Rate My Professor Shaun Belward

Associate Professor Shaun Belward serves as Academic Group Head of Physical Sciences in the College of Science and Engineering at James Cook University, where he oversees physics, chemistry, mathematics, and data science. He holds a BSc (Hons) and PhD in Mathematics from the University of Queensland, completed between 1986 and 1993, during which he received an Australian Postgraduate Research Award in 1990. Belward joined James Cook University in 1993 as an Associate Lecturer in Mathematics, advancing through the ranks to Lecturer (1996–2003), Senior Lecturer (2004–2015), and Associate Professor in Mathematics (2016–present). He has held significant leadership roles, including Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (50% from 2019–2022) and currently Associate Head of Physical Sciences alongside his Associate Dean responsibilities (2023). His contributions to teaching excellence have been recognized with a Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2009), an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation (2009), and a JCU Award for Excellence in Community Service (team award with Dr. Leah Daniel, 2018).

Belward's research spans applied mathematics, focusing on Laplacian free boundary problems with applications such as modelling airflow over mountains, and higher education pedagogy, including large-scale curriculum design for quantitative skills in science degrees, graduate learning outcomes in mathematics, and action research in first-year mathematics teaching. Key publications include 'Reoptimisation strategies for dynamic vehicle routing problems with proximity-dependent nodes' (TOP, 2024, with Andersen et al.), 'Investigating students’ perceptions of graduate learning outcomes in mathematics' (International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 2017, with King et al.), 'Curriculum development for quantitative skills in degree programs: a cross-institutional study situated in the life sciences' (Higher Education Research & Development, 2016, with Matthews et al.), 'Analytical series solutions for three-dimensional supercritical flow over topography' (Journal of Engineering Mathematics, 2012, with Higgins and Read), and 'A series-solution method for free-boundary problems arising from flow over topography' (Journal of Engineering Mathematics, 2006, with Higgins and Read). He has contributed to national projects like MathBench for improving quantitative skills and the Queensland STEM Education Network, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and enhancing mathematics education across institutions. Belward is a member of the Australian Mathematical Society, its ANZIAM division, and the Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers.