The UFAW Early Career Animal Welfare Researcher of the Year Award recognises the achievements of early career scientists who have made significant contributions to improving the welfare of animals. The recipient of the UFAW Early Career Researcher of the Year Award 2024 has been named as Dr Vikki Neville.
Dr Neville is the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Discovery Fellow and Proleptic Lecturer at Bristol Veterinary School. She was nominated for the award to recognise her academic excellence, drive and leadership in improving the welfare of laboratory animals.
Dr Neville drives welfare science forward using her groundbreaking skill for developing and applying novel approaches to address important welfare questions. She has diverse research interests, but the bulk of her work focuses on using high quality fundamental science studies that enable us to better understand animal emotion and hence welfare. She has studied a range of companion and laboratory species including starlings, rabbits, and rats.
Beyond her impressive research skills, Dr Neville’s exceptional passion for welfare science is further evidenced in her dedication to mentoring colleagues and students in the use of quantitative approaches to animal welfare issues.
In response to receiving the award, Dr Neville said: "I'm incredibly honoured to receive this year's UFAW Early Career Animal Welfare Researcher of the Year Award. It is a joy and privilege to be an animal welfare researcher, and this award is the cherry on top of the cake. I'm hugely grateful to my wonderful colleagues and mentors, particularly Prof. Mike Mendl, Dr Liz Paul, Prof. Peter Dayan and Prof. Iain Gilchrist, for their support and encouragement."
Dr Huw Golledge concluded: “We are delighted to be able to recognise the significant impact that Dr Neville has made to the field of animal welfare science so early on in her career. She has already established herself as an accomplished animal welfare scientist whose work has continued positive impact on animal welfare. Her impressive array of skills and passion for welfare science, combined with her dedication to supporting her peers make her a truly worthy recipient of the ECR award.
