Alberto Palmonari_{Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences}

Alberto Palmonari, Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna is involved in in several research projects, mainly focused in rumen metabolism and microbiology.

Responsible of the Department’s laboratory of G.I. tract microbiology and feedstuff chemical analysis for animal nutrition.

He became associate professor in October 2021.

Anna Macready_{Associate Professor in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing}

Dr Anna Macready is Associate Professor in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing at the University of Reading’s Department of Agri-food Economics and Marketing in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development. With her background in behavioural science, public health nutrition and food choice, Anna is particularly interested in factors and mechanisms underpinning consumer trust and behaviour change to support health and a sustainable food system. Her current and past research is focused on dietary health, sustainability and innovation, and includes the EIT Food’s 7-year Consumer TrustTracker® exploring consumer trust in 19 countries (n=115,000), UKRI’s Land Use for Net Zero LUNZ Hub, UKRI’s Raising the Pulse (RtP) and the EU’s 7-country Food4Me personalised nutrition project. She has also explored food waste reduction and consumption of novel foods. For 2023, Anna was appointed Behaviour Change Champion (Supply Chain and Consumption) for the UKRI’s AgriFood4NetZero (AFN) Network+ project.

Anna Millar_{Ruminant Technical Manager}

Ruminant Technical Manager for Trident MicroNutri and is based in Co Down. With a demonstrated history of working in the animal nutrition and health industry, she works alongside the Trident MicroNutri team, delivering expert technical support for a range of feed additives

Anna Sutcliffe_{Technical Manager}

After finishing a PhD at Nottingham University investigating rumen synchrony in the lactating dairy cow, Anna has had various roles in the ruminant feed and pharmaceutical industry. She has been a technical manager at AB Dairy for the last ten years providing expert nutritional support and advice to dairy farmers.

Anne Mullen_Lecturer

Anne is a nutrition scientist with a PhD in molecular nutrition from Trinity College Dublin and postdoctoral experience at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on a complementary feeding project of HIV exposed infants in Zambia. Anne was a Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences in King's College London and researched HIV lipodystrophy syndrome in London and an intervention for acute malnutrition among HIV positive children and adults in Uganda. As Director of Nutrition at the Dairy Council for Great Britain, Anne provided evidence-based information to citizens, health professionals, researchers, food industry and politicians on milk, dairy, nutrition and health. Anne was the launch Chief Editor of the Nature Research Portfolio journal, Nature Food. As Chief Editor, Anne organised and/or moderated sessions and side-events at the UN Food Systems Summit Science Days, the FAO Science and Innovation Forum, Nutrition for Growth Summit and the International Congress of Nutrition in 2021 and 2022.

Anne is a Lecturer in Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in the Ryan Institute and Sustainable World Section of the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. Her interests are in sustainable food systems that support nutrition security for all, empowerment of citizens in food systems transformation, and science communication for citizens and political decision makers.

Anne Mullen_Lecturer

Anne is a nutrition scientist with a PhD in molecular nutrition from Trinity College Dublin and postdoctoral experience at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on a complementary feeding project of HIV exposed infants in Zambia. Anne was a Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences in King's College London and researched HIV lipodystrophy syndrome in London and an intervention for acute malnutrition among HIV positive children and adults in Uganda. As Director of Nutrition at the Dairy Council for Great Britain, Anne provided evidence-based information to citizens, health professionals, researchers, food industry and politicians on milk, dairy, nutrition and health. Anne was the launch Chief Editor of the Nature Research Portfolio journal, Nature Food. As Chief Editor, Anne organised and/or moderated sessions and side-events at the UN Food Systems Summit Science Days, the FAO Science and Innovation Forum, Nutrition for Growth Summit and the International Congress of Nutrition in 2021 and 2022.

Anne is a Lecturer in Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in the Ryan Institute and Sustainable World Section of the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. Her interests are in sustainable food systems that support nutrition security for all, empowerment of citizens in food systems transformation, and science communication for citizens and political decision makers.

Annie Williams_{Mineral Consultant}

Annie is an independent mineral consultant for ruminants, working with vets, nutritionists and farmers to improve mineral balance in diets in different systems. Annie also works in Business Development at the UK Agri-Tech Centre supporting industry to accelerate innovation and adoption. Currently undertaking a Nuffield Farming Scholarship titled “Mineral Advice in Ruminants – Are we getting it right” and travelling to understand mineral nutrition in a global context.

Clodagh Ryan_Geneticist

Courtney Bailey_{Agriculture Sector Lead}

Courtney specialises in development, implementation, and evaluation of training programs, project management and provision of specialist advisory services.

Prior to joining Voconiq, Courtney worked in education and community engagement across various sectors. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Agribusiness, Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning (secondary), and she is a qualified Trainer and Assessor.

With her deep understanding of the intricacies of education and the adoption of new programs and her passion for the Agricultural sector, Courtney plays a vital role in ensuring our clients' success.

Craig Lewis_{Genetic Services Manager}

Dr Craig Lewis was raised on a family farm in Herefordshire. He has advanced degrees in Animal Behaviour/Welfare and Animal Breeding/Genetics, including a PhD at the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, which he undertook before having research positions in Australia and a commercial position in the United States. Craig currently oversees Genetic Dissemination for Genus PIC in the Europe/Middle East/Africa region working with pig producers from developing farmers in Africa to multinational integrated food businesses. He is also the current chair of the steering committee for the European Forum for Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB).

