Rate My Professor Steven Munyard

Steven Munyard serves as a Lecturer in the Curtin School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Curtin University. He is also listed among the staff of the Curtin Medical School. Based on the Curtin Perth campus, his office is in Building 308, Room 228, under the Office of the Provost portfolio.

In his academic role, Steven Munyard teaches core units in microbiology and medical sciences. These include MEDI2003 Foundations of Medical Microbiology, introducing fundamental concepts of microbial pathogens and diagnostics; MEDI2011 Foundations of Medical Science, covering essential medical science principles; MICB5000 Applied Food Microbiology, focusing on practical microbiological techniques in food production and safety; and FOOD6003, related to food microbiology applications. Previously affiliated with PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA and the School of Public Health at Curtin University, he held the position of Scientist in Charge of the microbiology laboratory. In this capacity, he supervised student research projects, such as the development of a multiplex PCR assay for detecting verotoxigenic Escherichia coli in food samples and a PhD thesis on antimicrobial resistance in gram-positive cocci isolated from poultry meat in Western Australia, assessing transmission risks through the food chain.

Steven Munyard has contributed to peer-reviewed publications in food microbiology. He is a co-author on 'Sensory, Microbiological and Chemical Changes in Vacuum-Packed Beef Imported into Australia from South America' (Fuentes-Amaya et al., Food Science & Nutrition, 2016), which analyzed microbial growth, sensory qualities, and chemical alterations in imported beef products. Another key paper is 'The Impact of Cooling Rate on the Safety of Food Products as Affected by Food Containers' (Buys et al., Food Technology and Biotechnology, 2018), reviewing cooling effects on ready-to-eat food safety concerning container types and microbial risks. These works highlight his expertise in applied microbiology relevant to public health and food safety.