Meet the new (and familiar) faces of the AWP of Fall 2023!

Maya Bodnar – Maya is a new MSc student focusing on laboratory mouse welfare who completed a BSc in Applied Animal Biology. After graduation, she continued her research with an NSERC Undergraduate Research Student Award before starting her MSc. Her MSc will focus on evaluating non-aversive handling methods for laboratory mice.

Read about her story here.

Christina Doelling – Christina is a new MSc student with a B.F.A. in Sculpture and a post-baccalaureate in advanced biological studies. Her more recent experience is in researching primate welfare. Now transitioning to dairy cattle welfare, her upcoming projects will look into personality and training in dairy heifers.

Read about her story here.

Sarah Kappel – Sarah first joined the AWP in 2016 while completing her MRes at the University of Bristol, and after her PhD, she has returned to the AWP as a post-doc. Her scientific focus is the development and validation of cognitive, behavioural, and physiological methods for measuring animal emotional states.

Read about her story here.

Christine Kuo – Christine completed her BA in International Relations with a Minor in Applied Animal Biology at UBC and took on several research opportunities in her coursework. After experiencing the AWP’s culture, she was inspired to return for her MSc. Christine’s research will focus on the concept of political legitimacy as applied to the dairy industry. 

Read about her story here.

Meghan Lok – Meghan is also a familiar face to the Program as she completed a BSc in Applied Animal Biology, assisted with some research in the AWP, and held a Work Learn position as the AWP Communications and Media Assistant throughout the 25th anniversary year. In the interim, she has taken on the role of Research Coordinator, overseeing the daily operations of AWP.

Read about her story here.

Georgia Ruyter – Georgia has worked with companion and farm animals her whole life and has begun focusing on animal sheltering since working at the BC SPCA for the last 2 years. In the companion animal research area, she will be studying the welfare and mental health of dogs in breeding facilities at the AWP.

Read about her story here.

Amalia Urloiu – Amalia is also a familiar face to the AWP, after having completed a BSc in Applied Animal Biology which led to her involvement in research-related courses, including an undergraduate thesis, and working as an AWP Program Support Assistant for the past year. Her upcoming project will be a survey on public perspectives on welfare-related attributes of dairy cow housing systems.

Read about her story here.