Research interests & areas of expertise
I am an experienced ethologist and specialist in exotic animal behaviour and welfare studies and have undertaken consultancy for zoological collections.
My areas of expertise and interest focus on:
- Understanding the effect of zoos (or other managed environments) on animal behaviour and welfare
- Assessing animal welfare and identifying mitigation efforts to ensure positive welfare in zoo-housed or other managed exotic animals
- Using citizen science within zoos
- Applied animal conservation
More information on current research can be found on .
I can be contacted by email at: ewilliams@harper-adams.ac.uk
Current PhD students
- Alice King - Individuality in animals: applying personality profiles to evidence-based management of small mammals in education. Director of Studies.
- Daniel Wright - Utilising naïve observers in animal behaviour and welfare research: methodological developments and impacts on conservation education outcomes. Director of Studies.
- Jennifer Sadler - An evidence-based approach to development of welfare-friendly practice guidelines for animals in education. Director of Studies.
- Katherine Hart - An investigation into the impact of canine obesity on health and welfare and the efficacy of one-to-one and group weight management programmes. Second supervisor.
- Lee Johnson - Beyond vertebrates: developing validated welfare standards and ethical guidelines for invertebrate management in captivity, farming and research. Second supervisor.
- Manny Salmeron - Production and Implementation of Organic Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid in Ruminants. Second supervisor.
- Raman Ghimire - Improving elephant and wildlife welfare assessments. Second supervisor.
- Sophie Rabone - Bird reintroduction: animal behaviour and stakeholder perceptions. Director of Studies.
- Thomas Welsh - Are there benefits from human-animal interactions? Implications for human health, well-being and animal welfare. Third supervisor.
Other research projects
- African Mesocarnivore behaviour and human-animal coexistence
- Elephant welfare in zoos
- Development of positive welfare indicators for zoo housed callitrichids
Boards and advisory roles
- Member of the Royal Society of Biology
- Co-opt member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums Research Committee
- Official Advisor for the European Association of Zoos and Aqauria Animal Welfare Working Group
- EAZA Animal Welfare Instructor
- UK representative for the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE)
Teaching
Module leader
- Animals in Zoos (UG Level 5)
- Zoo Animal Health and Conservation (UG Level 5)
Other taught modules
- International Perspectives on the Management of Animal Populations (UG Level 6)
- Animal Husbandry and Management (UG Level 4)
- Introduction to Animal Welfare and Ethics (UG Level 4)
- Welfare, Ethics, Law and Policy (UG Level 4)
- Behaviour and Welfare Science (UG Level 5)
- Applied Behaviour for the Clinical Animal Behaviourist (UG Level 5)
Professional Memberships
- Member of the Royal Society of Biology
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- International Society of Applied Ethology (ISAE)
- Member of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB)
- Member of the BBSRC Animal Welfare Research Network (AWRN)
- Member of the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW)
- Member of UK Animal Care Technicians