Adrian Schoone is a research specialist in Alternative Education with a focus on educational opportunity and access for disenfranchised students. His recently completed externally funded research explored the critical moments of Alternative Education students' experiences in mainstream education. Adrian’s research underscores the importance of educating a teaching workforce who are responsive to the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Adrian is an arts-based education researcher known for poetic inquiry. He publishes widely on innovative approaches within arts-based research practices. In October 2024, he co-convened the International Symposium on Poetic Inquiry in Auckland, New Zealand. He is currently the Head of School at the School of Education, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.