The Unconventional Academic
Having shifted to academia in October 2019 after a long career in the Australian Public Service, Dr. Rosetta Romano joined the University of Canberra as an Assistant Professor in Information Technology and Systems, immediately taking on teaching and convening responsibilities for three Information Systems units. Her real-world experience enriched her teaching, especially in a field that integrates people, processes, and technology.
Her first semester was particularly demanding as she balanced teaching, finalizing her PhD revisions, and adapting to the sudden challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Support from colleagues and the TATAL (Talking About Teaching and Learning) committee played a crucial role in her successful transition.
Beyond the Stereotype
Dr. Rosetta Romano sees her recognition as a meaningful step forward for diversity, equity, and inclusion in both academia and technology. She challenges the stereotype of male-dominated IT sector, and calls for educational pathways, inclusive pedagogy and a curriculum that reflects community diversity and fosters opportunities for all, especially underrepresented groups.
As an early career researcher and educator, Dr. Romano focuses on topics that help others and intentionally integrates diversity into her teaching. She views leadership as the courage to question norms, promote inclusivity, and create empowering, inclusive learning environments.
Pioneering Indigenous Perspectives in IT Curriculum
Dr. Rosetta Romano is particularly proud of her initiative to Indigenize the IT curriculum, an effort that directly aligns with the Universities Australia’s whole-of-sector strategy. This strategy underscores the crucial importance of engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities to achieve enhanced outcomes in both education and research.
With invaluable support from Elder and Dr. Wayne Applebee, who generously shared his Kamilaroi culture, Dr. Romano’s team successfully adapted yarning, an Indigenous method of sharing cultural knowledge, for an online classroom environment. This innovative approach enabled them to integrate Indigenous perspectives into a subject area that has historically lacked such representation.
Dr. Rosetta Romano: Bridging Gaps in Tech, Education & Inclusion
- Cybersecurity for Small Businesses
- Promotes standards & education for the 96% of global businesses that are small enterprises.
- Support for Victim-Survivors of Domestic and Family Violence
- Leads research on tech-facilitated abuse, focusing on vulnerable and underrepresented groups.
- Indigenized Curriculum
- Integrates Indigenous perspectives into education through inclusive, respectful teaching.
Vision for Culturally Inclusive Tech Education
This significant initiative was driven by a multi-disciplinary team. It included Indigenous scholar Marina Martiniello, current and retired academics including Peter Copeman and Dale MacKrell, lecturers Blooma John, Sumaira Qureshi, and tutors from both IT, Tharanga Samaranayaka Jayawardana, Asuquo Okon, and other faculties Naomi Dale, as well as professional staff Tamsin Kemp. Collaboratively, they forged a diverse and inclusive framework designed to meaningfully and respectfully embed Indigeneity into the curriculum.
Their groundbreaking work has garnered several prestigious accolades, including a Best International Conference Paper, publication in an International journal, a University of Canberra teaching award, and the highly regarded Australasian Association for Information Systems John Campbell impact award.
These recognitions powerfully affirm the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge into technology education and highlight the transformative power of collaboration in driving systemic change.
Partnerships for Purpose
Dr. Rosetta Romano firmly believes that industry partnerships are essential for ensuring that university research and teaching remain both relevant and impactful. She currently spearheads two key collaborations that significantly bolster research, education, and community engagement.
One such collaboration is with Nansen, a small company dedicated to improving the lives of victim-survivors of technology-facilitated domestic abuse. This vital partnership has spurred impactful research from PhD and master’s students.
Their investigations delve into the critically under-researched topic of abuse affecting women (including Indigenous women), the elderly (including Indigenous individuals), and in future, people with disabilities (including Indigenous individuals) appearing in Information Systems literature. This work not only advances academic understanding but also directly contributes to real-world solutions for vulnerable communities.
Alongside this research, Dr. Romano also leads a prestigious Industry Funded PhD with Associate Professor Blooma John and Nansen.
About the University of Canberra (UC)
The University of Canberra is proudly Canberra’s university—practical, innovative, and focused on real-world outcomes. Known for its inclusive and supportive campus environment, UC empowers students to achieve their goals, discover their strengths, and build lasting connections, all while meeting the needs of Australia’s evolving workforce.
Highlights at a Glance
Student Enrolment (2024)
- 11,996 Equivalent Full-Time Student Load (EFTSL) across domestic and international cohorts.
- Growth in female enrolments over the past three years.
- Increases in students identifying as Gender X continue year-on-year.
Awards & Recognition
- 2025 SAGE Cygnet Award for advancing intersectional gender equity in recruitment.
- Times Higher Education (2025): Ranked 7th globally for Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), among 1,108 universities worldwide.
Staff & Workplace Achievements (2024 AHEIA & WGEA Reports)
- 86.38% full-time staff (above national average of 84.52%).
- 63.17% of senior roles held by women (national average: 58.96%).
- 2.07% Indigenous staff (above national average of 1.81%).
- 8.76% academic promotion rate (national average: 7.87%).
- 6.9% gender pay gap (lower than sector average of 11.4%).
Diversity & Inclusion (as of June 2025)
- 58.8% of senior managers are women.
- 64.3% total female staff representation.
- 2.76% of all staff (incl. casuals) identify as Indigenous.
Research Performance (2024)
- 1,386 total research outputs (including traditional and creative works).
- 38.8% increase in research income—UC’s strongest research funding year to date.
- Industry-Led Research and Education
Another set of collaborations, supported by Surround Australia, Pathfinders, and Procure Spot, focuses on educating smaller businesses about cybersecurity. These partnerships actively bring industry representatives into the classroom to share their professional experiences. This provides students with a tangible sense of how their studies apply in professional contexts, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Strategically, these partnerships significantly strengthen the University of Canberra’s commitment to community-focused research and inclusive education. They also ensure that the curriculum continually evolves in line with industry needs, thereby creating new avenues for research, enriching student engagement, and fostering broader societal impact.
