Dr Jan Packer joined the School of Tourism in 2005, bringing with her many years experience in education research and visitor studies. She worked in a research capacity with the Queensland Health Department , followed by 14 years in the Education Faculty at Queensland University of Technology, where she worked with (now Professor) Roy Ballantyne on over 30 projects. Together with Professor Ballantyne, she has been a Chief Investigator on two major ARC-funded projects in visitor research and learning for sustainability.

Jan has a strong background in education research and has published broadly in the area of educational psychology over many years. The current major focus of her research is in applying the principles of educational, environmental and positive psychology to understand and facilitate visitor experiences in tourism and leisure settings.

She has over 30 refereed publications focussing on informal learning, environmental education and higher education and is Editor of the Visitor Studies Association international publication, Visitor Studies. Jan currently teaches the Interpretation and Visitor Research course in the Museum Studies program.

• Visitor experiences
• Free-choice learning
• Educational psychology
• Wildlife tourism
• Restorative environments
• Positive psychology

• Team Leader, Tourist Behaviour and Visitor Experiences Research Group
• Co-editor of the international journal Visitor Studies (2005-Present)
• Member of Museums Australia (2003-present)
• Member of Evaluation and Visitor Research Special Interest Group, Museums Australia (2003-present)
• Member of Visitor Studies Association, USA (2003-present)
• Member of Interpretation Australia Association (1998-present)
• Member of American Association of Museums (AAM) Committee on Audience Research and Evaluation (2005-present)
• Registered with the Psychologists Board of Queensland to practise as a psychologist (1977-present)