Atlantic Veterinary College Welcomes New Chair in Animal Welfare and Assistant Dean
The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island has recently welcomed two new members to its leadership team. Dr. Michael Cockram has been appointed to the position of Chair in Animal Welfare and Ms. Joan Masterson has assumed the role of Assistant Dean, Administration and Finance.
“AVC is very pleased to have recruited Dr. Cockram and Ms. Masterson. Both individuals possess an impressive background in their respective areas of expertise and have much to contribute to the growth of AVC and its various education, research, and service programs,” says Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean of AVC.
Dr. Michael Cockram (BVetMed, PhD, MRCVS) comes to AVC from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, where he was a faculty member since 1985 and most recently a Senior Lecturer in Animal Welfare. Over that time, he developed an active animal welfare research program of international repute.
Dr. Cockram has an extensive record of successful grant applications and collaborative research, as well as publications in animal welfare research. His main area of research has been in the field of farm- and food-animal welfare and, in particular, the welfare implications of transportation and pre-slaughter handling. He has used a variety of techniques to assess animal welfare and hopes to apply them to the study of welfare issues in non-farmed animals (including companion animals, horses, and wildlife). In his role as Chair in Animal Welfare, Dr. Cockram will support AVC and its Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre in furthering animal welfare through research, service, and education.
Prior to joining AVC, Ms. Joan Masterson (BBA, CGA) was employed by Acadia University where she held the positions of Manager, Financial Services, Comptroller, and, most recently, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, over the past eight years. As AVC’s Assistant Dean of Administration and Finance, Ms. Masterson will play a key role in the leadership of the College and the attainment of AVC’s goals. She assumes responsibility for AVC’s $30-million annual budget, the College’s infrastructure program, spearheading interprovincial funding agreements, and overall financial management of the College. Ms. Masterson is a graduate of UPEI’s School of Business.
Funded by the four Atlantic provinces, the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI is committed to excellence and innovation in education, research, and professional services. Since opening in 1984, the College has graduated approximately 1,000 doctors of veterinary medicine, has become known around the world for its research capabilities, and is the Atlantic region’s only full service veterinary referral hospital.
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