in 1958 bard began working at the university of texas at austin and has continued there for his entire career. however, he took a sabbatical in 1973 and worked in the lab of jean-michel savéant. he also spent a semester at the california institute of technology as a sherman mills fairchild scholar. he lectured at cornell university for the spring term in 1987 as a baker lecturer. in 1988 he served as the robert burns woodward visiting professor at harvard university.