Natalie McMaster

Dr. Natalie McMaster is a Lecturer in the School of Education and Tertiary Access at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), specializing in Health and Physical Education (HPE) and Technology Education. A core member of UniSC's Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre (ITRC), she focuses on culturally responsive education and socio-demographic challenges in diverse communities. Her teaching spans Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Primary Education, and Masters programs.

Her research centers on health work in remote Australian schools, STEM education integration, and digital pedagogy. With extensive field experience in Northern Territory remote communities and policy roles at ACARA, she bridges practical teaching with academic rigor. Recent publications emphasize technology integration in primary education and culturally responsive STEM approaches.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a strong trend toward practical technology integration in primary STEM education, with increasing focus on robotics, digital game design, and inclusive pedagogies. Her work consistently addresses the gap between policy rhetoric and classroom reality, particularly in remote and Indigenous contexts.

Award highlights include:

• Three UniSC Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Engagement (2023, 2020, 2017)
• USC Advance Award for Advancing the Student Experience (2018)
• ACHPER International Conference Young Scholar Award (2019)
• WiT Awards Regional Finalist (2020)

She has secured over $2.5 million in competitive grants including HEPPP funding ($1.8M), National Career Institute Partnership Grants ($524k), and Google Educator Grants. As project lead for the MindSET-do initiative, she directs longitudinal research on STEM engagement starting with Year 4 students. Her leadership extends to editing textbooks like Teaching with Technologies (2022) and serving on ACHPER's Active and Healthy Schools Committee.