Rate My Professor Suzanne Rice

Professor Suzanne Rice is a prominent researcher in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne, holding the position of Honorary Professorial Fellow and serving as a member of the Youth Research Collective within the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. Previously recognized as Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Education Policy and Leadership, she has dedicated her career to examining critical issues in teacher education and workforce dynamics. Rice's research specializations encompass teacher pathways, student engagement and retention, career development, the integration of vocational teachers in school settings, diversity within the teaching profession, and the effects of high-stakes testing on curriculum, pedagogy, and professional opportunities. Her work addresses challenges such as attracting and retaining diverse teachers, career motivations among tertiary students in mathematics and science, and the responsibilisation of employability in Australian career development.

Rice has an extensive publication record, including 'Vocational teachers in school settings: career pathways and motivations' (2024), 'Career motivations and interest in teaching of tertiary students taking mathematics and science subjects' (2023), 'Navigating the matrix: career development and the responsibilisation of employability in Australia' (2022), 'Comparing student motivations for and emotional responses to national standardised tests and internal school tests: The devil in the detail' (2022), 'Hard-to-staff Australian schools: How can we ensure that all students have access to quality teachers?' (2017, co-authored with Paul W. Richardson and Helen M.G. Watt), 'High stakes testing and teacher access to professional opportunities: lessons from Indonesia' (2016, co-authored with Ashadi), and 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers Any More: A Fresh Look at the Vexed Issue of Teacher Status' (2005). Her research has been supported by funding from the Jack Keating Scholarship Fund, University of Melbourne Faculty of Education grants, and other sources. In 2025, she was honoured by the Faculty of Education for outstanding leadership. Rice has delivered international seminars, such as at the University of Derby, contributed to public discourse through platforms like The Conversation on topics including NAPLAN and student wellbeing, participated in the Melbourne Peer Review of Teaching program, and held roles including Academic Leader of the Youth Research Collective. Her contributions extend to editorial teams and policy discussions on teacher supply and quality in Australia and internationally, influencing educational practice and reform.