Professor Rachael McDonald is Director of the MedTechVic Hub at Swinburne University of Technology and an internationally recognised expert in assistive technology, disability innovation, rehabilitation, implementation science and co-design. She leads multidisciplinary research and industry partnerships that translate innovative technologies into real-world solutions to improve health, independence and participation for people with disability, older adults and people with complex health needs.

An occupational therapist by background, Professor McDonald has more than 30 years of experience spanning clinical practice, research, higher education and innovation. Her expertise includes assistive technology, rehabilitation, mobility and seating, disability services, ageing, intellectual disability, digital health, healthcare innovation, health systems and research translation. She has extensive experience working with government, industry, healthcare providers and community organisations to co-design, evaluate and implement technologies that deliver measurable health and economic impact.

Professor McDonald has secured more than $11 million in competitive research funding, supervised more than 30 higher degree research students and produced over 150 scholarly outputs across disability, rehabilitation and assistive technology. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between research, policy and practice, ensuring that innovations are designed with end users and can be successfully implemented at scale.

She is available to provide expert commentary on topics including assistive technology, disability policy, rehabilitation, NDIS, ageing, healthcare innovation, co-design, implementation science, medical technologies, research translation and the future of inclusive health technologies.

Areas of expertise

• Assistive technology and rehabilitation
• Disability, inclusion and accessibility
• NDIS and disability policy
• Medical technologies and health innovation
• Co-design and lived experience research
• Research translation and implementation science
• Ageing, intellectual disability and neurodisability
• Digital health and emerging technologies
• Mobility, seating and postural management
• Health services and systems research
• Industry collaboration and commercialisation
• Health workforce education and capability development