Professor Rachel Bacon
PhD, AdvAPD, CEDC-D
Head of Course and Discipline Lead Dietetics
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences
Jawun Research Centre
- r.bacon@cqu.edu.au
- ORCID: 0000-0002-2066-4264
- 02 82955822
- 0418822130 Alternative Phone
- Working From Home
My Networks
About Me
Professor Rachel Bacon is the Head of Course and Discipline Lead for Dietetics, within the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Central Queensland University. She has over 25 years experience as a dietitian and 15 years as a academic. Rachel is credentialed as an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian (AdvAPD) with the Dietitians Australia (DA). She has served on the Australia Dietetic Council as a senior Academic and is currently a course accreditation reviewer for the Dietitian and Nutritionist Regulatory Council. She is a pragmatist who aims to use research to improve health education and service delivery practices. Rachel had a lead role in establishing the Student-led Clinics at the University of Canberra. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Higher Education (UK) and has received national recognition for her research-led teaching innovations including two DA prizes, a Health Workforce Australia National Clinical Supervision Fellowship ($25 000) and an Australian Award for University Teaching (AAUT) citation ($10 000). At present, Rachel is engaged in research in: (1) clinical dietetics (aged care, oncology and mental health); (2) communication, counselling and behaviour change; and (3) education (programmatic assessment, inter-professional education, and Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander perspectives and pedagogies).
General
Background
Employment History
2025 - current: Professor of Dietetics Central Queensland University
2017-2025 Associate Professor Nutrition and Dietetics University of Canberra
2010-2016 Assistant Professor Nutrition and Dietetics University of Canberra'
2007-2009 Senior Dietitian/Clinical Educator, Acute Support Nutrition, ACT Health
2004-2007 Dietitian Acute Support Nutrition, ACT Health
2001 Sole Dietitian Southern Area Health Service Cooma NSW
1996-1997 Sole Dietitian Southern Area Health Service Cooma NSW
1996 Nutritional Consultant Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services
1996 ACT Health - HP1 Dietitian Acute Support Nutrition ACT Health
Universities Studied At
2016 Doctor of Philosophy University of Canberra
1996 Master of Nutrition and Dietetics University of Wollongong
1993 Bachelor of Applied Science (Nutritional Studies) University of Canberra
Universities Worked At
2010-2025 University of Canberra
2025-current Central Queensland University
Awards
National Awards
National Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning, Australian Teaching Awards, Office of Teaching and Learning / $10 000
National President’s Award for Innovation Dietitians Australia
Emerging Researchers Award, Dietitians Australia / $1 000
National Clinical Supervision Fellowship / Health Workforce Australia / $25 000
Woodhill Student Prize for Excellence in Research, NSW Branch, Dietitians Australia
Professional Memberships
| 1994 - current | Dietitians Australia Membership: No 94-169 |
| 2004-current | Accrediting Practising Dietitian: APD094169 |
| 2015-Dec 2029 | Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian: AdvAPD |
| 2019-current | Fellow of the Advanced HE |
| 2024-Feb 2028 | DNRC Accreditation Reviewer (Australian Dietetics Council Senior Academic 2024) |
| 2024-Feb 2027 | National Alliance of Self-Regulating Health Professions NASRHP Assessor |
| 2025-Dec 2026 | Associate Member Sports Dietitians Australia 1223 |
| 2025-Current | Australia New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorder Credential (CEDC-D) 35309 |
Research Supervision
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 3210 Nutrition and Dietetics
- 3999 Other Education
- 4201 Allied health and rehabilitation science
- 4203 Health services and systems
Current Capacity
Research Interests
Curriculum and Pedagogy - Medicine, Nursing and Health Curriculum and Pedagogy
Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges, histories, culture, country, perspectives and ethics in education; Programmatic Assessment, Inter-Professional Education, Clinical Education, Work Integrated Learning, Digital Health,
Health services and systems - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services
Health Equity
Culturally Safe Health Care
Birthing with Country
Nutrition and Dietetics - Nutrition and Dietetics not elsewhere classified
Aged Care
Mental Health
Oncology
Nutrition Education