Dave Ross_Consultant

Dave Ross was until recently International & Investment Director at UK Agri-Tech Centre, which is the largest agri-tech organisation in the UK, accelerating agri-tech ambitions and agri-innovation. In his role, Dave manages the company’s international activities, focusing on helping UK agri-tech companies expand into overseas markets (thereby improving production sustainability) and assisting overseas companies in establishing themselves in the UK to base their national and international commercial aspirations. Dave was previously for 9 years the CEO of Agri-EPI Centre, one of the 4 UK Centres of agricultural innovation. He is a trained engineer, with 26 years’ experience of agri-technology in both the cropping and livestock sectors, encompassing a broad range of technology areas. He has been involved in the R&D of a number of novel and patented developments across the agricultural production sectors. Some of these have been fully commercialised and he has assisted with spin-out and new company formations.

David Kenny_{BSAS President | Head of Animal & Bioscience Department}

Professor David Kenny is Head of the Teagasc Animal and Bioscience Research Department in Ireland and the current president of the British Society of Animal Science. He has over 25 years of research experience in the biological control of a range of economically important traits to ruminant livestock production systems, including growth and reproductive efficiency, ruminal methanogenesis and the development and functionality of the rumen microbiome. He has supervised the studies of 19 Ph.D. and nine M.Sc. students to completion, as principal supervisor and his research has resulted in the publication of in excess of 200 full length internationally peer reviewed scientific manuscripts and book chapters to-date. He is the president of the Physiology Study Commission of the European Association of Animal Production and is a member of the management board of the international scientific journal, Animal. He has led many large research consortia and is currently co-ordinator of the recently awarded €5m Horizon Europe project, ‘Towards sustainable livestock systems: European platform for evidence building and transitioning policy (STEP UP)’. He was awarded the prestigious Hammond award by BSAS in 2018 in recognition of outstanding contribution to an improved understanding of how nutrition affects the complex underlying biology regulating economically important traits in cattle, including feed efficiency, rumen methane emissions and male and female reproduction.

He runs a beef and sheep farm in County Mayo, in the west of Ireland and is integrally involved, and is well known, within the beef cattle sector and wider agricultural industry in Ireland.

Davy McCracken_{Head of Department, Integrated Land Management}

After completing my PhD on the feeding ecology of the red-billed chough in 1990, I first worked on an investigation into the relationships between moorland vegetation and upland invertebrates at the University of Newcastle.

I then moved to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) where I helped highlight the nature conservation importance of High Nature Value (HNV) farming systems throughout Europe.

I joined SRUC in 1995 and input to a wide variety of national and international projects which aim not only to assess the relationships between farming systems and farmland biodiversity but to also highlight the likely implications of agri-environment and wider Common Agricultural Policy reform.

I took on the role of Head of SRUC’s Hill & Mountain Research Centre in 2013. Much of the Centre’s research is focused around SRUC’s Kirkton & Auchtertyre Research farms, near Crianlarich, which we are developing to be a platform for agricultural, environmental and agro-forestry research and demonstration.

I took on the role of Head of the Department of Integrated Land Management in SRUC’s South & West Faculty in 2019. This Department brings together research, education and consultancy expertise with an aspiration of ensuring that land-based sector students – irrespective of the primary focus of their qualification – will obtain a much better understanding of the constraints and opportunities facing other land use sectors.

At a wider European level, I am involved in a range of research and demonstration projects investigating the economic, social and environmental resilience of upland livestock systems and seeking to understand the trade-offs associated with changes to those systems.

Eduardo Luis Cupertino Ballester _Professor

Graduated in Biology (2000), MSc in Aquaculture (2003) and PhD in Biological Oceanography (2008) at Federal University of Rio Grande - FURG. Since 2010 is a researcher and permanent professor at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). Director of the Research Center of Aquaculture and Sustainable Development - UFPR and Head of the Prawn/Shrimp Culture Laboratory at UFPR. Around 25 years of experience in aquaculture research projects. Authored 85 scientific papers published in indexed journals. Supervised more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree students in Aquaculture. His main current projects are the use of essential oils as anesthetics and food additives for prawn and the use of protein hydrolysates as a source of protein for shrimp and prawn. Has also developed research projects with Biofloc Technology - BFT, shrimp and prawn nutrition, and toxicity of nitrogenous compounds to prawns.

Eileen Wall_{Professor in Integrative Livestock Genetics}

As a Professor in Integrative Livestock Genetics, my area of expertise is in livestock genetics and breeding tools for the agricultural community. With a focus on UK dairy cattle, I have made significant contributions to the field, leading to impacts in genetic improvement tools delivered and home and abroad. My research revolves around key areas such as climate change and livestock systems, genetics of fitness traits, sustainable breeding goals, and advancements in national livestock genetic evaluations. I also play a crucial role in interdisciplinary programs within and outside SRUC, fostering collaborations and partnerships for impactful research.

As the Head of Research at SRUC my main objective is to drive excellence in research and develop and deliver the research strategy. Throughout my career, I have secured substantial funding, managed large research programs, and designed, developed and delivered strategic research projects within SRUC and wider academic sector. I am actively engaged in research, research supervision and teaching activities at SRUC.

