Ms Shelly McGrath

Shelly is a Research Associate in the Research and Innovation Division at the University of Newcastle. As a former Academic Coordinator and Lecturer at the Wollotuka Institute, she has led work in Indigenisation of curriculum and holds an AdvanceHE Fellowship in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. She has contributed to a range of research and applied projects across Indigenous-led urban planning, clean energy, and environmental initiatives.

Shelly’s teaching focuses on critical pedagogies, Indigenous perspectives, and culturally responsive curriculum design, with an emphasis on student equity in higher education. Her work engages environmental and sustainability themes, positioning teaching as a site of transformative practice that challenges dominant paradigms and supports more just approaches across disciplines, including Social and Environmental Science and Sociology.

Her research and applied work sit at the intersection of environmental policy, project delivery, and evaluation. She coordinates multi-partner projects, supports stakeholder engagement, and contributes to the development and review of Aboriginal strategies and initiatives. Her work includes evaluation and translating community input into practical recommendations for government and institutional partners.

Shelly’s doctoral research examines how settler-colonial systems shape environmental governance within contemporary policy and institutional contexts. Drawing on critical Indigenous scholarship and applied research, her work explores cross-cultural collaboration and the role of non-Indigenous actors in supporting First Nations sovereignty and cultural authority, with a focus on strengthening decision-making processes for more just futures.