I am an Animal Welfare scientist using scientific methods to improve the welfare of captive animals. My research focuses on better understanding affective (emotional) experiences of animals, especially dairy cattle, when subjected to routine farm procedures (e.g., disbudding, feed restrictions). This knowledge will help refine our understanding of what animals emotionally experience, which can then help us identify areas of concern and design animal-based solutions.
I am also interested in how these solutions can be practically implemented in dairy farms in a way that benefit both animals and farmers and how policymakers regulate farm practices to meet public concerns for higher welfare standards.
More animal welfare friendly farming is a necessary step towards more sustainable agricultural practices. My research also takes other sustainability challenges into account, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, and will explore ways to improving animal welfare while mitigating these issues (win-win strategies).