My contributions extend beyond SRUC. I have actively participated in policy development, particularly in addressing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. By providing expert advice and consultancy to national and international bodies, I strive to contribute to evidence-based decision-making. I serve on journal editorial board, funding and evaluation bodies and have been honoured with awards such as the Sir John Hammond Award from the British Society of Animal Science.

Eileen Wall_{Head of Research}

My main academic activity has focussed on livestock genetics and the development of breeding tools for use by the agricultural community. I have made fundamental contributions in the delivery of broader breeding goals in cattle, with international impacts through the dissemination of genetic improvement. My current interdisciplinary research interests and projects include climate change and livestock systems, genetics of fitness traits, development of sustainable and environmental breeding goals and improvements to national livestock genetic evaluations.

Elly Tyacke_{Senior Portfolio Manager}

Elly Tyacke is a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) , a major funder of world-leading bioscience in the UK.

In addition to providing strategic oversight of a wide variety of funding opportunities that BBSRC delivers, Elly is also actively involved in delivering induction training to academics and research professionals who sit on BBSRC’s funding opportunities panels and providing training and support for internal colleagues in BBSRC and across UKRI.

A Biochemistry graduate from Cardiff University, Elly first worked as a Postgraduate Research Assistant in the Cancer Research Campaign laboratories at Charing Cross Hospital before joining Derwent Information, part of Thompson-Reuters in the early 1990s as a Medical Editor. Following a seven-year stint at Thompson-Reuters, Elly continued working in the medical writing and medical communications industries becoming a freelance medical writer in 1999 working for a range of clients and across a wide number of therapeutic areas.

After a five-year career break to raise her family, Elly joined BBSRC in 2013 where she began working as a Portfolio Manager facilitating external peer review of grant funding applications and managing expert assessment panel meetings.

When not at work, Elly enjoys playing tennis at her local tennis club, where she is the club’s Welfare and Safeguarding Officer, running, Pilates and has recently completed an Undergraduate Certificate in Medieval Studies, awarded by the University of Cambridge.

Emily Grant_{Farm Consultant}

A first generation farmer, Emily started starting her farming career with a handful of ewes on an annually rented field. Initially the business focused on producing prime lambs from pasture. With a strong interest in genetics and performance recording, the opportunity arose to partner with Innovis producing Abertex and Abermax rams. Still working with Innovis, the farm is now a dedicated ram growing unit.

Emily also works off-farm in consultancy and knowledge exchange. In 2019 she started as an independent consultant specialising in supporting beef and sheep producers to develop sustainable, pasture based farming systems. She works both one-to-one and with farmer groups.

Fiona Kenyon_{Principal Research Scientist}

Fiona is a principal research scientist at Moredun Research Institute in Scotland. Her research career started studying sheep scab mites before moving on to investigate drug resistance in malaria and then moving back to the world of small ruminants to research anthelmintic resistance in sheep. She is interested in how different management and treatment strategies affect anthelmintic resistance, animal welfare and production and has been a major driver for the development of target selective treatment strategies in sheep. She has collaborations across Europe developing precision livestock farming through the EU funded Sm@rt and TechCare projects as well as leading research at Moredun investigating the impacts of grazing management strategy on parasites, epidemiology, animal welfare and production. She has received funding from a variety of sources including Scottish Government, BBSRC, NERC, EU and Innovate UK.

Frank Convery_{Adjunct Professor}

He was founding director of the Earth Institute, University College Dublin, and current chair of its External Advisory Board, and served as chief economist of the Environmental Defense Fund, 2014-2018. He led the European Union’s research networks on market-based instruments and emissions trading and co-authored (with Ellerman and de Perthuis), Pricing Carbon - The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, Cambridge University Press, 2011, 334 pp.

He has devoted time recently to better understanding the shape climate policy for ruminant farming needs to have in order to reduce emissions and remove carbon at scale, and has published 13 evidence-based blogs thereon, available at: Climate Policy for Ruminant Agriculture in Ireland blog | UCD Earth Institute

Ireland’s agricultural economy is export led; he has focussed on understanding the likely evolution of climate policy in some of its key markets – the European Union, the US, and the UK – and what this could imply for access to premium markets and consumer decisions in the future.

Frank Dunshea_Professor

Professor Frank Dunshea has had a research career spanning 35 years in farm animal and biomedical research. His area of expertise is in growth physiology and nutrition and understanding the interactions between the animal and the animal’s environment. Professor Dunshea has focused much of his recent research on biomedicine and fuctional foods. Professor Dunshea’s research has an impressive breadth and quality and he has published over 1000 journal, conference, book or technical articles. His research has had a high scientific impact. In addition, the results of much of his research have been rapidly adopted by industry. Professor Dunshea has maintained a balanced approach to research, combining fundamental with applied research, providing commercial and public good outcomes.

Professor Dunshea is a respected research leader in the pork and other animal industries in Australia including the Beef, Dairy and Sheep industries. Professor Dunshea is committed to ensuring that all animal industries operate in a responsible and sustainable manner and much of his work has focussed on improving efficiency through reducing inputs and outputs while maintaining product quality and consumer health. Current projects include looking at how to increase the value of grains, such as barley, wheat and sorghum, for livestock; the production of agricultural products to improve the health and eating experiences of consumers, regulation of growth and development of farm animals, animals as models of metabolic syndrome, animal and human nutrition and the effect of heat stress on health, welfare and productivity of farm animals.

