadn’t expected.”

Empowering teachers, transforming classrooms

In her role at QUT, Cate blends her passions for teaching, learning and equitable education. Her research focuses on how to support in-service teachers and school leaders to create inclusive classrooms. “It’s about moving away from a culture of accountability and toward one of continuous improvement,” she explains.

Having been a classroom teacher herself, Cate is especially attuned to the immediate and visible impact of teaching. “Working in biotech, you might be contributing to something incredible, but the impact is often long-term. In the classroom, you show up every day and you know you’re making a difference.”

Cate sees her role as one of empowering future educators to recognise the immense responsibility and opportunity they have. “I want them to create spaces where every student, especially in maths classrooms, feels they belong and can thrive.”

A front row seat to scientific progress

Although she’s now outside the biotech industry, Cate continues to watch its developments with interest. She points to the accessibility of gene-editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 and the progress in synthetic biology as particularly exciting. But what amazes her most is how today’s high school students can engage with technologies she encountered for the first time as a university student.

“When I was in third-year biochemistry, we were isolating proteins on gels and it felt amazing. Now I do that with Year 9 students in schools! That shift in access and exposure is incredible.”

A uni experience that broadened horizons

Cate holds fond memories of UQ, where she says she truly fell in love with learning. “I didn’t love high school, but I loved everything about being a university student. University gave me choice, freedom, and the opportunity to explore what I was genuinely interested in.”

She reflects especially on the business subjects she completed as part of her Doctor of Biotechnology, many of which were core MBA classes. “They gave me a whole new perspective, and the cultural diversity in those classes – with peers from all around the world – was a highlight.”

Advice for future biotech students

Cate’s advice for students is both pragmatic and passionate: “Do the things you love, not what you think you should do. Careers today are incredibly malleable. Pursue your genuine interests, take advantage of every opportunity, and enjoy the process of learning.”

Even though she’s taken what she calls the scenic route, Cate has no regrets. “I feel really fortunate that, wherever my career has gone, my studies always added value. I wouldn’t change a thing.”