Dr Eloise Thomson is an Associate Professor and Head of Program for Early Childhood and Primary Education at Melbourne Polytechnic, Australia. With over two decades of experience in Initial Teacher Education, her research spans workforce equity, gender and AI bias, and inclusive approaches to teacher preparation. Her recent publications include work on generative AI and gendered stereotyping in early childhood imagery (Gender and Education, 2025), the wicked problems of Australia’s early childhood workforce crisis (Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 2025), and an autoethnographic critique of standardisation in Initial Teacher Education (Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2025). Eloise is a passionate advocate for diverse, equity-driven teacher education pathways that reflect the complexity of modern classrooms.