Innovation has always been integral to Dunshea’s research and because of this he has been able to obtain biomedical research funding to complement his nutritional research. In recognition of this, in 2004 he was awarded the Daniel McAlpine Outstanding Achievement Award for Innovation in Agricultural Research for his biomedical and functional foods research. Dunshea was the 2007 recipient of the Minister of Agriculture’s prize for his role in reducing, replacing and refining the use of animals in research and in December 2007 was made a Fellow of the Nutrition Society of Australia.

Galina Brychkova_Lecturer

Dr. Galina Brychkova is a Lecturer in the Plant & AgriBiosciences Research Centre. Her background is in Genetics and Biotechnology, that she was awarded in 2000 upon defending MSc thesis : ‘The influence of intravenous immunoglobulin substances on granulocyte-macrophage link of human immune system’. She continued her research career in the field of genetics and Biotechnology and was awarded PhD in Plant Genetics in 2004 on research “Engineering the metal-tolerant and oil-degrading transgenic plants which carry genes encoding rhamnolipid biosynthesis’. Galina’s primary research is focused on fundamental understanding of plant heterosis, the function of orphan genes as well as genes involved in iron assimilation in plant development, reproduction and hybrid vigor, using model organisms Arabidopsis thaliana and budding yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae. She has major research expertise are tissue culture, molecular biology, biochemistry, enzymology and metabolomics. Together with Prof. Spillane Galina helped to established first 3D printing (and 3D bioprinting) facility in PABC, University of Galway, and her research is broadened by application of this modern technology. Moreover, her research interests are stretched toward the solicitation of science and biotechnologies for meeting needs in developing countries.Within NUI Galway he coordinates MSc AgriBiosciences Structured Research Programme and PhD in Plant and AgriBiosciences students. She is also a member of the EU-RISE SexSeed consortium and the Irish Aid-funded Vietnam Ireland Bilateral Education Exchange (VIBE) program, Climate Resilient Agriculture & Environmentally Sustainable Landscapes. Galina has been an author on over 24 peer-reviewed papers, 3 book chapter and over 21 conference papers.

Heather McCalman_{Research and Development and Sustainability Executive}

A graduate of University of North Wales Bangor, Heather’s PhD from London University focussed on genotype environment interactions and animal temperament. Following consultancy as a livestock specialist at ADAS, over 15 years were spent at IBERS bridging the gap between research and practice working with scientists and land managers to adapt research outcomes as solutions to on farm challenges. More recently working for red meat levy boards QMS and HCC, activities have included co ordinating the red meat development programme in Wales and now managing HCCs R & D portfolio

Helen Warren_{European Technical Manager}

In 1999, Dr. Warren achieved her primary degree in Animal Science from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, followed by her PhD in fatty acids in beef from the Faculty of Medical and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Bristol. She spent five years lecturing degree students in animal and equine science before moving to industry. She is a Senior Visiting Fellow at Nottingham Trent University, an Affiliate of the University of Glasgow, Vice President of the British Society of Animal Science and Chair of their Events and Publications Committee. She is also a qualified lecturer, a Cow Signals Master Trainer and a registered Animal Scientist. Helen is a member of KTN’s Animal Sector Advisory Board and the Food Standards Agency’s Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs. She currently works as a European Technical Manager for Ruminants and Horses for Alltech, involving initiating European research projects, as well as delivering nutritional education and technical sales support.

Hilario Mantovani_{Assistant Professor}

Dr. Hilario Mantovani received an M.S. degree in Agricultural Microbiology from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) and earned a Ph.D. degree in Microbiology from Cornell University under the mentorship of the late James B. Russell. Dr. Mantovani developed several academic and scientific activities in Brazil as a faculty member of the Department of Microbiology at UFV and was a visiting scholar at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center. He mentored more than 40 graduate and 20 undergraduate students and served for five years as Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology (UFV). Dr. Mantovani joined the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022.

Dr. Mantovani’s research program is focused on understanding the functions and ecological interactions between anaerobic microbes that colonize the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants. Currently, special attention is given to screening and discovery of new bioactive molecules (notably AMPs) against bacterial pathogens and archaea (methanogens) and the development of microbiome-derived technologies (e.g., bioactive molecules, probiotics, inoculants) for animal health. His research group examines fundamental and applied questions related to the ecology, physiology, and genetics of rumen microbes aiming to unveil their roles in rumen function and host phenotypes. Dr. Mantovani’s research also seeks to understand the mechanisms and drivers of antimicrobial resistance and explore livestock microbiomes for biotechnological purposes, including alternatives to antibiotics. The research goal is to generate knowledge and develop approaches to improve animal health and productivity, promote food safety and enhance the environmental sustainability of livestock production.

Holly Vickery_{Lecturer - Animal Behaviour and Welfare}

Holly is an Animal Behaviour and Welfare scientist with a particular interest in how findings can be practically utilised by stakeholders and is fascinated by applied research, participatory engagement, and science communication. She graduated from the University of Bristol in 2018 with a first-class BSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare and then completed her PhD at the University of Reading titled “The behaviour and welfare of goat kids during the milk feeding stage and weaning transition”. In 2022 her thesis research won the RSPCA/BSAS Prize for Research with Animal Impact by Scientists in Early Career (PRAISE). Currently she is a lecturer at Harper Adams University and has been on the ECC for four years, currently serving as deputy chair. In the future Holly hopes to continue to work on bridging the divide between research and application with a focus on practical higher welfare strategies for farms.

