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Mrs. Daria Soldatenko

Research Fellow, Collaborative Evaluation & Research Centre

Contact

Campus

Mt Helen Campus

Biography

Dr Daria Soldatenko is a research fellow and the Deputy Director of Operations within the Collaborative Evaluation & Research Centre (CERC). She supports the CERC team and wider membership by overseeing daily operations, implementing research strategies and managing staff and projects. She is actively involved in all aspects of project management, including grant writing, data collection and analysis, report development, graphic design and knowledge translation. 

Daria is an experienced researcher who holds two PhDs. She completed her first PhD in tourism in Russia in 2013 and graduated with her second PhD in Australia in 2022. She has over 15 years of research experience across tourism, education, ecology, health and community engagement. Her main research interests include regional tourism development, sustainable development, tourism motivational factors and cultural influences on tourism behaviour. 

Daria has worked as a research associate and assistant in both Russia and Australia, developing strong skills in quantitative and qualitative research, statistical analysis and data interpretation. She is currently involved in multiple projects within CERC. 

Daria is passionate about applied research and committed to advancing knowledge that benefits local and international communities. Her main publications, including the monograph and papers in peer-reviewed journals, are available on her Google Scholar profile. 

Fields of research

  • Tourism management
  • Recreation, leisure and tourism geography
  • Impacts of tourism
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More about Daria

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Business, Federation University Australia 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (Russia) 
  • Master of Economics (Russia) 
  • Bachelor of Management Studies (Russia)

Areas of interest

  • Tourism management 
  • Recreation, leisure and tourism geography 
  • Impacts of tourism 
  • Sustainable development 

Areas of expertise

Daria has expertise in tourism research, including regional tourism development, sustainable tourism, and cultural influences on tourism behaviour. She now works across multiple sectors, including health, education, social licensing, and emerging technologies such as drones. 

Grants

  • Porter, J.E., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L., Simic, M., Miller, L., My, S., Coombs, N. Walhalla Goldfields Railway Evaluation and development of project plan. Enabling Tourism Fund 2024, Department Jobs, Skills Industry and Regions, Stream 2. 2024–2026. (Role: Project manager) ($250,000)
  • Porter, JE., Soldatenko, D., Peck, B., Prokopiv, V., Barbagallo, M., James, M., Dabkowski, E., Reimers, V. Evaluation of DELIVER: Delivering Enhanced heaLthcare at home through optImising Virtual tools for oldEr people in Rural and regional Australia. MRFF – Rapid Allied Research Translation Initiative – Department of Health. (Role: Project manager) ($761,590)
  • Porter, JE., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Evaluation of the Connect in Gippsland program. Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault. 2026–2027. ($100,000)
  • Porter, JE., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Evaluation and development of a research governance framework. Latrobe Community Health Service. 2025. ($45,400)
  • Porter, J.E. Sandhu, H., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Evaluation of Federation University Co-op model. Federation University Australia. 2025–2027. ($540,000)
  • Porter, J.E., Peck, B., Siesmaa, E., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Creating inclusive work environments through leadership and management innovations. Local Skills Partnerships program. 2024–2026. ($200,000)
  • Porter, J.E., Sreeram, A., Kemel, P., Lavender, A., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, LTA. Evaluation of the Melbourne City Football Club City Futures Program. 2025. ($12,000)
  • Siesmaa, E., Ali, C., Hekkema, M., Charity, M., Worn, R., Soldatenko, D., and Casey, M. The impact of injury among recreational mountain bike park users: What are the implications for park operators? 2025. ($10,000)
  • Porter, J.E., My, S., Bailey, C., Hualda, LTA., Simic, M., Ghasemi, M., Borgelt, K., Soldatenko, D. Our Equal Local Government: A Project Preventing Gendered Violence and Sexual Harassment in Local Government. 2025. ($55,723)
  • Porter, JE., Fenton, S., Soldatenko, D., Simic, M., Hualda, L. Physical Literacy Enriched Environmental Design in the Latrobe Valley. 2024–2025. (Role: Project manager) ($60,000)
  • Porter, J.E., My, S., Hualda, LTA., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D. Offshore Wind Energy Skills and Training International study. 2024–2025. ($30,000)
  • Porter, J.E., Soldatenko, D., Webb, C., My, S., Hualda, LTA. Gippsland FM – Now and into the Future Project. 2024. (Role: Project manager) ($5,000)
  • Porter, JE., Hualda, L., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Borgelt, K. Lived experiences of 1000 rural women in Australia. CERC. 2024–2025. ($10,000)
  • Fenton, S., Porter, J.E., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D. Strategic Planning Report for the Tourism Innovation Working Group: Heyfield & District. CERC. 2023–2024. (Role: Project manager) ($20,000)
  • Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, E.M., Soldatenko, D., Abdelkader, A., Hualda, LTA. Development of a network to Gippsland’s migration strategy. CERC. 2023–2024. ($50,000)
  • Soldatenko, D. 15‑II‑6‑017 «Prospects of the usage of the resource potential for the formation of tourist products for customers from China within the trans-border territory (on the example of Khabarovsky krai)». 2015, Russia. Role: PI.
  • Soldatenko, D. 15‑II‑6‑018 «Formation of the intra-regional project of medical health cluster in the territorial structure of the economy in order to optimize the use of natural recreational resources (on the example of Vanino District)». 2015, Russia. Role: Co‑Investigator.

