Amy Pearce

What do you love about your job?

I love that I get to engage with people daily and that I often learn more from the students I teach than I realise! I work with Jane Goodall’s quote at the forefront of my teaching “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

What do you enjoy most about being a tutor? 

Seeing a student “get it”. Sometimes it's instant, but the ones that take a while and then finally they get it, that smile is everything. Learner-centred and fun. Trying to make difficult concepts easy to learn with different modalities, videos, games, group, and outside work. I had always wanted to be a teacher right from an early age; I didn’t realise early on what group, so starting in secondary school and realising that wasn’t for me was disheartening; then I tried an older cohort, and I felt the connection. I love teaching adults.

What is your experience in the industry?

I am a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and a Tertiary Lecturer of 18 years.

What are your industry affiliations?

• Registered CEPNZ CEP
• Registered Biokineticist (BASA & HPCSA)

What are your qualifications and educational background?

• BPhysEd (WITS)
• BA(Hons)Biokinetics (RAU)
• MSc Sport and Exercise Science (Wintec)

What are your areas of expertise/research?

• Clinical physiology and exercise for chronic disease and special populations (Endocrine, metabolic, neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiac, respiratory).
• Clinical exercise physiology and its economic value to the community in New Zealand.
• Multidisciplinary approaches to reducing the burden of disease in New Zealand.

What is your greatest achievement?

• My children, hardest job ever but most rewarding.
• My master's degree (finally!).

What are some of your hobbies and interests?

• I am a keen mountain biker and runner.
• Love nature and being out on a trail or at the coast whenever possible.
• Avid reader.