Jonathan Herron_{Research Officer}

Jonathan Herron is a Researcher Officer in the Livestock Systems Department of Teagasc Moorepark. He is one the lead researchers in the development of the AgNav sustainability Platform in collaboration with ICBF and Bord Bia. He supervises a team of PhD students and post-doctoral researcher in the areas of life cycle assessment, bio economic modelling, and integrated farming systems.

He has a number of publications in the area of life cycle assessment and has recently secured funding from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine for the continued development of the AgNav platform to expand the scope of the assessment to include all major agricultural systems and environmental impact categories.

Karl Walsh_{Head of the Research, Bioeconomy & Codex Division}

Dr Karl Walsh is the Head of the Research, Bioeconomy & Codex Division in the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). He grew up on a mixed dairy and beef pasture farm in Ireland. He graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) in 2003 with a degree in Agricultural Science. He then went on to complete a PhD at the Teagasc Grange Beef Research Centre in Meath, Ireland, as well as at UCD. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Policy Analysis from the Institute of Public Administration.

Karl joined the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2007. He worked in a variety of areas, including Livestock Breeding, Production and Trade, Animal Feed and Fertiliser, Research, Economics, and as the Agricultural Attaché in Irelands Embassy to France as well as its multilateral Mission to the OECD. He was appointed Head of the Research, Bioeconomy and Codex Division in 2021.

Kieren Moffat_{Chief Executive Officer}

Kieren is a social scientist committed to building deeper, more reflective relationships between communities, companies, industries and governments. Prior to co-founding Voconiq he was a Senior Research Scientist with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Over the last fifteen years he has worked across a broad range of industries in more than twenty countries using quantitative social psychological research methods to reveal the pathways to deeper community trust for companies and industries, and to provide a voice for community members in decisions that affect their lives. Kieren was awarded a PhD from The University of Queensland in social and organisational psychology in 2008.

Kirsty Farnan_{Ruminant Technical Advisor}

Kirsty works for Adisseo as a Ruminant Technical Advisor providing clients with practical advise and sales support. She is particularly interest in diet formulation and currently tailor solutions to address various client's needs. This helps to develop strong relationships to support business growth. Kirsty also presents complex technical information to a diverse group of clients, ensuring clarity and engagement, which aids in business development.

Kirsty Richards_{Program Lead Autism and Agriculture; Manager Industry and Government Liaison}

Kirsty leads SunPork Farms’ Autism and Agriculture program, a collaboration between SunPork, the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) and Specialisterne Australia. In this capacity Kirsty has overseen a world first successful program to develop animal care career paths for people on the autism spectrum. SunPork recognises its autistic employees as a tremendous asset in advancing business capability, pride, culture, animal care and welfare objectives.

Luca Fontanesi_Professor

Full Professor at the University of Bologna, he carries out his research in the field of genetics, animal genomics and food authentication. His research interests are in particular focused on the application of genomics, metagenomics, metabolomics and phenomics in the animal production sector, for the characterization, authentication and traceability of food products and for environmental analysis. His research ranges across different fields that include the main species of zootechnical interest (with particular reference to pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, equines, rabbits and poultry), species of interest for aquaculture, wild species, extinct species, bees and other insects and environmental DNA. He has participated or is currently participating in several European research projects Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. He is the author of more than 280 publications in scientific journals (h index = 42), book chapters and co-inventor of patents. He is sector editor of scientific journals in the field of animal production. He is present in the list of World's Top 2% Scientists 2024 (Stanford University).

Maik Kindermann_{Inventor & VP Innovation Bovaer®}

Maik is the inventor of the methane inhibitor 3-NOP (Bovaer®) and heads up the R&D program for this project.

A chemist by training with a background in molecular biology, he is working with his team to bring cutting edge technology into the animal nutrition and health sector with a special focus on sustainability projects.

Bringing an entrepreneurial spirit as a co-founder of a biotech company in Switzerland, he also worked as a Senior Scientist at Sanofi-Aventis (structural biology) prior to joining dsm-firmenich. He holds a PhD in Chemistry and a post-doctoral degree from the ETH Lausanne in Chemical Biology.

Mariecia Fraser_{Professor in Upland Agroecosystems}

I have a background in animal science and grazing ecology and specialise in developing and testing management strategies for upland systems. My research interests include: species and breed differences in diet selection and ingestive behaviour, conservation grazing, nutrient supply from forages, greenhouse gas emissions from grazing animals, and the bio-energy potential of semi-natural grasslands. I have worked with a range of animal species (sheep, cattle, goats, ponies, deer, South American camelids) and pasture types (cultivated, improved permanent pasture and semi-natural grass and heath communities), as well as fresh and ensiled alternative forages (high WSC grasses, forage legumes, brassicas, pulses and bi-crops), to deliver a range of products (meat, fibre, habitats and biorenewables).

Mark Garavan_{Senior Lecturer}

Dr Mark Garavan is a Senior Lecturer in the ATU Mayo. He teaches mostly on the Applied Social Care programme. He is the author of Care, Published by Cork University Press in 2024, and of Compassionate Activism: An Exploration of Integral Social Care published by Peter Lang in 2012. He has published academic articles on the environment, dialogue, and on social care practice. He has been a social care worker working with Travellers, young people, and in Mountjoy Prison. He was a Project Leader with Dublin Simon Community from 1989 to 1992, and later managed a facility for young people in Co Carlow. He is currently a Board member of Feasta (The Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability) and of Westport Family Resource Centre. He has worked extensively in the field of mental health, supporting the creation of the Mayo Recovery College and conducting a number of research projects into the topic.

