Research interests

• Understanding Rice Quality 
• Understanding starch structure
• Investigating the impact of temperature and carbon dioxide levels on grain quality
• Investigate the effect of N application and timing on grain quality

Background

After graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from The University of Sydney, Rachelle Ward worked in the pharmaceutical industry for several years before joining NSW Agriculture* as a Technical Officer with the Rice Cereal Chemistry laboratory between 2001 and 2003.

During this period she initiated post graduate studies at The University of Sydney under the supervision of Dr Melissa Fitzgerald and Prof Bob Gilbert. In 2007, Rachelle was awarded a PhD on her thesis titled ‘Impact of temperature and carbon dioxide on rice grain quality’.

Rachelle commenced duties as Rice Cereal Chemist in January 2008. 

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. (Hons) – The University of Sydney 1998 
• PhD – The University of Sydney 2007

Current projects

• Improving the efficiency of the Quality Evaluation Program for assessing breeding lines for quality attributes (RIRDC) 
• Introduction of broad scale Molecular Assisted Selection of breeding lines
• Understanding retrogradation (ARC with SCU)

Recent Publications

Ward R, Martin M, 2009, Rice cereal quality, Primefact 908.

Ward R, Gao Q, de Bruyn H, Gilbert R and Fitzgerald M, 2006, Improved methods for the structural analysis of the amylose-rich fraction from rice flour, Biomacromolecules, 7 (3),  866-876.

Castro J, Ward R, Gilbert R and Fitzgerald M, 2005, Measurement of the molecular weight distribution of debranched starch, Biomacromolecules, 6, 2260-2270.

Fitzgerald M, Martin M, Ward R, Shead H and Park W, 2003, Viscosity of rice flour: A rheological and biological study, J. Agric. Food Chem., 51, 2295-2299.

Sanchez-Bayo F, Ward R and Beasley H, 1998, New harmless technique to measure bird’s dietary exposure to pesticides. In the Food-Environment Challenge, Abs. 9th IUPAC Int. Congr. Pestic. Chem., &c-035. London, August 2-7, 1988

Professional associations and activities

• Member of organising committee for the 59th Australian Cereal Chemistry conference. 

Fields of Research

• 070305 Crop and Pasture Improvement (Selection and Breeding)
• 070307 Crop and Pasture Post Harvest Technologies (incl. Transportation and Storage)

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Post Harvest rice quality
• Impact of climate change on rice quality
• Impact of N on grain quality
• Starch Structure