Gema Carlson
Gema is a lecturer in the School of Acute and Primary Health at Auckland University of Technology. Her professional background spans community and educational settings, including counselling young adults, supporting at-risk tertiary students, and leading student wellbeing and mentoring initiatives. Gema works closely with first-year students and has a strong focus on their transition to university, drawing on her expertise in adult learning and student-centred teaching. Her work is underpinned by a particular interest in psycho-social approaches to understanding subjectivity. Gema is currently completing a Doctor of Education examining the co-construction of teacher and child subjectivities, informed by psychodynamic perspectives. Her project explores the relational nature of education and how children’s identities are shaped within these contexts.