Matthew Elmes_{Lead Nutrition Scientist}

Dr Matthew Elmes is the Lead Nutrition Scientist at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), where he is helping to drive forward the organisation's Nutrition Strategy to support sustainable farming in the UK.

Matthew’s academic journey began with a BSc (Hons) in Animal Science from the University of Nottingham in 2000, followed by a PhD at the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 2004. His doctoral research investigated the effects of omega-6 fatty acids during pregnancy on the timing of labour in sheep.

After completing post-doctoral roles at Imperial College London and the University of Nottingham, Matthew became an Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham in 2008, where his research centred on how maternal and early-life nutrition affect foetal development, timing of labour, and the long-term health of the offspring. His work spans both large and small animal models and has made a significant impact in understanding the links between early nutrition and adult disease.

Matthew is a frequent presenter at academic conferences both in the UK and internationally and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals. In October 2024, he joined the AHDB, bringing his expertise to help shape the future of UK agriculture through evidence-based nutrition strategies.

Michael Lee_{Deputy Vice-Chancellor}

Professor Michael Lee FRSA FRSB FRASE ARAgS is an expert in sustainable livestock systems, defining their role in securing global food security at the same time as protecting environmental health (Livestock’s role in human and planetary health). He graduated with first class honors in Animal Science from University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1997 and gained a PhD in ruminant nutrition (protein and energy metabolism) from the University of Aberdeen in 2001 followed by Post graduate certificate for teaching in higher education from Aberystwyth University in 2012. In November 2020 Michael moved from Rothamsted Research and the University of Bristol (where he held a joint position) to his current position as Deputy Vice Chancellor of Harper Adams University, England’s Premier specialist agriculture and land use University. He has published over 375 research articles and papers including articles in Nature and Science. He was awarded the Sir John Hammond Memorial Prize in 2015 for services to Animal Science and fellowships of the Royal Societies of the Arts and Biology in 2019 and 2023, respectively. He was also awarded Associateship of the Royal Agricultural Societies in 2023 and Fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Society of England in 2024. He served on Presidents of the British Society of Animal Science from 2018-2022 and was a Trustee of the society for 12 years. In August 2019, he was elected President of the European Federation of Animal Science Livestock Farming Systems Commission. He represents the UK on Animal Task Force, a Public-Private think-tank informing the EU parliament in Brussels and is co-chair of the UK Universities Climate Network – Net Zero group. In 2023 he was selected to join a Technical Advisory Group of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Prof Lee also sits on the BBC’s Rural Affairs Committee, the Agriculture Advisory Group convened by the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) and the Scientific Council of the World Farmers Organization (WFO).

Michael Watkins_Lecturer

Michael is a Mudburra descendant and holds the role of Lecturer in Aboriginal Allied Health within the University of South Australia, Department of Rural Health. His teaching focusses on developing the cultural capabilities of Nursing and Allied Health students, and their research focussing on the cultural outcomes of engaging with bush foods and traditional knowledges. Michael has a background in rural and remote health practice, teaching and learning in higher education and nutrition and food sciences. He also has a keen interest in developing Aboriginal health curricula and placement opportunities in Aboriginal health settings.

Nicholas Jonsson_{Honorary Professor / Head of Ruminant, Technical}

BSAS Vice-President Nicholas Jonsson is Head of Ruminant, Technical for Harbro Limited and Honorary Professor of Animal Health and Production in the School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Glasgow. He graduated as a veterinary surgeon from the University of Sydney, Australia, in 1987 and worked as a mixed veterinary practitioner in rural New South Wales for 7 years, including a period as practice owner. In 1995 he commenced a PhD in bovine reproduction at the University of Queensland, and he was subsequently employed by the Queensland Government as a researcher in dairy science, before taking academic positions at the University of Glasgow and then again University of Queensland. He returned to Glasgow in 2009, as Professor of Animal Health and Production. Professor Jonsson is past Chair and now member of the UK Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs, and his teaching, consultancy and research interests are in animal management, with emphasis on systems for efficient cattle production. The main strands of his research are ruminant gut function and pathology, the use of sensor technologies to optimize ruminant health and production, the genetics of adaptation in cattle, and sustainable strategies for parasite management.

Nicola Noble_{Project Manager}

Nicola Noble is Project Manager at National Sheep Association (NSA) as well as a UK sheep farmer. She has worked within the livestock sector for over 10 years and has a background in R&D.

Her main role at NSA is managing and delivering all internal and external projects as well as Editor for the associations magazine Sheep Farmer. She is also responsible for providing technical input for NSA’s contributions to consultations, stakeholder workshops and other reports.

With her own flock of around 100 ewes, Nicola enjoys combining her research passions with personal interests, while enjoying the great outdoors with her two mini-farmers in training.

Nigel Miller_Farmer

Nigel Miller graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (R(D)SVS). After qualifying as a vet, he worked in mixed, mainly farm practice in the Northern Highlands. He later returned to the family upland farm in the Scottish Borders when his father retired.

At this time Nigel became involved with the local National Farmers Union (NFU) pioneering work on cattle EID with Borders TAG and leading environmental management efforts with the Borders Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group.

