STEM Profile: Karen Livesey

Karen Livesey

Tour guide, business founder, speaker and physics professor

I am an award-winning speaker, founder and researcher. I am passionate about sharing with people how science affects our everyday lives. I am an honorary Associate Professor of Physics, NSW Chair of the Australian Institute of Physics, and founder of Glenrock Ghost Fungus Tours (Newcastle).

City/town: Newcastle

State: NSW

STEMM sectors: Education, Science

Open to being contacted about the following volunteer roles: Board positions, Mentoring others, New job opportunities, Speaking at professional events/panels, Speaking at schools

Guiding principle: Everyone in Australia should have access to fun experiences with quality STEM education.

Areas of expertise: theoretical physics, condensed matter, bioluminescence, biofluorescence, physics education

Contact Karen Livesey

Q&A

What’s something about your field that most people misunderstand or overlook?

Most people think physics is solely focused on building new technologies. But it is necessary also to understand the natural world around us! I think if more people appreciated this, more people would see physics as important and interesting.

When have you taken a risk in your career, and what did you learn from it (regardless of the outcome)?

I resigned from a high-paying university job in 2026 because my values did not align with those of the institution. It was a risk to strike out on my own and found a science business. I’ve learned that I should back myself. Also, meeting other passionate business founders is invigorating.

What role does creativity play in your work, and how do you nurture it?

I did a combined arts-science degree and have always thought the two work hand-in-hand. For example, to do new research involves having a creative thought. As another example, delivering an engaging science lecture is actually a performance and we should learn from the arts to make those great.

What change, big or small, would you most like to see in the culture of STEMM fields over the next decade?

There are still parts of the STEMM workforce that are not welcoming to minority groups. This may not be obvious, but happens through tiny acts throughout the work day. I hope that STEMM fields continue to be more welcoming to all, with more diverse looking, sounding and acting people!

What drew you to your field in the first place?

From a young age, I loved mathematics. This led me to theoretical physics where the maths had testable outcomes. I loved that starting with one or two facts and then following a long chain or rigorous mathematical arguments (sometimes many pages!) I could predict how the world should behave.