Professor Maria Raciti (Kalkadoon-Thaniquith-Bwgcolman) is Co-Director of the UniSC Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre, Co-Theme Leader in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Futures, and a member of the ARC College of Experts. She serves on the International Social Marketing Association Board and is an elected member of the UniSC Council.
Her research bridges Indigenous methodologies with mainstream scholarship across social marketing, transformative services, Indigenous business, and higher education equity. She practices scholarship as an act of service, centring relational approaches that privilege community voices, interrogate assumptions, and ensure research impact extends beyond academic publications into policy, practice, and lived experience.
Professor Raciti is an Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland, a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK), a member of the esteemed Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and serves as an Associate Editor for multiple journals. Her research, which aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and National Closing the Gap priorities, is supported by substantial competitive funding and international collaborations.
Professional memberships
- Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium
- Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (Global)
- Higher Education Academy (UK)
- International Social Marketing Association
- United Nations Association of Australia Academic Network
- Australian Association of Social Marketing
- ServCollab: Serving Humanity Through Collaboration
Fellowships
- ARC College of Experts (2026-2028)
- Honorary Professor, University of Queensland (2025-present)
- Member, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (2025-present)
- Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success, Large Grants and Indigenous Fellows Committee (2023-2025)
- Fellow, Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology (BEST), Queensland University of Technology (2023-2025)
- Adjunct Fellow, National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, Curtin University (2019-2022)
- Secondment to the Australian Government Department of Education Taskforce for the National Regional Rural and Remote Tertiary Education Strategy (2019)
- Research Fellow, National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (2018)
- Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) (2017)
Journal Editorial Boards
- Higher Education Research & Development College of Reviewers
- Journal of Services Marketing
- Services Marketing Quarterly
- The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
- Student Success Journal
Journal Associate Editor
- Australian Journal of Social Issues (2024-2026)
- Journal of Social Impact in Business Research (2024-2026)
- International Journal of Indigenous Business (2025-2027)
- Journal of Social Marketing (2026-2028)
Awards
- Market Research Society (Global) Silver Award Finalist Paper for the International Journal of Market Research, 2024
- Journal of Services Marketing Outstanding Reviewer 2024
- Emerald Literati Award for 2018 Highly Commended Paper for International Journal of Event and Festival Management
- Emerald Top 25 Most Downloaded Articles by Australian Authors Published in 2013
- Emerald Top 25 Most Downloaded Articles by Australian Authors Published in 2013
- Journal of Consumer Marketing Most Highly Downloaded Article in Past Two Years 2011-13
- Best Paper in Track (Social Marketing), Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference 2014
- Best Paper in Track (Marketing Education), Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference 2010
- Best Conference Paper with an International Focus, Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference 2009
- Best Paper in Track (Social Marketing), Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference 2009
- ALTC Carrick Institute Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning 2006
- Vice Chancellor's Medal for Outstanding University Teaching, 2006
Professional Social Media
Research grants
| Project name | Investigators | Funding body | Year/s |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Counting the costs: Investigating how low SES students make financial decisions about study |
Martinussen M, O'Shea S, Raciti M, Green J, Austin K, Ellis S, Candy A |
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success - Small Grants Research Program (A$50,000)
|
2025-2026 |
|
Turning lemons into lemonade: How first-year, first-time regional and remote university students turn disappointment into satisfaction |
Geritz C, Raciti M |
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success, Higher Degree by Research Stipend (A$10,000)
|
2024-2025 |
|
Sunshine Coast First Nations Creative Arts Strategic Plan |
Dwyer R, Raciti M, Manathunga C, Beazley H, Archer-Lead C, Barclay L |
Sunshine Coast Regional Council (A$68,000)
|
2025-2026 |
|
Forming an international Indigenous doctoral student and supervisor network |
Smith H, Raciti M, Fredericks B, Hokowhitu B, Andersen C, McIntosh T, Gertz J |
Worldwide Universities Network (GBP 10,000)
|
2025-2026 |
|
Transcultural employment: Building reciprocal relationships among Indigenous peoples and non-European migrants |
Jeong D, Raciti M |
UniSC LAUNCH Internal Funding Program (A$29,000)
|
2025-2026 |
| Implementation of the YBMenNT online social and emotional wellbeing health promotion program for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males | Smith J, Canuto KK, Watkins D, Drummond M, Stahl G, Black O, Raciti M, Mahoney R, Prehn J, Canuto KC., Brickley B, Bonson J, Paradisis C, Stokes, C, Petersen J, Opozda M, Miller K, Robinson M, Stothers | Movember Social Connections Challenge, Movember Foundation (Global) (A$400,000) | 2023-2025 |
| ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Futures | Hokowhitu B, Moreton-Robinson A, Fredericks B, Ward J, McKinnon C, Raciti M, Dudgeon P, Shay M, Beetson S, Garvey G, Parter C, Bainbridge R, Gray P, Behrendt L, Williams M, Eades S, Porter A, Bargallie D, Roe Y, Wood A, Dreise T, Haar J, Smith L, McIntosh T, Andersen C, & Mohamed J |
Australian Research Council (A$35m) |