During the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, Nigel served as a Temporary Veterinary Inspector for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at the Dumfries Disease Control Centre. Nigel actively helped the sector recover by increasing his involvement with NFU Scotland. Nigel contributed to the recovery and review processes, developing future contingency plans, and representing the Lothian and Borders region at the national level. Over the years, he held several key NFUS roles: Livestock Committee Chair, Vice President, and President, overseeing the last Common Agricultural Policy reform and Scotland’s Independence Referendum. After leaving NFU Scotland, Nigel joined the MRI Board.

Over the last decade, he has taken on additional roles across various organisations, including the SRUC and SAC Commercial Boards, Livestock Health Scotland, the 1.5 Climate Change Inquiry, and the Four Nations group on Ruminant Health and Welfare.

Paul Williams_Lecturer

Paul N. Williams is a Lecturer in Soil & Environmental Biogeochemistry. Paul obtained his Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Aberdeen in 2007. Previous to working at Queen’s he has held Research Fellowships with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lancaster University and a Lectureship with the University of Nottingham.

Paul, an analytical and environmental chemist, has research interests orientated around the role of soils and rhizospheres in global food security. Specific interests and projects focus on the influence of soil dynamic processes and chemical speciation on trace element (both toxic and essential) uptake by plants, visualising rhizosphere micro-heterogeneity through high resolution measurements using DGT and DET techniques, and bettering in situ monitoring of the environment.

Techniques and methods that Paul uses include multi-element chromatography (IC-ICP-MS), laser-based analytical measurement (LA-ICP-MS), passive sampling (DGT, DET), optical sensors (colour ratiometric planar optodes), in-situ UV/vis spectrometry and XRF analysis.

Philip Skuce_{Principal Scientist in Parasitology}

Philip has worked at Moredun for over 25 years on various aspects of sustainable control of helminth parasites (worms & fluke) in livestock. His research interests are in parasite diagnostics, detection in the environment, vaccination studies and the detection and management of anthelmintic resistance.

Philip also has interests in conservation grazing, the impact of climate change on helminth parasite epidemiology and the impact of endemic disease on the carbon footprint of livestock production. He sits on the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) Steering Group, with specific responsibility for liver fluke and anthelmintics and the environment working groups.

Ramon Muns_{Principal Research Officer}

Ramon Muns is currently a Principal Research Officer and the Head of the Monogastric Research Unit, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), and a Honorary Lecturer with Queen’s University Belfast. He has nine years of expertise in pig production research, involving management and nutritional strategies to improve health and welfare, and minimize the environmental impact of pig systems. He has published 35 peer-reviewed papers and over 45 scientific abstracts from national and international conference proceedings. He co-supervised one Ph.D. student. He and his team conduct their work in collaboration with a wide range of research institutions at national and international levels as well as with industry partners. His research interests include management and nutritional strategies to support animal health and resilience, especially in pigs born with smaller weights in large litters

Ridhdhi Rathore _{Research Officer}

Dr Ridhdhi Rathore is a Research Support Officer at Teagasc – Agriculture and Food Development Authority. With her background in Agricultural research and extensive administrative skills, she is supporting Teagasc researchers applying for Irish and EU research grants. Dr. Rathore is particularly passionate about helping early career researchers effectively present their work and secure competitive funding. Her expertise lies in translating complex ideas into clear, engaging and impactful narratives, and she is actively involved in guiding researchers through the grant writing process. At the BSAS Early Career Symposium, she will share practical strategies to enhance writing skills, secure funding success, and captivate diverse audiences.

Rob Howe_{Veterinary Surgeon}

Experienced Veterinary Surgeon with a demonstrated history working in multi-disciplinary veterinary practice as well as farm and conservation veterinary sector. Experienced Director, taking a business from start-up, to a significant commercial force in the industry. Skilled in Veterinary Medicine, Human Resources, Practice Management, Wildlife, Anesthesia, and Livestock Farms. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a BVSc (Hons) MRCVS Veterinary Science degree from the University of Bristol.

Sarah Klopatek_{Chief Livestock Scientist}

Dr. Sarah Klopatek currently serves as the chief livestock scientist with dual appointments on the North American and global sustainability teams at JBS. Specifically, Sarah works on livestock sustainability research, regenerative agriculture initiatives, life cycle assessment development, net zero initiatives, and animal welfare. Species expertise includes beef, pork and poultry.

Prior to working at JBS, Sarah was a postdoctoral research fellow at University of California, Davis, working in beef cattle system dynamics and livestock sustainability. During this time Sarah determined beef cattle’s water intensity in the United States decreased by 38 percent over a 28-year period.

During her graduate career Sarah completed numerous beef cattle research projects including a sustainability assessment of four grass-fed and grain-fed beef systems, multiple beef cattle life cycle assessments, a national beef sustainability and BQA survey, and multiple meat science projects. In addition, Sarah was heavily involved in teaching and extension.

As an associate instructor she developed and implemented an upper division beef systems course at UC Davis and was the advisor to the Young Cattlemen’s Association. Over the course of Sarah’s graduate and postdoctoral career Sarah earned numerous awards and fellowships including the National Cattlemen’s Foundation WD Farr Scholarship, the Council of Agriculture and Science Technology Fellowship, the James Beard Fellowship, and the American Society of Animal Scientists Young Scholar Award.

