Dr. Austermann is a Professional Lecturer in Education and is dedicated to providing teacher candidates with meaningful and practical classroom experiences. She is passionate about fostering relationships and providing her students with the same learning experiences she hopes her teacher candidates will continue to use in their future classrooms.

Dr. Austermann received her PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut, where she studied both Special Education and Gifted Education. Her doctoral research focused on the college transition experience for academically talented students with autism. Prior to this, she was a public high school teacher and athletic coach, where she taught social studies and coached girls' basketball and volleyball.