Our graduate and post-doc alumni

CCSAW has trained hundreds of undergraduate, DVM and graduate students, along with many post-docs, and they often go on to careers involving animals.

For example, our welfare science faculty trained 153 students between 2010 and 2020, 80% of whom went on to relevant further education or careers reliant on their training with us (70% of 81 MSc Coursework students, 90% of 72 MSc Thesis/PhD students). Watch this space for updated statistics in 2025!

Many are now making a real difference for animals, in diverse ways from careers with animal rights groups to careers in agriculture (reflecting the range of interests and ethical views welcomed by CCSAW).

As befits CCSAW’s original mission to establish the study of animal welfare as a research discipline, over 20 past CCSAW grad students and post docs successfully climbed the academic ladder, going on to teach their own university courses in animal welfare and/or run their own welfare research labs. As well as our very own Drs. Courtney Graham, Derek Haley, Tina Widowski and Charlotte Winder, these include:

Dr. Jamie Ahloy Dallaire (Université Laval)

Dr. Rathnayaka Amila Bandara (Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka)

Dr. Jennifer Brown (adjunct, University of Saskatchewan; Prairie Swine Centre)

Dr. Dana Campbell (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [CSIRO], Australia)

Dr. Justine Deming (University of Rhode Island, USA)

Dr. Maria Diez Leon (Royal Veterinary College, UK)

Dr. Laura Dixon (Scotland’s Rural College, UK)

Dr. Marisa Erasmus (Purdue University, USA)

Kristina O’Hanley (ABD) (Texas Tech University, USA)

Dr. Hannah Flint (Waltham Petcare Science Institute, UK) 

Dr. Elein Hernandez (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)

Dr. Jackie Jacobs (Michigan State University, USA)

Dr. Linda Keeling (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)

Dr. Meagan King (University of Manitoba)

Dr. Uta König von Borstel (University of Giessen, Germany)

Dr. Andrew Luescher (Purdue University, USA)

Dr. Becky Meagher (Dalhousie University)

Dr Emily Miller-Cushon (University of Florida, USA)

Dr. Suzanne Millman (Iowa State University, USA)

Dr. Carly Moody (UC Davis, USA)

Dr. Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho (Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil)

Dr. Anastasia Stellato (Texas Tech University, USA)

Dr. Marianne Villettaz Robichaud (University of Montreal)

Dr. Abbie Viscardi (Kansas State University, USA).

Beyond academia, even more of our graduate alumni go on to work for commodity groups and similar professional bodies (e.g. Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Equestrian Canada); for companies that process or sell food animal products (e.g. Maple Leaf Foods); for groups that create and oversee animal welfare policies, including humane labelling schemes (e.g. the CCAC, Global Animal Partnerships); or for animal protection and rights groups (e.g. BC SPCA, Mercy for Animals, World Animal Protection). Many others join the veterinary profession and work in private practice.