In this episode, I talk with Dr Stefan O’Grady who is an education-focused lecturer in Academic English and TESOL.

Unlike many academics who transition into teaching after a research-intensive path, Stefan’s journey has been shaped by his early experiences as an English language teacher, leading him to pursue a PhD not as an academic pursuit, but as a means of becoming a better educator.

Stefan reflects on the ways his background in language testing, statistics, and applied linguistics have influenced his teaching, and the tensions that arise when navigating different academic traditions and expectations.

Our conversation explores themes of professional identity, the intersections of research and teaching, and the challenges of finding one’s academic ‘tribe’ in an interdisciplinary space such as language testing.

This episode is a thought-provoking reflection on how we define expertise in teaching and learning, and the importance of fostering intellectual curiosity beyond disciplinary boundaries.