Susanne Waiblinger

Susanne Waiblinger serves as Head of the Ruminants & Human-Animal Relationship specialist field and Associate Professor at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna's Animal Nutrition and Welfare department. With over 25 years of academic service since 1997, she specializes in farm animal welfare science and ethology.

Her research focuses on human-animal relationships in farm settings, particularly ruminants, exploring welfare assessment systems, sustainable husbandry practices, and non-invasive well-being measurement. Key areas include social behavior ontogenesis, stress physiology, and horned livestock management systems. Her work bridges practical farming applications with scientific rigor through extensive EU and national projects.

Dr. Waiblinger has received significant recognition including the Schweisfurth Research Prize and European College diplomate status. Her leadership extends to:

• Head of Task Force 'Measuring Human-Animal Interaction' (COST 846)
• Deputy Chair of Veterinary Examination Commission 'Animal Husbandry and Welfare'
• Section Editor for Animal Welfare in Livestock Science (since 2011)
• Expert activities for European Food Safety Authority

She actively supervises doctoral candidates through the BIOREC college and maintains international collaborations including Dairy NZ research stays. Her methodological expertise in on-farm welfare assessment has shaped EU projects like WelfareQuality.