Current

  • PhD student, Federation University, ‘Exploring the experiences of international nursing students during mental health clinical placements in Australia: a mixed methods study’, associate supervisor. 

Past

  • Honours student, Federation University, ‘Exploring Healthcare Professionals’ Perception of Referring to a Student Led Physiotherapy Telehealth Service: A Cross-Sectional Study’, associate supervisor. 

Specialist roles

  • Deputy Director Operations, CERC 

Professional association memberships

  • Tourism Research Network (TRINET)
  • Council for Australasian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE)  

News articles

Reports

  • Porter, J.E., Sreeram, A., Kemel, P., Lavender, A., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, LTA. (2026). Evaluation of the Melbourne City Football Club City Futures Program, November 2025. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/EMCFCFP25 
  • Porter, J.E., My, S., Bailey, C., Hualda, LTA., Simic, M., Ghasemi, M., Borgelt, K., Soldatenko, D. (2025). Our Equal Local Government: A Project Preventing Gendered Violence and Sexual Harassment in Local Government, Report, June 2024 – May 2025. 
  • Porter, J.E., Miller, E.M., Simic, M.R., Borgelt, K., Soldatenko, D., Coombs, N. (2024). Gippsland East Youth Project - Youth-led Bushfire Recovery Project Evaluation 2022 -2024. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/GEYPYBRP24 
  • Porter, J.E., Prokopiv, V., Reimers, V., Dabkowski, E., Soldatenko, D. & Borgelt, K. (2025). Latrobe Healthy Supermarkets Project Evaluation. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/LHSPE23 
  • Porter, J.E., Soldatenko, D., Webb, C., My, S., Hualda, LTA. (2024). Gippsland FM – Now and into the Future Project. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/GFNIFP24 
  • Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, L., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, LTA. (2024). Evaluation of the New Wave Gippsland Capacity Building Project 2023/2024. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/ENWGCBPE24 
  • Fenton, S., Porter, J.E., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D. (2024). Strategic Planning Report for the Tourism Innovation Working Group: Heyfield & District, 2024. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/SPRTIWH24 
  • Porter, J.E., Simic, M.R., Miller, E.M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L.A.T. (2024). Evaluation of the nature based community recovery project - Extended 2023. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/ENBCRPX23 
  • Porter, J.E., Simic, M.R., Miller, E.M., Bransgrove, N., Barbagallo, M.S., Peck, B., Unsworth, C., Hewitt, A., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L.A.T., My, S., Prokopiv., V. (2024). Food Security and Wellbeing Project Evaluation 2022 -2023. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/FSWBPEV23 
  • Porter, J.E., Coombs, N.M., Soldatenko, D., Simic, M.R., Miller, E.M., My, S., Bransgrove, N. (2024). Men’s Shed Field Officer Project Phase 2 Evaluation 2022 -2023. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/MSFOPP2E23 
  • Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, L., Soldatenko, D., Abdelkader, A., Hualda, LTA. (2024). Development of a Network to Support Gippsland’s Migration Strategy, September 2024. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/DNSGMS24 
  • Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, L., Soldatenko, D., Abdelkader, A., Hualda, LTA. (2024). Gippsland Migration Recruitment & Retention Charter. [Report]. Federation University Australia.  https://doi.org/10.35843/GMRRCCERC24 
  • Porter, JE., Prokopiv, V., Reimers, V., Dabkowski, E., Soldatenko, D., Borgelt, K., Forooshani, H. Latrobe Healthy Supermarkets Project Evaluation, 2023. 
  • Porter, JE., Barbagallo, M., Prokopiv, V., Bransgrove, N., Soldatenko, D., Simic, M., Jones, J., Brito, S. Men’s Shed Field Officer Project Evaluation, 2021/2022. 
  • Noted contribution within a research assistant capacity for an ILO (International Labour Organisation) survey of G20 apprenticeship initiatives report conducted by Federation University, 2018.  
  • ILO Survey Report on the National Initiatives to Promote Quality Apprenticeships in G20 Countries. Employment Policy Department. International Labour Office – Geneva. ILO, 2018. https://www.ilo.org/employment/Whatwedo/Publications/WCMS_633677/lang--en/index.htm

Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC)

Daria is part of the Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC), which provides training, workshops and mentoring to build capacity and enable organisations to conduct meaningful evaluations.
  • Publications

Heritage railways as tourist attractions: a systematic review

Persistent Issues and Effective Approaches to Addressing Work-Related Gendered Violence in Australia: A Scoping Review