Rebecca Jane LeBard

Rebecca Jane LeBard is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Education, Innovation, and Student Experience) in the Faculty of Science at UNSW. She holds a dual role as Director of First Year in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences. Her academic career spans molecular microbiology and STEM education, with a focus on quantitative skill development in biology students. She earned a BSc (Hons) and PhD from the University of Sydney, followed by a MEd (Higher Education) from UNSW.

Her research in molecular microbiology investigated plasmid DNA inheritance mechanisms in Staphylococcus aureus and archaea, alongside environmental microbiology projects like microbial source tracking in water pollution and secondary metabolite production. In education, she pioneered models for quantitative skills integration in science curricula and developed frameworks for evaluating teaching impact. Notable awards include the 2015 UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award and a 2016 Australian University Teaching Citation.

LeBard has secured over $140k in grants, including a $123k initiative to build teaching evaluation resources through a community-of-practice model. She supervises honours and PhD students in both microbiology and education-focused projects. Her leadership roles include Vice-President (Communication) of the Australian Society for Microbiology and contributions to national education committees like the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education.

Teaching responsibilities include courses in biochemistry (BIOC2101/2181) and medical programs, alongside foundational biomolecular sciences units (BABS1201/1202). She advocates for numeracy in STEM through initiatives like Evaluating Teaching Practice and YouTube resources for educators and students.