Michelle Sowey has delivered the following Philosopher-in-Residence programs, presentations and workshop sessions as a guest facilitator and speaker. Other significant projects are also outlined below.

You may wish to view a full list of partners and clients whom Michelle has served in her role as Managing Director of The Philosophy Club.

Please contact Michelle with any inquiries.

Visiting Philosopher programs

	2014-present: Visiting Philosopher at a range of community and cultural centres in Victoria, including Nook Dance Centre (2023); Embiggen Books and Laneway Learning (2017); VU at MetroWest (2016); ArtPlay (2015); PrimeSci! Science Education (2015); the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas (2014); Library @ the Dock for the City of Melbourne’s Knowledge Week (2014). Visiting Philosopher in grassroots activist environments: Young Environmental Philosophers (2021); Extinction Rebellion: Autumn Rebellion (2020); French Toast And Hugs, Melbourne (2019).
	2023-present: Visiting Philosopher, Firbank Grammar School, VIC (approx 3 months per year), delivering tailored small-group workshops for selected students in Years 8–10.
	2024: Visiting Philosopher, Bundoora Secondary College, VIC (intermittent), delivering tailored small-group workshops to elective Philosophy students in Years 9 & 10.
	2022-2024: Visiting Philosopher, University High School, VIC (approx 3 months per year), delivering tailored small-group workshops for selected students in Years 7–12. See school newsletter article.
	2015-2024: Visiting Philosopher, The King David School, VIC (intermittently in 2015, 2017, 2023 and 2024), delivering tailored large group workshops to the full cohort of students in Year 9, and also to all students in Years 2–6.
	2018-2023: Visiting Philosopher, Eltham College, VIC (approx 6 months per year), delivering tailored small-group workshops for hundreds of students in Years 5–9. See school news magazine article.
	2019 & 2022: Philosopher-in-Residence, Hillbrook Anglican School, QLD (across two week-long residencies), serving hundreds of students in large-group workshops, and delivering professional development to teachers from schools across Brisbane. See school newsletter article.
	2018-2019: Visiting Philosopher, Northcote High School, VIC (approx 2 months per year), delivering tailored small-group workshops to students in Years 7 & 8 as part of the school’s Accelerated Curriculum and Enrichment program.
	2017 & 2019: Visiting Philosopher, St Aloysius College, VIC (approx 2 months per year), delivering tailored small-group workshops to students in Years 7–9 as part of the school’s Gifted and Talented Education program.
	2012-2018: Visiting Philosopher at a range of other Victorian schools not listed above, including Birralee Primary School (teacher PD, 2018); Albert Park College (student workshops, 2017); Preshil: Margaret Lyttle Memorial School (student workshops and teacher PD, 2016–2018); Sandringham College (student workshops, 2016–2017); Footscray West Primary School (student workshops, 2015); and The King David School (teacher PD, 2012–13).

Invited talks, presentations and facilitation sessions

	2022: Invited facilitator for philosophical discussions about human nature, human rights, and rights of nature. Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations Conference, University of Melbourne, 1–2 October.
	2019: Invited facilitator at a parents’ evening of philosophical discussions about longevity, immortality and anti-ageing technologies. Hillbrook Anglican College, QLD, 23 May.
	2019: Invited workshop coordinator and facilitator of philosophical discussions about transhumanism, catering to 60 students in Years 11–12 from across Victoria. Preshil Philosophy Conference, State Library of Victoria, 21 July.
	2018: Invited conference talk: O Brave New World, That Has Such Puzzles In’t. Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools conference: Cultivating Curiosity: Philosophy and STEM. Brunswick VIC, 15 September.
	2018: Conference talk: Arrested Development: Why students get stuck in mere opinion-sharing, and what we can do about it. Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations conference: The Future of Philosophy in Schools. University of Notre Dame, Fremantle WA, 9–11 July.
	2018: Invited trainer for novice facilitators. Hosted by Philosophical Engagement in Public Life (PEiPL), University of Melbourne, 5 June.
	2016: Invited workshop coordinator and facilitator of philosophical discussions about consumerism, catering to 60 students in Years 11–12 from across Victoria. Preshil Philosophy Conference, State Library of Victoria, 31 July.
	2014: Invited speaker: Teacher discussion panel, Preshil Conference Philosophy Matters, Preshil School, Kew VIC, 25– 26 July.
	2013: Invited conference talk: Reflecting on the Big Questions program. Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools conference: The Examined Life: Philosophy and Education. CERES, Brunswick East VIC, 6–7 September.

Other significant projects

	2023-2024: Committee member, The Australasian Association of Philosophy’s Philosophy in the Community Committee, promoting public philosophy outside the academy.
	2022-present: Team member (honorary), Centre for Critical and Creative Thinking, building organisations’ capacity to create and leverage knowledge.
	2019-2021: Instigator, Educational Designer, and Advocate, Young Environmental Philosophers – Melbourne, developing curriculum materials to address climate and ecological issues from a philosophical perspective, and leading professional discussions about pedagogical issues relating to climate crisis education.
	2019-2021: Co-convenor and Moderator, Community Philosophy and the Climate Crisis, a global professional network supporting critical and compassionate conversations among 80+ practitioners worldwide, translating the complex ethical issues within the climate and ecological crisis for a wide audience, and connecting considered views with achievable action.
	2018: Co-chair, Philosophy in Schools working group – Philosophical Engagement in Public Life (PEiPL), promoting philosophical engagement beyond academia in novel ways and in association with sectors not ordinarily exposed to philosophical practice.
	2012-2014: Founder and Director, Big Questions philosophy mentoring program, a community partnership program which brought collaborative philosophical inquiry to primary school classrooms in socio-economically disadvantaged areas of Melbourne. School partners: Mahogany Rise Primary School and Heatherhill Primary School.
	2012: Conference Convenor, The Thoughtful Classroom: Teaching to Overcome Educational Disadvantage, featuring high-profile national and international speakers. Hosted by the Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations and the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education, 2 June.
	2012: Convenor and Co-ordinator, Philosophy for Children student interest group, a Melbourne-based cross-university network of students in Philosophy and Education. I produced monthly workshops and created volunteering and professional development opportunities for students.