I have over 25 years teaching experience both within SRUC and for other institutions.

I am Co-Director of the MSc International Animal Welfare. I teach on and lead a number of SRUC BSc and MSc modules and am involved in vet and vet nurse teaching.

My main teaching topics involve animal behaviour and welfare for production and companion animals. This includes normal and abnormal behaviours, how to assess behaviour and welfare, learning theory and its application to behaviour modification and methods to improve behaviour and welfare in captive animals.

I am currently lead supervisor for one PhD student and on the supervisory committee of another. Previously, I have been involved with supervision of 3 other PhD students.

I have supervised over 60 MSc and BSc students from multiple programmes, such as:

BSc Applied Animal Science

BSc Animal Welfare Science

MSc Applied Poultry Science

MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare

MSc International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law

MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour

Some examples of student projects include:

- Exploring the link between human personality and interaction styles with cats (Felis catus) in shelter settings

- The behaviour and welfare of four commercial slow-growing broiler breeds housed indoors

- Developing a composite welfare assessment tool
for bears (Ursidae) in zoos

- Rescue me: qualification of the characteristics, personality, behaviour and health issues of rehomed retired racing greyhounds in Scotland

- The effect of feed restriction on sleep/ resting behaviour in broiler breeders

- Exploring the impact of active enrichment on the dog-owner bond

- Comparing novel and commercial broiler breeds to determine if novel breeds increase productivity whilst maintaining high welfare

- The Role of Enrichment in Improving Laying Hen and Pullet Welfare