Rebecca Nordquist

Dr. Rebecca Nordquist is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences, specializing in Animals in Science & Society. She serves as Principal Investigator in the Behaviour and Welfare in Farm Animals research group and is a key member of Future Food Utrecht as Vice-Chair of its Executive Board. Additionally, she leads the European COST Action Working Group on Societal Impacts of Understanding Animals' Affective States within Affect-Evo.

Dr. Nordquist's research focuses on the intersection of animal welfare and sustainable food systems, with particular expertise in animal cognition and behavior in farm animals. Her work develops innovative approaches to assess and improve farm animal welfare, especially during transitions to sustainable food production systems. She has pioneered behavioral tests for assessing learning and emotionality in chickens and pigs, demonstrating how farming practices affect cognitive development in farm animals and exploring the implications of farm animals' cognitive capabilities for welfare assessment.

Analysis of Dr. Nordquist's recent publications reveals a strong focus on cognitive testing methodologies for farm animals, particularly pigs and poultry. Her work integrates neuroscience, endocrinology, and behavioral observation to develop comprehensive welfare assessment tools. Key themes include the effects of birth weight and order on cognitive development, stress biomarkers like cortisol in wool and feathers, and the development of judgment bias tests to assess emotional states in farm animals. Her research increasingly connects animal welfare science with sustainable agriculture transitions.

Dr. Nordquist is deeply committed to community engagement in both teaching and research. As Faculty Ambassador and Program Board member of Community Engaged Learning at Utrecht University, she actively bridges academic research with community needs. She regularly participates in public events to bring science to the Utrecht community and frequently appears in mainstream media to discuss animal welfare and sustainable food systems.

Her laboratory work focuses on developing and validating cognitive tests for farm animals, particularly the holeboard task for spatial memory assessment. She leads interdisciplinary teams investigating circular agriculture and resilient food systems, with specific attention to how sustainable transitions affect farm animal welfare. Her research group collaborates with social scientists, law scholars, philosophers, and societal partners across Europe through the COST Action Affect-Evo.