Presidents Session

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The BSAS Undergraduate Thesis of the Year Award 2024 competition is open to universities and colleges that have students participating in animal science related courses.

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At the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS), we believe in the power of collaboration and shared knowledge to drive advancements in animal science. Our Corporate Membership programme is designed to foster partnerships between industry leaders, researchers, and professionals dedicated to the advancement and sustainable development of the animal science sector.

Corporate membership of BSAS opens a wide range of opportunities and resources that are designed to enhance your knowledge and skills in the field of animal science.

As a BSAS Corporate member you receive a wealth of benefits that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of professionals within the animal science industry. These include:

discounted rates to attend BSAS 2024 – Member discount is worth £150 / delegate, which more than covers the annual membership fee
discounted publication fee for animal – the international journal of animal biosciences – discount value 250 Euros per publication. Again, this is a saving of more than double the membership fee
complimentary membership of EAAP - allowing access to discounted conference fees and participation in commissions to represent UK animal science (FOC EAAP membership is only open to those residing in EAAP member countries)
free application to the BSAS Register – saving £150 / application
opportunity to make a difference by getting involved in BSAS committees and activities – supporting industry and academic engagement

Corporate members are truly valued by BSAS, your support allows BSAS to:

lead the communication of scientific evidence-based research on sustainable livestock systems to deliver real impact and improvement in the sector, inform fact-based policy and champion scientific debate
collaborate with the wider science, veterinary and agricultural sectors to deliver activities that support holistic and sustainable livestock systems, animal health and welfare, as well as the care of equine, companion and zoo animals.
support our members’ development so they can deliver positive impact throughout their careers

In addition, our corporate members are offered first choice when sponsorship opportunities become available, giving you the opportunity to align your brand with quality conferences and events.

Our corporate members can promote, free of charge, job opportunities on the BSAS website and social media platforms or, if preferred, in the members-only area.

Corporate members are listed on the BSAS website.

We urge you to become a catalyst for change and help BSAS shape the future of animal science, ensuring it is relevant to the needs of the sector by driving future research projects and BSAS activities. Corporate membership offers opportunities for industry and academia involvement and to drive industry-led initiatives and sessions at the BSAS annual conference and events. Corporate Membership membership fee discount is 10% for 5 - 10 members | 15% for 10 and above.

Become a Corporate Member to day contact maggie.mitchell@bsas.org.uk

Introduction

The British Society of Animal Science is the professional body for those with an interest in furthering, undertaking and applying animal science.

The Society requires to acquire, control and process information about Data Subjects.

To comply with the law, information (specifically personal data) must be collected and used lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

1. Data Protection Obligations

1.1 The Society must comply with the Data Protection Principles which are set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1.2 The Data Protection Principles are essentially:

1.2.1 First Principle Personal data shall be processed fairly, lawfully and in a transparent manner (‘lawfulness, fairness and transparency’).

1.2.2 Second Principle Personal data shall be obtained only for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes, and must not be further processed in any manner incompatible with those purposes (‘purpose limitation’).

1.2.3 Third Principle Personal data must be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which that data is to be processed (‘data minimisation’). Personal Data should only be collected to the extent that it is required for the specific purpose notified to the Data Subject. Any data which is not necessary for that purpose should not be collected in the first place.

1.2.4 Fourth Principle Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date (‘accuracy’).

1.2.5 Fifth Principle Personal data must be kept in a form that permits identification of Data Subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the Personal Data are processed (‘storage limitation’).

1.2.6 Sixth Principle Personal data must be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures (‘integrity and confidentiality’).

1.2.7 Seventh Principle The Data Controller shall be responsible for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with all the above principles (‘accountability’).

1.3 The Society and all staff or others who process or use Personal Data (referred to as Data Users) must ensure that they follow these Data Protection Principles. In order to ensure that this happens, the Society has approved this Policy.

1.4 Personal data only includes information relating to natural persons who:

can be identified or who are identifiable, directly from the information in question; or
who can be indirectly identified from that information in combination with other information.

1.5 Personal data may also include special categories of personal data or criminal conviction and offences data. These are considered to be more sensitive and may only be processed in more limited circumstances.

