Professor Barnard received her B.S.N. degree from Johns HopkinsUniversity in 1959, her MS degree from Boston University in 1965, and her Ph.D. degree from New York University in 1973. From 1971-75, she was director of nursing research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She joined the University of Michigan School of Nursing as an associate professor in 1975.

Professor Barnard taught undergraduate and graduate courses and served as chair for medical surgical nursing and director of the graduate program in medical surgical nursing until 1988. She also served the School of Nursing as an academic information specialist. She was a major force, both formally and informally, in the school's information technology initiative, supporting worldwide web and computer usage, UMTV evolution, and videotaping of a variety of school activities. Her vision for the school's moving into the next millennium included using information technology to enhance nursing education. Her leadership is evident through production of a video for student recruitment and development of a proposal for new state-of-the-art equipment. Recently, Professor Barnard was the clinical coordinator for a major undergraduate capstone course (N446), providing leadership and support for clinical faculty in this course and also assuming a major teaching role in her division (acute, critical and long-term care program).

Within the University of Michigan, Professor Barnard served on a number of committees and was assistant chief university marshal. She was an active member of the Michigan Nurses Association, the Midwest Nursing Research Society, and the Information Technology Advisory Panel of the Midwest Alliance in Nursing. Professor Barnard is also active in various nursing association committees at the district and state levels in Michigan. She provided leadership in the development of the Midwest Nursing Research Society and in the research activities of Sigma Theta Tau, Inc. (STTI). Professor Barnard is credited with initiating and developing the STTI Inventory of Nurse Researchers, a widely used document in the profession.

Ruth Barnard, R.N., Ph.D., associate professor of nursing, retired from active faculty status on December 31, 2001, following 26 years of service to the University of Michigan.