Iris Boumans

Iris Boumans is an Assistant Professor at Wageningen University's Wageningen Institute for Animal Science, specializing in Animal Production Systems. Her work bridges animal behavior modeling, precision livestock farming, and welfare assessment through innovative technologies like computer vision and machine learning.

• Active in applied ethology and agent-based modeling since 2013
• Co-developer of 3D camera systems for pig posture/location tracking
• Recipient of three scientific awards for presentation and thesis excellence

Key research themes include:

• Feeding behavior analysis and its links to health/stress
• Light spectrum/intensity impacts on circadian rhythms and growth
• Novel frameworks connecting circular economy principles to animal welfare
• Self-organizing maps for identifying behavioral types in sows

Recent collaborations focus on ammonia exposure effects and sensor data aggregation for real-time welfare monitoring. Awards highlight her contributions to tail-biting modeling and feeding behavior analysis at international conferences.

She supervises PhD candidates in projects like Enlighted Pigs and Drawing Pig Feeding Patterns, emphasizing individual variation and non-invasive assessment tools for improving pig welfare in modern farming systems.