2. The Data Controller

2.1 The Society is to be regarded as the Data Controller.

3. Responsibilities of Data Users

3.1 All Data Users are responsible for:

3.1.1 Complying with the Data Protection Principles

3.1.2 Informing the Society of any changes to information that they have provided, e.g. changes of address, either at the time of appointment or subsequently.

3.2 If and when, as part of their responsibilities, Data Users collect Personal Data, they must comply with the Data User Guidelines set out in Section 2 of this Chapter 1.

4. Rights to Access Information

4.1 Our privacy policy on the Society's website outlines these rights for data subjects. All Data Subjects, are entitled to know:

4.1.1 What information the Society holds and processes about them and the purposes of the processing

4.1.2 The categories of Personal Data concerned

4.1.3 The recipients or categories of recipient to whom the personal data has been or will be disclosed, in particular recipients in third countries (i.e. those outside of the EEA) or international organisations

4.1.4 How long it is envisaged their Personal Data will be stored for by the Society (either the relevant period, or the means by which that period is determined)

4.1.5 That they have the right to complain to the ICO

4.1.6 In the event that the Personal Data is not collected directly from the Data Subject, any available information as to its source

4.1.7 The existence of any automated decision-making including profiling and details about the logic and any consequences involved in such automated processing

4.1.8 How to gain access to their Personal Data

4.1.9 How to keep their Personal Data up to date and the existence of the right to rectification or erasure of Personal Data.

5. Subject Access Requests

5.1 All Data Users have a right under the GDPR to access certain Personal Data being kept about them either on computer or in certain paper files. Any person who wishes to exercise this right should make a Subject Access Request outlining the information they require, together with satisfactory identity documentation, to the Society either by email (bsas@bsas.org.uk) or by post to the British Society of Animal Science, PO Box 3, PENICUIK EH26 0RZ. They may make an initial enquiry by phone but will be advised to make their SAR in writing, for record purposes.

5.2 The Society will respond to a first Subject Access Request free of charge, but may charge a fee in respect of further requests for the same information, although the Society has discretion to waive this.

5.3 The Society will respond to Subject Access Requests as quickly as is practicable, but will ensure that the information is provided within a month (or such other timeline as legislation may require) of being satisfied as to the identity and authenticity of the request.

5.4 Given that strict statutory timeline, data users are required to immediately intimate any Subject Access Request to the DPO even if it does not use that exact phrase if it can be inferred that the Data Subject is requesting sight of their Personal Data. Subject Access Requests will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

5.5 If a Subject Access Request is ‘manifestly unfounded or excessive’ the Society can charge a fee or refuse to respond but will need to provide evidence of how such conclusion was arrived at.

5.6 Any fee charged for a Subject Access Request will be reasonable, and based on the actual cost to the Society of complying with the request.

5.7 For complex or numerous Subject Access Requests, the Society may extend the response deadline for up to a further two months. If it does so then it shall inform the Data Subject within a month of receiving the Subject Access Request and will explain why an extension is merited.

6. The lawful basis of processing

6.1 The Society may process a given set of Personal Data only if it has a lawful basis for doing so. GDPR provides a number of possible lawful bases, as follows:

Consent: the individual has given clear consent for the Society to process their personal data for a specific purpose.

Contract: the processing is necessary for a contract the Society has with the individual, or because they have asked the Society to take specific steps before entering into a contract.

Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for the Society to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations).

Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life.

Public task: the processing is necessary for the Society to perform a task in the public interest or for its official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.

Legitimate interests: the processing is necessary for the Society’s legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party unless there is a good reason to protect the individual’s personal data which overrides those legitimate interests.

The legal bases for processing of Sensitive Personal Data are more limited, and subject to additional conditions.

6.2 The Society may process some Special Categories of Personal Data of Members and/or staff prior to their admittance as Members or as members of staff and/or during their time with the Society. In this situation the Society will use Articles 9(2)(b) and (g) of the GDPR as its legal basis for processing (i.e. it is necessary for carrying out obligations under employment, social security or social protection law. As such no Data Subject consent will be sought for this type of data processing.

