Joanna Makowska
Adjunct Professor;
Director & Senior Scientist, Animals in Laboratories Program at the Animal Welfare Institute
About
Joanna’s concern for animals and the environment has always been an inherent part of who she is. At age 14 she decided she wanted to become a zoologist, and with that goal in mind, she completed a B.Sc. (2006) in Biology and Psychology at McGill University in Montreal, the city where she grew up. Joanna first learned of Animal Welfare Science as a discipline near the end of her undergraduate degree, and knew instantly that this was what she was meant to do. Soon after graduation, she moved to Vancouver to pursue her M.Sc. (2008) in laboratory animal welfare at the UBC Animal Welfare Program. Her early research focused on humane methods of euthanasia for laboratory rodents; euthanasia is the most common laboratory procedure, and yet the most frequently used method of euthanasia is aversive to these animals. During this time, Joanna developed an interest in more general issues affecting the welfare of rodents used in research. For her PhD (2016) at UBC, she studied the life experiences of rats housed in standard laboratory conditions compared to rats living in semi-naturalistic environments that allowed the performance of natural behaviours such as burrowing, climbing and upright standing.
Joanna is currently Director and Senior Scientist of the Animals in Laboratories Program at the Animal Welfare Institute, an animal advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. She is also an Adjunct Professor at UBC, which allows her to continue to conduct research and mentor students at the University. Joanna is interested in deepening our understanding of what constitutes a good life for animals and the ways in which this can be achieved.
Joanna’s work on laboratory rat welfare was recognized by the 2016 NC3Rs International 3Rs prize. She gives frequent presentations in Canada and abroad, and volunteers her time as Board or committee member with various animal organizations in Canada and the US.
Education
B.Sc. (McGill)
M.Sc., Ph.D. (UBC)