Professor on Zoology, specialised in animal behaviour and welfare. She started her research career on wild fauna and later on she focused on domestic animal species dedicated to industrial production. She was researching in Canada, Sweden and France and in 1997 she joined Maryland University (USA), leaving her position as full professor in 2008 to join Ikerbasque Foundation. She is currently in charge of the behaviour and welfare animal department at Neiker-Tecnalia. She was awarded with the Etología Gonzalo Nardiz Price in 1991 y 1993 and the “Hy-Line International Research Award 2003” and “Poultry Welfare Research 2006” for her contribution in animal welfare and behaviour research. She is scientific advisor on international programmes of animal welfare certification (American Humane Association and Humane Farm Animal Care). In Europe she has collaborated on scientific studies for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the world organization for animal welfare (OIE), in relation to animal welfare.
