Amber Willems-Jones

Associate Professor Amber Willems-Jones is an education-focused academic in the Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. She completed her Bachelor of Science with Honours and PhD in 2004 at the University of Melbourne, conducting her doctoral research on the molecular interactions of the TyrR regulon in the then Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. After her PhD, she served as a molecular biologist for KConFab at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Returning to the University of Melbourne, she advanced through teaching and education roles, recently promoted to Associate Professor (Level D). In this capacity, she coordinates the second-year subject Techniques in Molecular Science, emphasizing hands-on laboratory skills in biochemistry and molecular biology, and co-coordinates the first-year subject Exploring Biomedicine. Her teaching incorporates cognitive constructivist approaches, promoting active participation, critical thinking, and constructive alignment between learning outcomes, activities, and assessments.

Willems-Jones's academic interests lie in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, particularly inquiry-based learning modules that develop troubleshooting, experimental design, quantitative literacy, self-regulated learning, and assessment literacy among biomedical students. She has obtained eight University and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Learning and Teaching Initiative grants to advance these innovations, including a 2025 grant for disseminating educational practices. She chairs the School of Biomedical Sciences Education Research Group and serves as Deputy Chair of the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Special Interest Group. Her commitment to student development has earned prestigious awards, including the 2025 ASBMB SDR Scientific Education Award, the 2023 University of Melbourne David White Award for Teaching Excellence, and the 2022 Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Excellence Learning and Teaching Award for Sustained Excellence, along with the 2023 MDHS Award for Sustained Excellence in Learning and Teaching. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Willems-Jones continues to inspire and equip future scientists with confidence in laboratory techniques and independent inquiry.

Professional Email: amber.willems@unimelb.edu.au