Dr Tatiana Bur
ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Synopsis
Bur is a Lecturer in Classics in the Centre for Classical Studies (CCS), within the School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics. An ancient Greek historian, she specialises in Greek religion, Greek and Roman science and technology, and the intersections of science and religion in antiquity. As an early-career scholar, Bur teaches across two majors with distinct pedagogical demands: Ancient Greek language and Classical Studies (ancient history).
She has previously taught at the University of Sydney and the University of Cambridge, in contexts ranging from one-on-one supervisions in the ‘Socratic method’ to small tutorials and lectures delivered to large first-year cohorts. Since joining ANU, Bur has actively contributed to the renewal of the CCS curriculum. This has provided an opportunity to challenge the ‘hidden curriculum’—both in disciplinary content (what is taught about the ancient Greco-Roman worlds) and in teaching practice (how it is taught and the often-unspoken expectations placed on learners).
Her teaching philosophy positions students as active partners in the learning process, encouraging them to engage not only with content but also with the self-reflective elements of learning itself. This approach fosters greater self-knowledge, confidence, and transferable skills that benefit students well beyond the classroom.
(Photo by Tangyao Zhang)