Prof Robert Young
| Post Nominals | BSc (Hons), PhD |
|---|---|
| Biography | Ever since I was a child I was fascinated by animals and their behaviour. Growing-up in the 1970s I became aware that if I wished to study animals in the wild or zoos that animals first needed to be conserved and their welfare protected. It was, thus, that I studied for a BSc (Hons) in Biology at the University of Nottingham (1986-1989) and then did a PhD in Animal Behaviour/Animal Welfare at the University of Edinburgh (1989-1993). After this I worked for four years, as a researcher, at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (Edinburgh Zoo) before moving full-time into academia. Whilst working at Edinburgh Zoo I learnt about how zoos can make significant contribution to animal conservation whilst at the same time respecting the wellbeing of their animals. From 2001-2013, I worked as Professor of Animal Behaviour and Conservation at a Brazilian university (PUC Minas in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais) where I was able to realise my lifelong ambition of conducting fieldwork on everything from mammals, birds and reptiles to fish. In 2013, I returned to the UK accepting the Chair in Wildlife Conservation at the University of Salford Manchester where I divide my time between field conservation projects mainly in Brazil and zoo-based research (both conservation and animal welfare orientated). In my career to date I have published research on approximately 50 different species of animal (everything from giant anteaters to humans). I am the author of approximately 150 full scientific papers and one textbook about zoo animal welfare. Recently, my research group has become very interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, and we are using a wide range of methodologies and techniques to answer scientific questions including: behavioural observations, biotelemetry, molecular biology, microbiology, colour analysis, machine learning (artificial intelligence), bioacoustics, biogeography, social network analyses, physiological, amongst others. All of this rich experience I bring to the supervision of my postgraduate students and to my teaching/tutoring/supervision of undergraduate students. My greatest pleasure as an academic is sharing my wonder of animals with the students that I supervise and teach. |
| Research Interests | Wildlife Conservation; Animal Welfare; Animal Behaviour; Zoos |
| Teaching and Learning | I teach the following modules to BSc Wildlife undergraduate students: Introduction to Zoo Biology; Conservation in Zoos; Animal Welfare: Science & Practice; Zoos, and Exhibit Design I teach the following module to the MA Wildlife Documentary Production students: Wildlife Biology, Ecology and Behaviour |
| ResearcherID | B-7356-2013 |
| Scopus Author ID | 8305475300 |
| PhD Supervision Availability | Yes |
| PhD Topics | Wildlife Conservation; Impact of Noise on Wildlife; Animal Welfare |