Jessica Monk

Dr Jessica Monk is a Lecturer in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England. Her research integrates neurophysiological studies with on-farm solutions to enhance livestock welfare, focusing on grazing systems, enrichment strategies, and digital tools for animal management. She holds a PhD in Animal Science from UNE and a BAnVetBioSc (Hons I) from the University of Sydney.

Education:

• Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Biosciences (Honours I) – University of Sydney
• PhD in Animal Science – University of New England

Research Interests:

• On-farm welfare assessment frameworks for livestock
• Development and implementation of environmental enrichments
• Quantitative measurement of animal affect and personality
• Adoption of digital technologies for livestock management
• Optimization of pasture and grazing systems

Recent Research Trends: Dr Monk’s publications emphasize validation of attention bias tests for affective state measurement in sheep, impacts of environmental factors like mud levels on cattle behavior, and development of producer-driven welfare benchmarking systems. Her work bridges laboratory research with practical industry applications in sustainable animal agriculture.

Awards & Grants:

• University of New England 3Rs Award (2025)
• UNE Internal Funding Scheme Grant (2024)
• Chancellor’s Doctoral Research Medal (2019)
• Multiple presentation prizes at ISAE, Sheep CRC, UFAW, and SMARTBEEF conferences

Teaching & Supervision: Coordinates units in animal welfare ethics (ANSC304) and animal handling (ANSC101). Supervises Honours, Masters, and PhD students in animal behavior and welfare research. Collaborates with industry partners to translate research into on-farm practices.

Labs & Networks: Engaged with interdisciplinary groups like the National Primary Industries Animal Welfare Research, Development and Extension Strategy (NAWRDES) and the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE). Active in promoting evidence-based animal welfare policies in Australian agriculture.