Professor Tessa Smith
Professor
Biography
Tessa Smith (TS) is a Professor of Behavioural Endocrinology at the University of Chester, teaching and conducting research in the field of Animal Behaviour, Conservation Physiology and Welfare of both captive and wild animals across the taxa including amphibians, fish, birds and mammals.
Teaching and Supervision
Tessa uses innovative pedagogical approaches for teaching undergraduate and post graduate students in the fields of Animal Behaviour (AB), AB and Welfare, Conservation physiology and Wildlife Conservation. Tessa's teaching focusses heavily on critical analysis and relies on primary research literature as a basis.
Research and Knowledge Exchange
Tessa develops novel, non-invasive methods to extract and quantify levels of glucocorticoids and reproductive steroid hormones excreted by animals in diverse environments, including the wild, zoological institutions, agricultural systems, laboratories, private homes and semi-free ranging environments. The physiological tools developed by Tessa are often applied in parallel with novel, behavioural measures (and additional physiological methods) to test both theoretical and applied research hypotheses pertaining to behavioural ecology, animal welfare and conservation physiology. Media examined for hormone metabolites in her research include urine, faeces, saliva, hair and housing water (in the case of aquatic species). Tessa has pioneered the physiological monitoring systems in published, collaborative research for approximately 42 species across the taxa including various amphibians, fish, birds and mammals. Tessa has published over 45 peer reviewed journal articles in this field. Her research has subsequently guided management practices for the maintenance of captive animals and provided empirical data to guide field programs (e.g. managing TB in wild badger populations) and farming practices (e.g., aquaculture). Before joining UoC, TS spent nine years working in the private, public and charity sectors in the Americas. Tessa has been awarded competitive funding for behavioural endocrine research as PI and Co-PI from a variety of sectors, including from charities (e.g. Royal Society), government bodies (e.g. Department of Education, Northern Ireland), private businesses (e.g. Disney USA), academic organizations (e.g. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, UK) and UK research councils (e.g. National Centre for the three Rs and Leverhulme Trust) illustrating the wide range of stakeholders to whom her research has relevance.