I am always interested in hearing from potential PhD or Postdoc candidates. Please email an outline (max. 300 words) of your research interests and a short CV (2-3 pages). 

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Main research areas

• Animal Behaviour and Cognition

• Animal Welfare

• Behavioural Ecology

• Vocal Communication

• Public Attitudes to Animals & Animal Welfare 

 

Our research focuses on understanding how evolution, ecology and domestication affect cognition, social behaviour, vocal communication and welfare. The current main model species for our research are feral water buffalo, feral cattle, goats and chickens. We also study public attitudes to animals and their welfare.

 

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Main Current Projects

Role of (Feral) Water Buffalo in Lantau (Hong Kong)
Biodiversity Conservation

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Hong Kong Feral Cattle Research

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Current ECRs

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Dr. Debottam Bhattacherjee (City University of Hong Kong, 2023 - present)

The role of water buffalo in Lantau biodiversity conservation: behavioural ecology.

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Jia LIU (City University of Hong Kong, 2024 - present, co-supervised by Dr. Kate Flay & Prof. Jessica McArt)

Feral water buffalo behaviour and welfare

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George Hodgson (City University of Hong Kong, 2021 - present, co-supervised by Dr. Kate Flay)

Feral cattle behaviour, ecology and welfare

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Tania Perroux (City University of Hong Kong, 2021 - present, Main supervisor, Dr. Kate Flay)

Feral cattle behaviour, health and welfare

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Nicolas Brualla (City University of Hong Kong, 2020 - present, Main supervisors, Dr. Dai Koyabu, Dr. Laura Wilson, Dr. Michael Doube)

Evolution of the Bat Larynx

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Former Postdocs

 

Dr. Danhe YANG (City University of Hong Kong, 2023-2024)

The role of water buffalo in Lantau biodiversity conservation: social science.

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Dr. Michael Mcloughlin (Queen Mary University of London; 2017-2019)
LIVEQuest: A self-contained wearable Internet-of-Things System for Precision Livestock Agriculture (Funded by Innovate UK/BBSRC),
with Dr. Becky Stewart, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.

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Dr. Katherine Herborn (Newcastle University, UK; 2015-2018)

Poultry Livestock Sensory System (PouLSS), (Funded by Innovate UK/BBSRC). Principal Investigator: Dr. Lucy Asher, Newcastle University.

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Dr. Christian Nawroth (2015-2017)

Impact of Animal Socio-cognitive Skills on Human-animal
Interactions: Goats and Human Handlers

Dr. Elodie Briefer
Vocal communication, cognition and welfare in goats (Capra hircus)
See - Goat kids can develop accents

Dr. Ben Pitcher
Vocal mediation of intrasexual competition in fallow deer (Dama dama)

Former PhDs

 

Dr. Saad Bukhari (City University of Hong Kong, 2020-2024, Main supervisor, Dr. Becky Parkes)

Welfare concerns, recognition, and measures of sentience in working donkeys

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Dr. Marianne Mason (University of Roehampton)

Goat Perception of Human Cues  and Reliability of Thermal Imaging in Welfare Research

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Dr. Caroline Spence (Queen Mary University of London)

Understanding Public Attitudes to Animal Sentience and Welfare

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Dr. Luigi Baciadonna (Queen Mary University of London)

Assessing emotions to improve animal welfare: the use of a multimodal approach

Dr. Elisabetta Vannoni (University of Zurich)
Natural and sexual selection at work: the structure and function of fallow deer (Dama dama) vocalisations

Dr. Monica Padilla de la Torre (University of Nottingham)
Vocal communication and temperament in cattle (Bos taurus)

RESEARCH FUNDING: 

Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour, Innovate UK/BBSRC, Farm Sanctuary, British Deer Society, ESRC, Farm Sanctuary, Fondation Fyssen, German Research Foundation, Lantau Conservation Fund (Hong Kong), Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, Swiss National Science Foundation.
 

There are always potential research projects in my group. See a possible source of postdoc funding below. If interested, feel free to contact me. 

EU Marie Curie Postdoctoral Research Funding