Bioveterinary Science BSc student Ellen attended a national research conference

Final year Bioveterinary Science BSc student Ellen Harrison tells us about her recent experience at a national research conference.

INSPIRE Veterinary Student National Research Conference

I recently attended the first INSPIRE Veterinary Student National Research Conference at Harper and Keele University, where students and researchers from across England got together to share recent veterinary research. This was an amazing opportunity to hear about the pioneering advancements in animal science research, and this conference did exactly what it said it would and inspired me to think about my own post-graduate research goals.

As I entered the veterinary building, I was taken aback by the large number of scientific posters showcasing research, such as perceptions of canine obesity in the UK, comparing metrics used to measure prevalence of Johne’s disease in cattle, and evaluating the effectiveness of current orthopaedic discharge procedures in small animal practices.

Interesting Speakers

Throughout the day there were various speakers from different universities; there were presentations from research professionals on the Elephant Welfare Project and working with wildlife from Dr Lisa Yon, advancements in veterinary dermatology from Dr Steve Shaw, biomechanics of three-legged dogs from Dr Zoe Davies and then there were lots of student presentations with topics ranging from the health implications of raw feeding in domestic cats, progressive methods of using infrared cameras to reduce lameness in sheep, and investigating electrolyte imbalance in human and canine cardiac patients.

Networking Opportunities

Networking was something I was anxious about but after a couple of starting questions the conversation flowed and it was interesting to chat one-on-one with researchers about their specific research interests but also mine including what I would like to study in the future and my dissertation project. I was especially motivated that they were so interested in student projects. Although I was anxious to begin with, I think that networking was my favourite part of the conference as it was so laid-back and allowed me to discover details about specific niche interests.

Careers in Research Information

Towards the end the day there was a presentation on pathways into a research career followed by a careers Q&A panel. Hearing all the different careers you can go into with a veterinary-related degree was an eye-opening experience. Topics covered included getting into a research career, the differences between master’s programmes and PhDs, going into clinical practice, and much more. Personally, it really helped calm my nerves around my own post-graduate plans, and has broadened my horizons about all the different routes I could take.

Ellen’s Overall Experience

As a Bioveterinary science student I was worried the conference was going to be very focused on veterinary medicine, but I could not have been more wrong; the atmosphere was so welcoming, and everyone was just there to enjoy themselves and learn about new research in the field. The organisers made sure to include any relevant Bioveterinary Science links, especially in the careers section, which I thought was thoughtful, as sometimes it can be difficult knowing where to start and what you can do with your degree. Additionally, much of the research was relevant even if you weren’t doing a veterinary focused degree. I went along with one of my friends who studies Marine Biology at Chester, and she said that even though most of the talks were veterinary focused they were still interesting and there was some relevant research too, e.g., there was a talk on abandoned mines leaking lead and other heavy metals into the surrounding area and the affect this was having.

To conclude, I’m so glad I attended, and I plan to go to other similar events in the future. I left this conference feeling more confident, more motivated, and fascinated about my degree and a future in veterinary science research. I cannot recommend attending the INSPIRE conference enough to any Bioveterinary Science students and really hope that more students in the future discover this incredible resource of knowledge and opportunity.

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