Michelle Trudgett

Michelle Trudgett is a Wiradjuri academic leader serving as Pro Vice-Chancellor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education, Strategy and Consultation at Western Sydney University. Previously, she held positions as Professor of Indigenous Education at the University of Technology Sydney and Head of Indigenous Studies at Macquarie University.

Her research focuses on Indigenous higher education pathways, leadership development, and policy reform. Groundbreaking doctoral work on Indigenous postgraduate support systems has informed national policies. Current projects investigate Indigenous leadership in academia and early-career researcher development, emphasizing high expectations and achievement-centered approaches.

Honors include:

• 2018 National NAIDOC Scholar of the Year
• Neville Bonner National Teaching Award
• 2019 UNE Distinguished Alumni Award

She advocates for increased Indigenous representation in university governance, aiming to transform institutional structures through Indigenous knowledge systems and leadership models.