Vikki Schaffer

Vikki Schaffer is Senior Lecturer in Tourism, Leisure and Events at the University of the Sunshine Coast. A UniSC graduate, she holds degrees in Sustainable Tourism (BSustTour), BA (Hons Class 1), and PhD. Her transdisciplinary research integrates tourism, psychology, and environmental science.

Schaffer leads sustainability initiatives as the School's Sustainability Champion. Her research examines:

• Immersive tourism product design (real/virtual)
• Cognitive appraisal of tourist experiences
• Citizen science program effectiveness
• Marine conservation tourism
• Tourism-environmental psychology connections

External funding includes grants from Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council supporting projects on inclusive citizen science, flying-fox management communication, turtle conservation evaluation, and beach monitoring technologies.

Teaching excellence recognized through:

• 2019 Australian Award for University Teaching Citation
• 2019 Higher Education Academy Senior Fellowship
• 2018 Advance Team Award
• 2017 Advancing Quality Teaching Award