Sarah White-Springer_{Chair in Equine Science; Associate Professor, Equine Physiology}

Sarah H. White is a the Link Endowed Chair in equine science and an associate professor of equine physiology in the equine section of the Department of Animal Science. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida (UF), specializing in Equine Industry. She stayed at UF for her Master’s and Doctoral degrees, focusing on Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. Upon completion of her PhD, Dr. White completed 2 years of post-doctoral training in muscle physiology in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky (UK). During her time at UK, Dr. White had 2 primary research interests: 1) investigating the role of skeletal muscle satellite cells during hypertrophy in growing and mature mice, and 2) characterizing the lower limb skeletal muscle in patients with peripheral artery disease with the aim of developing non-invasive interventions to improve quality of life.

Dr. White’s main passion is discovering means by which to improve performance and reduce injury in equine athletes. Her primary focus is mitochondrial adaptations to diet and exercise, and skeletal muscle bioenergetics. Dr. White teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Equine Exercise Physiology and Equine Nutrition. She also advises Animal Science MS and PhD graduate students.

During her undergraduate and graduate careers, Dr. White was awarded top honors in the Undergraduate, Graduate Nutrition, and Graduate Exercise Physiology sections of oral presentation competitions at the bi-annual Equine Science Society meetings. In addition to her academic pursuits, Dr. White is an avid equestrienne, competing in upper level dressage with her own mare. The pair has received two National Top Ten awards and over 50 Regional Championships, Reserve Championships, and Top Five awards.

Scott Graham_{Head of Agriculture}

Scott Graham is an educational leader in Secondary Agriculture with over 15 years of teaching experience, and is now Head of the Agriculture at Barker College in Sydney. During his tenure at Barker, enrolments in Agriculture from Years 9-12 have risen from ~100 students to ~400 students annually. Barker College, located on the north shore of Sydney, now boasts the largest Year 12 Agriculture cohort of any school in Australia, regularly graduating 80-100 students each year—about 6% of the total for the state of New South Wales.

For the past five years, Scott has also been pursuing a part-time PhD in Agricultural Education through Charles Sturt University. His research focuses on improving metropolitan secondary agricultural education to significantly increase enrolments and engagement in the subject, ultimately encouraging more students to pursue related university courses and careers in the sector.

Sean Fair_{Head of the Department of Biological Sciences}

Professor Fair graduated with a PhD from University College Dublin in 2006. He took up a position as Lecturer in Physiology in National University of Ireland, Galway in 2007 and in 2009 joined the academic staff in the University of Limerick where he is now Associate Professor in Animal Physiology. His research is focused on sperm interaction with the female reproductive tract, and its secretions, using both human and animal models.

Sean is interested in all aspects of assisted reproduction in domestic animals; however, his research group is principally focused on sperm interaction with the female reproductive tract and its secretions (bovine, equine, ovine and human) using a range of in vitro and in vivo research techniques. He has ongoing projects investigating (i) the variation between males in sperm functional parameters as well as in the uterine immunological response (ii) the nutritional control of puberty (iii) sperm selection using micro-fluidics as well as (iv) ewe breed differences in cervical function and its relationship to sperm transport. His research is primarily funded by the Science Foundation Ireland (Investigators Programme), EU (ERA-Net), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Research Stimulus Fund), Irish Research Council (PhD stipends), Enterprise Ireland (Commercialisation Fund), Teagasc (Walsh Fellowships) as well as industry support.

Sharon Huws_{Professor, School of Biological Sciences}

Prof Sharon Huws is a Professor in Animal Science and Microbiology within the School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security. Prof Huws in responsible for the delivery of World-leading research and impact within the school. On a personal level, her research focuses on enhancing sustainable livestock production within the remit of ensuring planetary and human health. She has won over £10M in funding in the past 5 years, published over 150 publications and led many global initiatives (e.g she coordinated the global 'Rumen Microbial Genomics' network which underpinned the mission of the Global Research Alliance for Methane Mitigation from 2013-2023; currently she is leading a global project with 16 partners across the World (RUMEN Gateway project) to build a major biobank of ruminant gastrointestinal tract microbes) Prof Huws is a Senior editor for the journal Microbiome and Editor-in-chief for the sister journal Animal Microbiome. She also sits on the Scottish Government's Academic Advisory Panel, which underpins the work of the Agricultural Reform Implementation Oversight Board.

Sophie Parker-Norman_{Feed Industry Consultant}

Sophie has a wealth of experience in the global feed sector and a solid background in technical marketing development.

Effortlessly bridging the gap between practical farming and science, she is a fantastic communicator for everyone - from farmer producers to feed industry professionals.

Tommy Boland_{Professor School of Agriculture and Food Science}

I graduated from UCD in 2001 with a first class honours degree in Animal Science and later with a PhD in 2005 focussed on maternal mineral nutrition and subsequent impacts on neonatal health and performance. Following a short period involved in the organization of the International Grassland Congress hosted in Dublin in 2005 I joined the lecturing staff in UCD where I currently specialise in ruminant nutrition and sheep husbandry.
My main areas of research are;
-Reduction of enteric methane emissions by ruminants
-Reduction if nitrogen losses in ruminant production systems
-Pregnancy nutrition and subsequent impacts on maternal and neonatal health and performance
-Early lactation nutrition
-Multispecies swards for improved animal performance and reduced environmental impact
-Identification of more efficient livestock (Feed conversion efficiency/Methane emissions/Nitrogen excretion)
-Maximising the contribution of forage to the ruminant diet