Rachel Buchanan

Associate Professor Rachel Buchanan serves as Deputy Head of College and Associate Dean Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Newcastle's College of Human and Social Futures. With over 15 years of academic experience, her work critically examines digital ethics and equity implications in educational technology.

• PhD in Education (University of Newcastle)
• Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and Bachelor of Social Science (Honours)

Her research expertise spans: educational technology, digital identity, social justice, and policy analysis. Current projects include:

• Emerging Frontiers of Education Technology (2018-): focusing on virtual reality pedagogies and digital footprint management
• Digital Poverty in Teacher Training: exploring technological access disparities

Recent publications address AI in career access (2025), postdigital classrooms (2022), and digital citizenship (2019). Key grants include:

• Women in Research Fellowship (2018)
• VR School Project funding (2017)

Scientific awards highlight her impact:

• Finalist, University of Newcastle Teaching Excellence (2019)
• Vice Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award (2014)

As an experienced supervisor, she guides PhD projects on topics like algorithmic identity, digital equity, and inclusive pedagogy. International collaborations span 6 countries including the United States (Harvard visiting scholar 2019) and United Kingdom (Edinburgh 2016).