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Dr Sharyn McDonald

Dr Sharyn McDonald

Research Fellow

Dr Sharyn McDonald

Research Fellow

Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Business (research), Post Graduate Certificate in Education, Bachelor of Applied Science

Dr Sharyn McDonald is a Research Fellow at Summer Foundation and joined the Research Unit in 2022. Currently, Sharyn is collaborating on multiple research projects to understand stakeholder experiences, needs and expectations surrounding NDIS housing, support and communication. These research projects seek to highlight global best practice and encourage creative solutions.

Primarily a qualitative specialist, Sharyn is an applied researcher who seeks to inform and resolve real-world problems. Sharyn completed her PhD in cross-sector collaboration examining best practice social partnership models. For 15 years, Sharyn has been leading research that traverses stakeholder engagement, issue management, the creation of social value, and measuring social impact. Her current research program at the Summer Foundation capitalises on this intersection.

Before joining the Summer Foundation, Sharyn worked as an academic within universities specialising in reputation management, social responsibility, activism, entrepreneurship, and research methods. She continues to work on research projects that can create purposeful, positive social change. Sharyn has also been appointed as an Honorary Fellow in the School of Communication and Creative Arts at Deakin University.

Key publications:

  • McDonald S, Gertsen F, Rosenstand CF and Tollestrup, C (2018) ‘Promoting interdisciplinarity through an intensive entrepreneurship education post-graduate workshop’, Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 8(1):41-55
  • Polonsky MJ, Grau SL and McDonald S (2016) ‘Perspectives on Social Impact Measurement and Non-profit Organisations’, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 34(1):80-98
  • McDonald S (2014) ‘Social responsibility clusters arising from social partnerships’, Social Responsibility Journal, 10(2):331-347
  • McDonald S (2014) ‘Social partnerships addressing affordable housing and homelessness’, International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, 7(2):218-232
  • McDonald S and Ogden-Barnes S (2013) ‘Problem-based service learning with a heart: Organizational and student expectations and experiences in a postgraduate not-for-profit workshop event’, Asia Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 14(4):281-293