2023 – 2030 |
| Indigenous business in Australia: A scoping study | Shay M, Raciti M and Fredericks B | The University of Queensland 2022 Indigenous Research Engagement and Partnership Fund (A$30,175) | 2022 |
| Adaptation of an online mental health and wellbeing education and support intervention for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in Australia (Phase 1, Pilot) | Smith, J., Watkins, D., Stahl, G., Canuto, K., Gupta, H., Rung, D., Tari-Keresztes, N., Black, O., Prehn, J., Anderson, P., Raciti, M., Dingwall, K., Drummond, M., Clinch, D., Vigona, J., Bonson, J., Aanudsen, D., & Moore, S. | Movember Social Connections Challenge, Movember Foundation (Global) (A$10,000) | 2021-2023 |
| Education Building capabilities for success: Targeting preparedness for ongoing learning | Dinan-Thompson, M., Nakata, M., Fredericks, B., Raciti, M., Bunda, T., Barney, K., Tomaszewski, W., Heberlein, W., O’Neill, Y., Sanmarco, V., and Mitchell, G. | Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program, Australian Government (A$101,876) | 2022 |
| Implementing Indigenous knowledge approaches in doctoral education | Manathunga C, Qi J, Raciti M, Singh M, Gilbey K and Stanton S | 2021 Australian Research Council (Discovery Project), Australian Government (A$277,459) | 2021-2025 |
| Success from the perspective of the successful: Low SES students, success and completion in higher education | Rubin, M., Evans, O., Burke, P. J., Bennett, A., O’Shea, S., Allen, K., Denson, N., Howley, P., McqQeen, S., Mills, C., Naylor, R., & Raciti, M. | 2018 Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, National Priorities Pool, Australian Government Department of Education (A$324,311) | 2019-2022 |
| How the perceived risks of going to university influence the decision by people from low SES backgrounds to participate in Australian higher education. | Raciti M | National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (A$215,000) | 2018 |
| Widening regional and remote participation: Interrogating the impact of outreach programs across Queensland | Trinidad S, Kelly M, Mitchell, G, Koshy P, Li I, Zacharias, N, Raciti M, Costello D |
2016 Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme, 2016 National Priorities Pool, Australian Government Department of Education and Training (A$320,000 Category 2) |
2017-2018 |
| Increasing female participation in sport: Queensland Oztag | Powell B, Raciti M |
2017 Advance Queensland: Knowledge Transfer Partnership Program, |
2017-2018 |
| The 'University Place': How and Why Place Influences the Engagement and Retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander University Students | Raciti M, Carter J and Gilbey K |
Office of Learning and Teaching Seed Grant (USC) (A$40,000). |
2016–2017 |
| Social Marketing Strategy for Low Socio-economic-status Communities: Widening Participation in Higher Education | Kelly M, Flynn K, O'Brien G, Trinidad S, Russell-Bennett R, Drennan J, Eagle L and Raciti M |
Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, National Priorities Pool (A$580,000) Research and Strategy Phase Final Report |
2015–2016 |
| Professional Learning Conversations for Academic Leadership in Learning and Teaching | Readman K, Rowe J, Raciti M, Nugent M and Nemeth J |
Office of Learning and Teaching (USC) Extension Grant (A$30,000). |
2013 |
| Valuing the Portfolio of Festivals and Events on the Sunshine Coast | Gration, D and Raciti M (with Getz D, UQ) |
Sunshine Coast Regional Council; Sunshine Coast Destination Ltd.; Tourism Events Queensland and Faculty of Arts and Business USC (A$36,000) |
2012–2013 |
| Developing Sustainable Industry for Pacific Island Communities | Wallace H, Carter J, Jones K, Johns C, Randall B, Pauku R and Raciti M |
Pacific Agribusiness Research for Development Initiative (A$1.12M) |
2011–2014 |
| Indigenous Sunrise Project: School to University Pathways | Raciti M (Project Leader), Tuovinen J, Powell B, Sellwood J and Taylor P |
Department of Education, Science and Training Funding (A$85,000) |
2007–2009 |
| The effect of social support on consumer-to-business relationships - A pilot study | Raciti M |
USC Internal Seed Research Grants ($A5,000) |
2007 |
Research areas
- Indigenous business methodologies
- Transformative services marketing
- Social marketing and behaviour change
- Higher education equity and access
- Indigenous and transcultural doctoral education
- Indigenous knowledge systems and decolonising methodologies
- Consumer vulnerability and strengths-based approaches
Supervision areas
- First Nations business and education
- Social marketing
- Services marketing
- Consumer behaviour
Teaching areas
- BUS512 Introduction to Research Concepts and Design
Select Recent Research Publications
- Raciti M & Motala S (2025). Equity challenges and opportunities in higher education: Insights for Australia from South Africa. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 47(3), 351-367. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2025.2479431
- Raciti M & Gibson C (2025). A call to Indigenise occupational wellbeing. Medical Journal of Australia, 222(11), 534-536. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52668
- Manathunga C, Raciti M, Smith H, Qi J, Keane M, Motala S, Msimango S, van der Westhuizen G (2025). Indigenous doctoral education policies in the Global South: Postcolonial policy borrowing in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Higher Education Policy, Online First. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-025-00422-2
- Manathunga C, Qi J, Raciti M (2025). Forgetting culturally diverse equity groups in Australian doctoral policy: What happens when population parity is reached? Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 46(5), 688-700. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2025.2457948
- Raciti M, Manathunga C, Qi J (2024). The problem of Australian First Nations doctoral education: A policy analysis. Journal of Social Marketing, Online First. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-08-2023-0174
- Geritz C, Raciti M (2024). Enhancing equity in Australian higher education using fuzzy trace theory. Australasian Marketing Journal, Online First. https://doi.org/10.1177/14413582231217290