Author | Lightnews

Mary-Lou O'Brien

Mary-Lou O'Brien

@mlobrien.com

430 followers 570 following 56 posts

👩‍💻Digital transformation leader, educator, change maker, innovator, self-confessed geek, intrapreneur, global explorer, trend watcher, Aussie etail pioneer, Women in IT & Girls in STEM advocate & forever a student. Was Melbourne, now Sydney, Australia.🇦🇺🦘

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Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Nov 11

I'm back for another attempt at BlueSky. It looks different, it feels different and I have a sense of the early Twitter days. It already seems far better than Threads as my people: the educators & librarians are here!!! #aussieed #edutech #edtech #edusky

a group of cartoon characters with their hands in the air and the words we 're back baby

ALT: a group of cartoon characters with their hands in the air and the words we 're back baby

media.tenor.com

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Mar 2

Introducing a potential new Edtech product-inspired by historical innovation!

In 1925, the Isolator helmet emerged as a tool to enhance work productivity by eliminating distractions.

The Isolator - a blend of heritage & modern productivity solutions.
😜
#Edtech #edusky

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 12

At #ICSEI2025 discussions abound on the impact of AI on education. Artist Refik Anadol describes AI as a mirror reflecting humanity's essence.
www.mckinsey.com/capabilities...

#AI #digitalart #refikanadol #refikstudio #digitaltechnologies #technology #educationreform

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

Great job Anna, thank you! #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

A6. Check out scienceandtechnologyAustralia.org.au and their superstars of STEM. Some of the unis also provide programs for young scientists to get exposure & prep for conference speaking. Tap into these networks as the benefit goes both ways! #EduSkyAU

technologyAustralia.org.au

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

LOL I'm actually still no good at maths Asha but my inability to make sense of Maths has never stopped me. I've focussed on what I can do well and Maths is not the only determinant of academic success. #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

A4. Engage them in primary, by secondary it's too late as that is when it's not seen as cool and the influence of the boys becomes more powerful #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

Never heard of a diamond school before Anna. What state was that? There are a number of different approaches. I just know that compared to the national 6% take up of STEM & advanced maths subjects, at the girls school I was at we had 60%+ take up year on year. #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

Absolutely. I was hoping I might catch you this trip but the agenda each day is just too good and my FOMO would kill me if I missed any of it!

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

A3. They also need support from within their chosen fields. Young grads need to know where they can find and build supportive networks. This is probably more a job for tertiary educators than K-12. #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

A3. You can't be what you can't see so to inspire girls we need to work harder to bring scientists into our classrooms, not just scientists but engineers and IT professionals too! #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

You too ADP!

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

A2. I think my response might be contentious but having worked in girls Ed for 11 years and now in a coed environment I'd at least be separating them into streams where they could focus on areas of interest to women and girls #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

Michelle Gallagher back in the Twitter days was an inspiring scientist, from Melbourne, who was networking and supporting young female scientists to publish and build profiles. #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

Just back after taking Syd colleagues to a Melb rooftop bar- my obligation as a Melburnite. I did say, "Adriano will understand if I'm late!"

two women wearing sunglasses are drinking from giant glasses .

ALT: two women wearing sunglasses are drinking from giant glasses .

media.tenor.com

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 11

Mary-Lou from Sydney dialling in from Melbourne, after a long but briiliant day at the #icsei2025 conference #EduSkyAU

Reposted by Mary-Lou O'Brien

Adriano Di Prato @adrianodiprato.bsky.social · Feb 9

Our young people deserve more than a system of broken dreams.

Standardised tests don’t prepare them for today’s world. Let’s reimagine education and build schools that shape whole beings, not just test scores: www.linkedin.com/posts/activi... #EduSkyAU

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 6

You're invited to join Redlands Voice Notes!

Featuring Julie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner, on gender equity & digital safety.

Launching on #InternationalWomensDay. Secure your spot: events.humanitix.com/voice-notes-...

#IWD2025 #IWD25 #MarchForward #IWD #VoiceNotes #IWDevents #EduSkyAU

IWD March Forward Breakfast

#IWD24 Breakfast Panel @ Redlands

events.humanitix.com

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 2

Looking for all the latest research on AI in Education in one easy accessible spot?
#EduSky #EduSkyAU #AI #AIEdu #education #AIresearch

www.linkedin.com/posts/marylo...

Mary-Lou O'Brien on LinkedIn: #ai #aied #airesearch #stanford #stanfordscale #education

"Up until very recently, there was no one place to go to find the answers. Sure, smart people on the internet share one research paper here or another there…

www.linkedin.com

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Feb 1

In a world where students are increasingly cautious about hefty uni. fees & without the traditional benefits, #HEd in both the U.S. and Australia must adapt....
#EduSky #EduSkyAU #careers #futureofwork #ai
www.linkedin.com/posts/marylo...

Mary-Lou O'Brien on LinkedIn: 6 predictions for education and workforce in 2025 - Christensen Institute

In a world where students are increasingly cautious about hefty university fees without the traditional benefits, HigherEd in both the U.S. and Australia must…

www.linkedin.com

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Jan 22

‘AI agents’ promise to arrange your finances, do your taxes, book your holidays – and put us all at risk
#AI #aiagents #emergingtech
theconversation.com/ai-agents-pr...

‘AI agents’ promise to arrange your finances, do your taxes, book your holidays – and put us all at risk

AI systems that can autonomously make decisions on our behalf will be a huge time saver – but we must deploy them with care.

theconversation.com

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Jan 18

And Peter Grays follow up letter responding to all the comments he received...https://open.substack.com/pub/petergray/p/63-more-on-moral-panics-and-thoughts?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2cp2ag

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Jan 18

A brief history of Moral Panic concerning kids and their chosen media by Boston College Professor Peter Gray (research professor of psychology and neuroscience)

#moralpanic #parenting #education #socialmedia
open.substack.com/pub/petergra...

#62. A Brief History of Moral Panics Concerning Kids and Their Chosen Media

The current call to bar kids from online social media is the most recent in a long series of panics about kids and media

open.substack.com

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Jan 18

A brief history of Moral Panic concerning kids and their chosen media by Boston College Professor Peter Gray (research professor of psychology and neuroscience)

#moralpanic #parenting #education #socialmedia
open.substack.com/pub/petergra...

#62. A Brief History of Moral Panics Concerning Kids and Their Chosen Media

The current call to bar kids from online social media is the most recent in a long series of panics about kids and media

open.substack.com

Reposted by Mary-Lou O'Brien

Sameer Hinduja @hinduja.bsky.social · Jan 14

New piece out! "How Platforms Should Build AI Chatbots to Prioritize Youth Safety" - In the light of the Character.AI lawsuits, I discuss seven practical implementations for companies building AI-driven social chatbots for youth. What am I missing? Let's discuss! cyberbullying.org/ai-chatbots-...

human and ai bot chat illustration

Reposted by Mary-Lou O'Brien

Adriano Di Prato @adrianodiprato.bsky.social · Jan 15

CONNECTING AUSTRALIAN 🇦🇺 EDUCATORS!

We can’t wait to share with you the inaugural host of first #EduSkyAU chat on @bsky.app.

Follow the team @eduskyauteam.bsky.social for the latest news.

Let’s Go!!

Mary-Lou O'Brien @mlobrien.com · Jan 14

The AI Pioneer Ensuring No Child Is Left Behind #ai #education #edusky #eduskyau

www.forbes.com/sites/danfit...

The AI Pioneer Ensuring No Child Is Left Behind

Meet Priya Lakhani the entrepreneur with a mission to leave no child behind because they don’t have the knowledge or skills to help them earn a living