Dr Deborah Wells is a Reader in the School of Psychology at Queen's University Belfast, specializing in animal welfare and behavior, particularly in dogs and cats. Her research focuses on improving psychological welfare of animals, human-animal bond, and laterality studies. She holds a PhD from Queen's (1996) and has been a lecturer since 1999. Education: BSc (Hons) Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, 1992 PhD in Animal Welfare, Queen's University Belfast, 1996 Research Interests: Animal welfare assessment, laterality in animals, enrichment strategies, and pets' impact on human health. Recent work includes studies on auditory enrichment for dogs and equine-assisted therapy. Awards: Multiple grants and awards, including CAST DfE Collaborative PhD Studentships and the Most Popular Paper Award. Teaching & Grants: Teaches animal behavior modules and supervises PhD students. Leads projects like the KTP with Devenish Nutrition and lateralised behavior research. Active in the Animal Behaviour Centre. Labs/Teams: Director of the Animal Behaviour Centre, promoting interdisciplinary research in animal welfare.
Claudia Vinke is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University's School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences, specializing in Animals in Science & Society. She has worked at the university since 1996 and completed her PhD in 2004 on the effects of cage enrichments on stereotypies in animals. Her research focuses on animal welfare, animal behavior, and clinical ethology, with particular interest in the development of abnormal behavior. She strongly believes in the 'one health one welfare principle,' integrating insights from human psychology and psychiatry while maintaining a biological foundation for understanding animals. Dr. Vinke works with companion animals including dogs, cats, ferrets, and parrots, conducting research in animal shelters, working dog environments, exotic animal trade systems, zoos, and during animal transport. Her work addresses acute and chronic stress, stress physiology, and methods to reduce stress through environmental enrichment. She actively contributes to clinical practice, working weekly at the behavioral clinic of Animals at the University Animal Hospital in Utrecht. Her expertise is frequently sought by media outlets, with over 225 media appearances covering diverse aspects of animal behavior and welfare. Dr. Vinke is certified by the Landelijke Deskundigheidsmakelaar (LDM) to support police and justice in animal abuse cases and is associated with the European College of Animal Welfare, Ethics & Law. Her interdisciplinary approach combines field experience with academic research to address complex animal welfare issues.
Gillian Hill is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Buckingham's School of Psychology. She serves as Programme Director for the undergraduate Psychology BSc programme and teaches modules such as Research Methods and Statistics, Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology, and Animal Behaviour. Her research focuses on creativity and performance, particularly creative problem-solving and insight moments. Gillian employs mixed-methods approaches, including interviews, online surveys, and experimental studies exploring physiological factors like heart activity influencing insight experiences. Education: Gillian pursued a two-year BSc Psychology degree at the University of Buckingham, followed by a PhD in Psychology. She transitioned into academia after a career in local government, driven by a desire for evidence-based decision-making. Research Interests: Gillian investigates 'Aha!' and 'Uh-oh!' moments of sudden understanding, emphasizing their psychological and physiological underpinnings. She co-founded UK Creativity Researchers to foster multidisciplinary collaboration and public engagement in creativity studies. Her work challenges stereotypes about scientists, advocating for diverse role models and acknowledging setbacks alongside successes. Public Engagement: Gillian actively promotes science accessibility through initiatives like Soapbox Science MK and school outreach. She emphasizes that science is inclusive and attainable for anyone, regardless of age or background. Teaching and Mentoring: Gillian supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students, prioritizing academic integrity through open science practices like pre-registration in coursework. She contributes to pedagogical innovation, advocating for transparent and engaging STEM education.
Lina Roth is a Senior Associate Professor in the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Linköping University, Sweden. Her research centers on animal behavior, human-animal interaction, and the physiological and behavioral impacts of domestication, particularly in dogs and horses. She holds a PhD from Lund University on color vision in vertebrates and is a key member of the AVIAN - Behavioural Genomics and Physiology research group, led by Professor Per Jensen. Her work integrates ethology, endocrinology, and genomics to explore how long-term stress synchronizes between dogs and their owners, how rehoming affects canine welfare, and how training methods influence horse behavior. Her research interests include: Human-dog and human-horse relationships Long-term stress measurement via hair cortisol Behavioral effects of domestication Positive reinforcement training Interspecific communication and synchronization The recent publications show a strong trend toward understanding the emotional and physiological alignment between humans and companion animals, with a focus on breed-specific responses, rehoming resilience, and the animal’s perspective in human interactions. Her work increasingly uses biomarkers like cortisol to quantify chronic stress in both dogs and horses. Scientific contributions include: Demonstrating that dogs mirror their owners' long-term stress, especially in herding breeds Showing that rehomed dogs can form strong bonds with new owners Revealing that horses do not strongly differentiate between owners and strangers in stress contexts Investigating visual capabilities in dogs, horses, chickens, and geckos Lina Roth has advised and collaborated with numerous researchers and students, contributing to large-scale studies on dog behavior and welfare. Her lab engages in interdisciplinary projects involving genetics, endocrinology, and behavioral observation. While no formal grants are listed, her continuous publication output suggests active funding and research support. She is actively involved in public outreach, with several popular science articles summarizing her findings.
Rowena M. A. Packer is Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), where she has progressed from PhD student (2009-2013) to Postdoctoral Researcher (2013-2016), BBSRC Future Leader Research Fellow (2017-2021), Lecturer (2020), and Senior Lecturer (2024). Her work focuses on companion animal health, behavior, and welfare with particular expertise in brachycephalic breeds and canine epilepsy. Her educational background includes: BSc (Hons) in Animal Behaviour and Welfare (1st Class) from University of Bristol (2009), receiving UFAW Dissertation Award and University Scholarship PhD from RVC (2013) on inherited disorders related to extreme dog conformation Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Education (RVC, 2021) Dr. Packer's research examines how breeding practices affect canine health (especially brachycephalic breeds), how chronic conditions like epilepsy impact welfare, and how owner knowledge influences animal welfare outcomes. Her work combines epidemiological approaches with behavioral assessments to address practical welfare concerns in companion animals, with a strong emphasis on translating research into actionable insights for policy and practice. Her recent publications reveal sustained focus on brachycephalic welfare, pandemic puppy acquisition patterns, canine epilepsy mechanisms, and designer crossbreed health outcomes, demonstrating her commitment to evidence-based improvements in companion animal welfare through multiple research methodologies and stakeholder engagement. Her scientific achievements include: UFAW Young Animal Welfare Scientist of the Year award (2016) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2021) Co-editor of 'Health and Welfare of Brachycephalic Companion Animals' (2021) Dr. Packer actively mentors students across multiple levels while securing approximately £2.1 million in research funding (over £1 million as Principal Investigator) from diverse sources including BBSRC, UFAW, Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, and RSPCA. She co-leads RVC's Brachycephalic Research Team and is a founding member of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group, while also directing the canine epilepsy research team that developed the Pet Epilepsy Tracker application. Her research groups address critical welfare issues through projects including 'Pandemic Puppies,' 'Designer Dogs,' brachycephalic health assessments, and canine epilepsy management innovations, collaborating with international partners to translate findings into practical welfare improvements for companion animals.
