When Professor Sue Walker stepped into the world of early childhood education, it wasn't as a researcher or academic – it was as a mother, full of admiration for the early childhood teachers guiding her children's development.
"I was in awe of their work," she said. "What they did mattered so much. I knew then that I wanted to be part of that world."
That quiet spark of admiration ignited a lifelong commitment. From her Bachelor degree through to scholarships for her Masters and PhD, Professor Walker's academic path was fuelled by a simple but profound belief: every child deserves the best possible start in life.
Much of her early research was inspired by her eldest son, who she describes as not being the most 'socially skilled' child.
It led her down a path of inquiry into peer relationships – how children get along, what gets in the way, and how early interventions can build the skills they need to connect.
Now Professor of Early Childhood Education at Southern Cross University and leader of the University's thriving Early Years Research Lab , she is focused on how best to support children at the very start of their learning journeys – particularly those at risk of falling behind.
"If a child is already behind at the starting gate, that gap doesn't just close with time – it widens," she says.
"That's why the early years and the transition to school are so critical. It's not just about preparing for learning; it's about creating the conditions for long-term resilience."
Her work has focused on a broad field; from developmental delays and peer rejection to transitions across early learning settings and the home.
A recent project explores how Indigenous parents experience and navigate early childhood services, including what supports they have – and what's missing.
"There are so many kinds of transitions children face before school, especially those from culturally diverse or structurally disadvantaged backgrounds. We need to listen carefully and design support that fits their lived realities."
Professor Walker's research extends internationally too. She's currently evaluating a language and literacy intervention for young children in Vietnam, working alongside those delivering the program rather than directing it.
Professor Walker is also deeply committed to fostering the next generation of researchers.
Since joining Southern Cross University in 2022, after 25 years at QUT, she's helped transform the Early Years Research Lab from a fledgling group into a flourishing research hub.
Mentorship is a huge part of her leadership philosophy.
"There's a real expectation here that teaching and research go hand in hand. I want our early-career academics to feel supported to pursue the questions they're passionate about – because that's what leads to meaningful change."
Born in Fiji and raised in Brisbane, Professor Walker is deeply aware of the global and cultural currents that shape children's development.
It is why she finds ecological systems theory – her "favourite theory" – so compelling.
"It shows how children are influenced by all these interacting systems – family, school, community, policy," Professor Walker says.
"You can't just change one part and expect the whole thing to shift. You've got to get them all working together."
It's this holistic view that grounds her work at Southern Cross University.
"This is a relatively small university by sectoral standards," she says. "But I see our scale as a strength. The sense of community and support is enormous.
"There's a real appetite here for developing a research culture that doesn't just exist but thrives. And that's what I love."
Early Years Research Lab is one of three research focus areas at the Faculty of Education, along with Sustainability, Environment and the Arts in Education (SEAE) Research Centre and TeachLab Research Group .
Faculty of Education Executive Dean Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, herself a nationally regarded researcher, lauded her colleague's contribution to the development of the Lab.
"Southern Cross has a proud record of evidence-based education research which stretches back more than two decades," she said.
"What makes us particularly strong is our willingness to work with education systems, leaders and teachers in co-design, and especially in regional settings where the challenges are distinctive.
"Sue's capacity for collaborative, deeply engaged leadership has helped us level-up in our early years capacity at a time the Faculty has been lifting across the board."
