Rachel Evelyn Ward

Dr Rachel Evelyn Ward is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the UNSW School of Health Sciences, specializing in dance for health, biomechanics, and motor skill acquisition. Her research bridges dance science with therapeutic applications, focusing on the effects of dance across age groups and health conditions, biomechanical analysis of human movement, and safe dance technique development.

• Doctor of Philosophy, UNSW
• Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology, CSU
• Master of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW
• Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching, UNSW
• Bachelor of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney
• Graduate Certificate in the Pilates Method, UTS
• Diploma of Exercise Studies, CSU
• Diploma of Dance Teaching and Management, Australian Teachers of Dance (ATOD)
• Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies, Royal Academy of Dance (RAD)

Ward’s research emphasizes dance biomechanics, therapeutic movement practices, and health outcomes. She investigates how dance interventions improve motor learning, injury prevention, and quality of life for diverse populations, including cancer survivors and older adults. Her work integrates 3D kinematic analysis, electromyography, and inertial measurement units.

Her scientific contributions have been recognized with multiple teaching awards at UNSW, including the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2016. She also received the Royal Academy of Dance’s Dance for Wellbeing Award in 2025.

Ward collaborates on grants like the 2022 Mobile Motion Capture Suite and 2019 World Cancer Research Fund project on exercise training for cancer survivors. She supervises PhD candidates Key Nahan and Ashleigh Chandra, and has completed supervision for Meg Letton and Eliza MacDonald.