Kate Reynolds

Kate Reynolds is a Professor of Educational Psychology & Learning at the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Education. She previously held roles at the Australian National University and is affiliated with the Learning Intervention Academic Group, focusing on inclusive education, educational psychology, and learning science. Her research emphasizes the social identity perspective to drive effective behavior change models, particularly in educational contexts.

Education: PhD from the Australian National University.

Research Interests: Reynolds' work centers on how schools as group systems influence student motivation, engagement, academic achievement, and mental health. She explores the intersection of social identity theory with behavioral change, particularly addressing societal challenges like health and environmental sustainability. Her recent studies highlight protective factors like positive school climates and strong school identification against mental health declines during crises such as the pandemic.

Publications Trends: Her articles (2023-2025) focus on school climate interventions, the psychological impact of multiculturalism, and the societal role of schools in fostering well-being. Notably, she investigates misinformation dynamics in climate science and the cognitive effects of repetition on belief formation.

• Awards: Honoris Causa degree from University Clermont Auvergne, France (2019).

Grants & Projects:

• 2022-2025: $480,000 ACT Education Directorate grant on school climate and outcomes.
• 2019-2023: $2.8M ANU Grand Challenges Project on social cohesion and diversity.
• 2023-2027: $668,000 ARC grant on social identity and truth perceptions.

Labs/Teams: Active member of the Learning Intervention Academic Group, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects to improve educational systems and student well-being through identity-based interventions.