Leading the AI Transformation in Information Systems Education
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undeniably the most prominent topic shaping education today, and Dr. Rosetta Romano, as an Information Systems educator, has observed a significant transformation. She notes a distinct shift from simply teaching about Information Systems—the people, processes, and technology used to deliver business benefits—to actively educating with people, processes, and technology in a much more integrated and dynamic way.
As the President of the Association of Information Systems (AIS) Special Interest Group (SIG) for Education (SIGed), Dr. Romano has witnessed this evolution reflected in the research papers submitted to the International Conference on Information Systems Education and Research by Information System educators globally.
Over the past five years, a clear trend has emerged: educators are sharing innovative artifacts and approaches they’re experimenting with to enhance student learning. This coincides with a period of rapid technology design, stronger industry-academia collaboration, and curriculum co-creation with students and communities.
For Dr. Romano, education is a living system, and technology helps to amplify and reimagine how we teach, learn, and connect.
Embracing Community in a Demanding Academic Landscape
In the often “stupidly busy” world of academia, Dr. Rosetta Romano, an Information Systems professional, navigates a particularly dynamic environment. Her role demands not only keeping pace with, but also anticipating new ways for humans to interact with emerging technologies. This is further complicated by the need to balance a steady stream of research with the coordination of teams spanning various time zones and disciplines.
A significant shift for Dr. Romano was moving from the solo mindset cultivated during her PhD journey to fully embracing the power of community. She has come to understand that genuine growth only happens through collaboration.
The Backbone of Success
Dr. Romano is fortunate to be part of several vital communities that shape and support her work:
- Research communities that foster diversity and inclusion of ideas.
- Communities of practice, like those focused on Indigenizing the curriculum and TATAL (Talking About Teaching and Learning ) where she can learn from others’ lived experiences.
- Industry partnerships that help ground research for real-world impact, often at a faster pace than traditional academic timelines (Nansen, Surround Australia, Pathfinders and Procure Spot).
- Managers and colleagues who share her work with others and are stronger together.
- A personal support network of family and friends who create space for the demands of her busy role.
These diverse communities have not only helped Dr. Romano overcome challenges but have also profoundly shaped her leadership style, making it collaborative, inclusive, and grounded in shared purpose.
The Human Touch
Like many, Dr. Rosetta Romano is a keen observer of leadership, often drawing inspiration from exemplary leaders and occasionally baffled by less effective approaches. When reflecting on her own leadership journey, she acknowledges moments of success and equally valuable instances of learning from missteps. “If I were an AI,” she muses, “I might blame the training data, but as a human, I embrace learning from experience.”
Dr. Romano’s leadership style is firmly rooted in the conviction that change is inevitable, and that our differences are precisely what enable us to challenge the status quo. She offers cybersecurity as a prime example of a contemporary IT issue where no single person, group, or even AI can provide a solitary solution.
Instead, she emphasizes that solving such complex problems demands diverse teams, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the seamless blending of academic and non-academic perspectives. Sometimes, it’s about synthesizing old wisdom with new science to forge fresh approaches. In 2024, the Canberra Cyber Hub recognized her inclusive leadership at the International Women in Cyber Day Canberra Awards for her Inclusion in Action Award.
This is where leadership truly comes alive for Dr. Romano: creating spaces where diversity, equity, and inclusion are not merely values, but powerful drivers of innovation and effective problem-solving. This collaborative and adaptive approach defines the kind of leadership she consistently strives to practice.
Shaping Tomorrow’s Educators
Dr. Rosetta Romano encourages others to explore diverse ways of learning, particularly embracing Indigenous ways of knowing and teaching. She says be curious, ask questions, and engage with Indigenous peers and Elders with utmost respect and openness. Critically, she advises constant reflection: Always be reflective. Look back at how you were taught and consider how you can shape the future of education.
Dr. Romano’s vision is for future educators to become the “educator of tomorrow”—one who leads with empathy, inclusivity, and innovation. Most importantly, she emphasizes the need to be prepared to lead in your own way. As she firmly states, “There is no single path to leadership. Your journey, your voice, and your perspective are not only valid—they are essential.
An Open Letter to Those Entering Education and Tech — Especially Women and Gender-Diverse Folks
Hey there,
If you’re stepping into the worlds of education or tech — welcome. There’s space here for you, just as you are.
You don’t need to fit a mold. In fact, being different is a strength. Real innovation happens when people bring fresh, diverse perspectives and aren’t afraid to question the usual way of doing things.
Show up as yourself. It matters. By being visible and real, you make it easier for others to do the same. Don’t underestimate the power of simply being present — it can open doors for so many others.
And let’s bust a myth while we’re at it: being “emerging” doesn’t mean being young. Leadership isn’t about age — it’s about insight, passion, and purpose. Older women and gender-diverse professionals bring so much value, and your timing is perfect, no matter when your journey starts.
So go ahead — lead with curiosity, courage, and kindness. Education and tech need you more than ever.
Always learning,
Dr. Rosetta Romano
Key Takeaways from Dr. Rosetta Romano
- Real-World Experience Matters
- Her public service career brings practical depth to tech education.
- Diversity Drives Innovation
- She challenges IT stereotypes and champions inclusive, representative curricula.
- Indigenous Perspectives Belong in Tech
- She integrates Indigenous knowledge into IT education with respect and impact.
- Collaboration Creates Change
- Her partnerships address real issues like cybersecurity and tech-enabled domestic and family abuse.
- Lead with Empathy and Openness
- She models leadership through listening, learning, and building inclusive communities.
