Sonja Lee Macfarlane FRSNZ (née Bateman) is a New Zealand education academic and an associate professor at the University of Canterbury.

Macfarlane specialises in the development of cultural awareness in the New Zealand education system.

After a PhD titled In Pursuit of Culturally Responsive Evidence Based Special Education Pathways in Aotearoa New Zealand: Whaia ki te ara tika at the University of Canterbury completed in 2012,[1] Macfarlane moved to Te Kura o te Mātauranga Institute of Education at Massey University, and then to the University of Canterbury, rising to associate professor.

[4] Her nomination said "Sonja has played a key role in the advancement of alternative ways for educators and psychologists to improve cultural awareness and responsivity, leading to the implementation of practices that accrue benefits for Māori learners (education) and clients (psychology).

[citation needed] Her husband Angus Hikairo Macfarlane is professor of Māori research at the University of Canterbury.