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I’m a behavioural biologist specializing in animal welfare. My lifelong research interests center on ensuring a good and happy life for animals by assessing their needs objectively, with a particular focus on captive housing conditions. Each year, humans keep tens of billions of animals under various conditions which may meet physiological needs but can be monotonous and restrict natural behavior. This matters because stress can significantly impact health and well-being. My lab tackles these questions using a range of techniques, including Phylogenetic Comparative Methods to identify 'behavioural needs' and act on species-level risk factors. I’m particularly interested in understanding animal emotions and moods (affective states) and how they evolve. I assess whether animals experience anthropomorphism and try to develop methods to evaluate animal boredom and investigate stereotypic behaviors, which are common in captive animals and indicative of cumulative stress. I have received numerous awards for my research and am passionate about effective graduate mentoring, and addressing issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion within STEM fields. For more about life in my lab, please see my blog.
Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare • University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
Responsible for overseeing the Centre's activities, research projects, and ensuring effective application of animal welfare science.
Department of Clinical Studies. Offers MSc by thesis (2 years) and MSc by coursework (1 year).