Associate ProfessorRachel Laws

Rachel takes an inclusive, learner‑centred approach to teaching that recognises and builds on the diverse experiences students bring to their studies. Teaching predominantly in postgraduate nutrition with diverse, often online and professionally experienced cohorts, she adopts a strengths‑based, relational approach that values students’ prior knowledge and lived experience.

She is known by students as a caring and supportive educator, providing proactive outreach to those at risk of disengagement and offering pastoral care to students experiencing hardship. Her teaching emphasises structured scaffolding, authentic assessment, and clear guidance to support confidence and success, particularly for students from non‑traditional or under‑represented backgrounds. She positions herself as a facilitator of learning, using practice‑relevant tasks that enable students to apply knowledge in real‑world contexts and build workforce‑ready skills, while actively supporting their career development and progression.

Her impact extends beyond the university through industry‑endorsed curriculum innovation. She developed a statewide online training program for health professionals, aligned with her implementation research, reaching over 1,600 practitioners and contributing to measurable improvements in practice. This integrated teaching–research–impact approach, combined with her strong commitment to equity and student success, is a defining feature of her educational leadership.