AWSC Staff

Prof. Andrew Fisher

Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Director of the Centre. Andrew has significant experience in the area of animal welfare, with a particular focus on production animal management and transport. Research interests include welfare aspects of flexible feeding systems of dairy cows.

Dr. Lauren Hemsworth

Research Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Research interests include the human-animal relationship and its influence on animal welfare and productivity, field welfare assessment in farm and companion animals and developing education programs for recreational horse owners.

Dr. Carolina Muñoz

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Carolina is working within the MLA project examining Mulesing in prime lamb systems.

Dr. Jeremy Marchant-Forde

Research Animal Scientist, United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service - Livestock Behavior Research Unit. Works at the Livestock Behavior Research Unit, based in West Lafayette, Indiana. Expertise is applied animal behavior (applied ethology) and stress physiology with a research focus on welfare issues surrounding housing and management of pigs and dairy cattle.

Dr. Jessica Pempek

Assistant Professor and Animal Welfare Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University. Jessica's research focuses on understanding the relationship between housing and management practices and animal health, welfare, and behavior

Prof. Grahame Coleman

Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Grahame has followed a research career in aspects of human and animal behaviour associated with biological rhythmicity and sleep and changes in stress-related and reproductive hormones. Current research interests focus primarily on human-animal interactions in farm and companion animals and public attitudes to animal welfare.

Prof. Paul Hemsworth

Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. A research career studying the behaviour and welfare of farm and companion animals, particularly examining the influence of the social and physical environment on farm animal behaviour and welfare and the influence of human-animal interactions on animal welfare and productivity.

Dr. Mia Cobb

Honorary Research Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Research explores human attitudes, housing and management practices, animal behaviour, stress physiology and how animal welfare relates to the sustainability of animal-based industries. Active in the exciting domains of science communication, emerging technologies, citizen science, welfare auditing, and all things dog.

Mr. Kym Butler

Senior Biometrician, Agriculture Research, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions. Kym works within the Biometrics Unit, Agriculture Research and applies biometric analysis to the Centre’s research projects.

Mr. Will Coombs

Research Assistant, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Will provides technical support across our research projects in all species.

Ms. Rutu Y. Acharya

Research Assistant, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Rutu assists in the conduct of research projects across animal species.

Dr. Rebecca Doyle

Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Rebecca's research projects have included animal cognition and cognitive bias; correlating stress physiology with behavioural and cognitive welfare measures; and how to make practical animal welfare improvements locally and in developing countries.

Dr. Ellen Jongman

Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Research interests include the effect of housing, husbandry procedures and management on the welfare of sheep, dairy cows and companion animals. Remote monitoring of animal welfare indicators is also a focus.

Prof. Steve Moeller

Professor & Swine Extension Specialist, Dept. of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University. Activities include teaching, extension, and research directed toward the swine industry with involvement in collaborative research and extension efforts across food animal species and youth and adult audiences.

Mr. Jeremy Skuse

Honorary Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Interests include practical assessment of animal welfare, welfare assurance and training programs which optimise animal welfare.

Ms. Maxine Rice

Research Assistant, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Maxine directs the conduct of research projects across species and assists in the development of grant applications.