Maria Weurlander

Maria Weurlander is an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Higher Education at Stockholm University's Department of Education. She serves as a member of the Higher Education Learning Practices (HELP) research group and is an editor for the peer-reviewed open access journal Högre utbildning (Higher Education). Previously, she worked at Karolinska Institutet (2004-2013) and KTH Royal Institute of Technology (2013-2019) developing professional development courses for academic teachers.

Dr. Weurlander's research focuses on the interplay between teaching and learning in professional education contexts, particularly examining emotionally challenging situations in teacher education, medical education, and engineering programs. Her work explores how students and professionals navigate identity formation, cope with emotional challenges, and develop professional confidence during their training. She has established research collaborations with institutions including KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Linköping University, Uppsala University, and University of East Anglia.

Her recent publications reveal consistent themes around emotional aspects of professional development, with particular attention to coping strategies, identity formation, and the social dynamics of learning. The research spans multiple professional contexts while maintaining focus on the emotional dimensions of educational experiences.

Dr. Weurlander currently leads two externally funded research projects from the Swedish Research Council: 'Supervision of student teachers and medical students in emotionally challenging situations' and 'Hands-on in computer programming education: understanding educational effects and brain processes'. These projects reflect her interdisciplinary approach bridging educational theory with practical applications across different professional domains.

As an educator, she specializes in professional development courses for academic teachers, including Research Supervision and Professional Development Course 2: Teaching and Learning in the Human Science Academic Area. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes supporting academics in developing effective teaching practices grounded in educational research.