Curriculum vitae 2015
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Anna Valros
Curriculum vitae, Anna Valros
Name: Valros, Anna Elisabet
Phone: +358-9-19157400, +358-504151242
Date of birth: 14.12 1973
E-mail: anna.valros@helsinki.fi
Education & qualification:
24.4 1998 MSc, Zoology, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Science, Major subject: Morfologicalecological zoology, Minor subjects: General biology, Animal physiology, Animal science,
23.4 2003 PhD, Animal behaviour and welfare, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine. Topic of PhD-thesis: Behaviour and physiology of lactating sows – associations with
piglet performance and sow postweaning reproductive success
29.6 2007
Adjunct professor (docent), Animal Welfare Research, University of Helsinki
Work experience:
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1998-2004 PhD-student & project researcher, University of Helsinki, Department for Clinical
Veterinary Sciences
2002-2004 Part-time congress secretary, International Congress of the ISAE 2004, University
of Helsinki
2004-2005 Professor (acting) of Animal Welfare Research (Eläinten hyvinvointitutkimuksen
professori), University of Helsinki, Ruralia institute & Department of Clinical Veterinary
Sciences
(2006
Maternal leave)
1.1 2007 Appointed Professor of Animal Welfare Research (Eläinten hyvinvointitutkimuksen
professori), University of Helsinki, Ruralia institute & Department of Production Animal
Medicine
1.8 2007- 31.12 2007 Professor (acting) of Animal Welfare (Professor i husdjursvälfärd),
University of Helsinki, Department of Production Animal Medicine
(2008 Maternal leave)
1.11. 2008 – present Appointed Professor of Animal Welfare (Professor i husdjursvälfärd),
University of Helsinki, Department of Production Animal Medicine
MAJOR AREAS OF RESEARCH
My main research area is behaviour and welfare of pigs, with special focus on enrichment and tail
biting, maternal behaviour in sows, farrowing environment, and the use of nest building material.
In addition, I have worked with poultry (laying hens, broilers and turkeys) welfare, producer
attitudes and with on-farm welfare assessment in pigs and poultry. I also do research on welfare
of horses, dogs and cats on a smaller scale.
I have been, or am, the project leader for 10 major research projects conducted on national
funding, with budgets ranging from 100 000 € - 320 000 €. The themes of these projects have
included enrichment, nest-building materials and welfare assessment for pigs, welfare of organic
layers, producer attitudes towards animal welfare, turkey welfare and transportation, and tail
biting in pigs. I was the coordinator for a 4-year Nordic NKJ (Nordiskt kontaktorgan för
jorbruksforskning) project on tail biting in pigs “Tail biting and tail docking in the pig: biological
mechanisms, prevention, treatment and economic aspects” (2008-2012), including partners from
four Nordic countries as well as experts from UK and the Netherlands. Currently I coordinate
another tail biting related international project, ie. the ANIHWA ERAnet funded European project
“FareWellDock Ending tail docking and tail biting in the EU - Hazard characterization and exposure
assessment of a major pig welfare problem”, with partners from seven European countries and a
Curriculum vitae 2015
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Anna Valros
collaborater from USA. In addition, I have been responsible leader for several project work
packages and smaller projects
Publications
I have authored or co-authored 64 peer-reviewed articles published or accepted in international
refereed journals, 5 in Finnish refereed journals and 4 peer-reviewed international book chapters or
equivalent. In addition, to date, 5 additional manuscripts have been submitted to international
journals for peer-review. I have also authored or co-authored about 90 congress abstracts and
papers and 58 popular articles, and edited one popular book in Finnish.
EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
Supervisor of 5 completed PhD theses and currently supervising 8 PhD-students. Supervisor of
over 30 completed MSc-level theses. Responsible for teaching of animal welfare, behaviour and
management as well as for animal ethics and legislation within the Veterinary education at the
University of Helsinki