A/Prof Shaun Belward ~ Head, Physical Sciences

Shaun Belward holds two significant broadscale leadership roles: Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (ADLT) in the College of Science and Engineering and Academic Group Head (AGH) of Physical Sciences (physics, chemistry, mathematics, and data science). Shaun’s role as ADLT followed significant periods in extensive informal leadership roles in learning and teaching that were designed to impart cultural change in learning and teaching practice. The AGH role follows a prolonged period as discipline leader for Mathematics.

Shaun is a great believer in the transformative power of education and is highly motivated by the prospect of JCU increasing access for students from regional Queensland so that they may participate and succeed in higher education at rates closer to the national average. In concert with this Shaun has a great understanding of the important role of visibility in the international arena, so that the impact of JCU’s teaching effort broadens to facilitate access to students from offshore in increasingly large cohorts. Central to these goals is an understanding of the role of pedagogy and technology and how these are utilised to improve outcomes for our students, in flexible delivery, for example. Shaun’s leadership is focussed on empowering the academics in Physical Sciences and Science and Engineering so that they may rise to these challenges.

Shaun’s research has included work in applied mathematics in Laplacian free boundary problems, with specific applications in modelling airflow over mountains. Higher education research has included work on large scale curriculum design related to the goal of developing quantitative skills in science students, learning outcomes for mathematics students, and action research projects in teaching first year mathematics. Shaun’s current HDR focus is on facilitating student projects in any application of mathematics where an appropriate supervisory panel can be assembled. Projects in research in higher education will also be considered.

Teaching

• MA1011: Mathematical Foundations for Advanced Secondary Students (Level 1; TSV)
• MA2210: Linear Algebra (Level 2; CNS & TSV)
• MA2900: Mathematics Content Knowledge for Middle School Teaching (Level 2; TSV)
• MA5010: Directed Study (Level 5; TSV)
• MA5020: Special Study A (Level 5; TSV)
• MA5021: Special Study B (Level 5; TSV)
• MA5022: Special Study C (Level 5; TSV)
• MA5023: Special Study D (Level 5; TSV)
• MA5050: Research Project A (Level 5; TSV)
• MA5051: Research Project B (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Teaching

• Large scale curriculum design.
• Learning and teaching strategies for diverse cohorts. This is especially critical given the under-representation of the population of our region in higher education.
• Use of technology in teaching
• How to optimise peer group learning
• Strategies to cater for large cohorts of international students

Experience

• 2023 to present - Academic Head, Physical Sciences and Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, JCU (Townsville)
• 2019 to 2022 - Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (50%) and Associate Professor in Mathematics (50%), JCU (Townsville)
• 2016 to 2018 - Associate Professor in Mathematics, JCU (Townsville)
• 2004 to 2015 - Senior Lecturer in Mathematics, JCU (Townsville)
• 1996 to 2003 - Lecturer in Mathematics, JCU (Townsville)
• 1993 to 1995 - Associate Lecturer in Mathematics, JCU (Townsville)

Research Disciplines

• Numerical and computational mathematics (4903)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Microeconomics (1505)

Awards

• 2018 - JCU Awards for Excellence: Community Service (team award, joint with Dr Leah Daniel)
• 2009 - Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
• 2009 - Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Citation Winner for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
• 1990 to 1993 - Australian Postgraduate Research Award

Memberships

• 1993 - Australian Mathematics Society (AustMS), the Australian and New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ANZIAM) Division of AustMS and the Mathematics Education Special Interest Group of AustMS.
• 2011 to 2020 - Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers (QAMT) and the Townsville Branch of the QAMT

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Andersen T, Belward S, Sankupellay M, Myers T and Chen C (in press) Reoptimisation strategies for dynamic vehicle routing problems with proximity-dependent nodes. TOP,
• King D, Varsavsky C, Belward S and Matthews K (2017) Investigating students’ perceptions of graduate learning outcomes in mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 48 (S1). pp. S67-S80
• Matthews K, Belward S, Coady C, Rylands L and Simbag V (2016) Curriculum development for quantitative skills in degree programs: a cross-institutional study situated in the life sciences. Higher Education Research & Development, 35 (3). pp. 545-559
• Penesis I, Kilpatrick S, Broun D, Belward S, Barnes R, Roddick J, Thomas G, León de la Barra B, Sammut K and Battersby P (2015) Development of mathematical pathways for VET students to articulate to related higher education courses: a focus on engineering. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 23 (1). pp. 52-63
• Mallett D, Nelson M, Porter A, Dekkers A, Townley-Jones M, Hudson I, Belward S, Coady C and King D (2013) Australian Learning and Teaching Council projects in the Mathematical Sciences: a retrospective. ANZIAM Journal, 53. pp. C576-C591
• Rylands L, Simbag V, Matthews K, Coady C and Belward S (2013) Scientists and mathematicians collaborating to build quantitative skills in undergraduate science. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44 (6). pp. 834-845
• Higgins P, Read W and Belward S (2012) Analytical series solutions for three-dimensional supercritical flow over topography. Journal of Engineering Mathematics, 77 (1). pp. 39-49

Conference Papers

• Balatti J and Belward S (2012) Improving first year mathematics teaching through making connections: an action research approach. Merga Conference Proceedings. In: 35th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, 2–6 July 2012, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Balatti J and Belward S (2012) Working through the practice architectures of first year university mathematics teaching. Mathematics Education: expanding horizons. In: 35th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, 2–6 July 2012, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Belward S and Balatti J (2012) Doing it differently: the ups and downs of peer group learning. Mathematics Education: expanding horizons. In: 35th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, 2–6 July 2012, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Belward S, Matthews K, Thompson K, Pelaez N, Coady C, Adams P, Simbag V and Rylands L (2011) Applying mathematical thinking: the role of mathematicians and scientists in equipping the new generation scientist. Proceedings of the Eighth Southern Hemisphere Conference on Teaching and Learning Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics. In: Volcanic Delta 2011 the Eighth Southern Hemisphere Conference on Teaching and Learning Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics, 27 November-2 December 2011, Rotorua, New Zealand
• Belward S, Matthews K, Rylands L, Coady C, Adams P and Simbag V (2011) A study of the Australian tertiary sector's portrayed view of the relevance of quantitative skills in science. Proceedings of the 23rd biennial conference of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers and the 34th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. In: AAMT-MERGA 2011 23rd biennial conference of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers and the 34th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, 3-7 July 2011, Alice Springs, NT, Australia

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 31+ research outputs authored by A/Prof Shaun Belward from 2001 onwards.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Improving scalability, privacy and security of Blockchain Technology (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Dynamic and stochastic vehicle routing for autonomous weed control. (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• Investigation of unconditionally secure multi-party computation (2023, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Adaptations and acute physiological effects of various resistance training programs in adolescent and elite athletes (2018, PhD , Associate Advisor)