6.3 The Society may also ask for information about particular health needs, such as allergies to particular forms of medication, or any medical condition such as asthma or diabetes. The Society will only use this information in the protection of the health and safety of the individual and will seek explicit consent to process this sensitive personal data in any other circumstance.

6.4 The application forms that all prospective staff and others are required to complete will include a section requesting consent to process the applicant’s personal and/or special categories of personal data. Such requests will specify the purposes that said personal and/or special categories of personal data will be used for. A refusal to give consent on such a form will not prevent the application from being processed but may mean that the Society cannot put in place as high a level of safeguards as it normally would for staff and others.

6.5 The Society will keep a record of when and how they obtained consent from any relevant data subject and keep a record of what the data subject was told at the time.

7. Processing Special Categories of Personal Data

7.1 As outlined above, sometimes it is necessary to process sensitive personal information. This may be to ensure that the Society is a safe place for everyone, or to operate other Society policies, such as the sick pay policy or the equal opportunities policy. Data Subjects will not be penalised for not giving their consent and will be alerted where not giving such consent may impact on the Society’s ability to assist them fully.

8. Publication of Society Information

8.1 The names of senior officers of the Society or any other personal data relating to staff, Council and/or Committee members will be published when any statute or law or operational necessity requires such personal data to be made public.

8.2 Limited information relating to Society staff and members will be made available via searchable directories on the public website, in order to meet the legitimate needs of visitors and enquirers seeking to make appropriate contact.

9. Retention of Data

9.1 Personal data will not be kept longer than is necessary for its purpose. Different categories of Personal data will be retained for different periods of time. Personal data will be destroyed or erased from the Society’s systems when it is no longer required.

9.2 The Society has a duty to retain information including personal data relating to data users and data subjects, for a period of time following their departure/cessation of engagement with the Society, mainly for statutory or legal reasons, but also for other purposes such as being able to provide references, or for financial reasons, for example relating to pensions and taxation.

9.3 The Society may keep personal data stored for longer periods insofar as the data will be processed solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, or scientific, historical, or statistical purposes but such data is subject to the implementation of appropriate safeguards

10. Deletion of Personal Data - Right to be forgotten

10.1 The right to erasure (also known as ‘the right to be forgotten’) is a right of all Data Subjects under the GDPR. The broad principle underpinning this right is to enable an individual to request the deletion or removal of personal data when there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.

10.2 The right to erasure does not provide an absolute ‘right to be forgotten’. Data subjects have a right to have personal data erased and to prevent processing in specific circumstances.

10.3 The Society can refuse to comply with a request for erasure where the personal data is processed for the following reasons:

10.3.1 To exercise the right of freedom of expression and information

10.3.2 To comply with a legal obligation for the performance of a public interest task or exercise of official authority

10.3.3 Archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific research historical research or statistical purposes or

10.3.4 The exercise or defence of legal claims.

11. Data Breach - Report within 72 hours

11.1 Compliance with the GDPR is the responsibility of all data users. It is the responsibility of data users to ensure that all data is secure at all times. Any data user who considers that rules, policies and guidelines have not been followed in respect of any personal data (including their own) should raise the matter.

11.2 A personal data breach means a breach of security leading to the destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data. This means that a breach is more than just losing personal data.

11.3 Key responsibilities include ensuring that:

11.3.1 The Society is informed immediately when a breach has (or is suspected to have) occurred and

11.3.2 Appropriate action is taken if a member of staff, Council or Committee or other Data User becomes aware that there appears to be a breach due to another’s action or inaction.

11.4 Data users should also be aware that the inappropriate sharing and disclosing of information orally is also considered a breach.

11.5 A notifiable breach has to be reported to the ICO within 72 hours of the Society becoming aware of it. The GDPR recognises that it will often be impossible to investigate a breach fully within that time-period but allows the Society to provide information in phases.

11.6 Despite the fact that not all breaches are notifiable to the ICO they should always be reported to the Society as soon as possible and without undue delay.

11.7 If a data breach occurs despite a data user having complied with the Society's policies and their legal responsibilities under the GDPR, data users will receive support and guidance in reviewing their data management responsibilities and processes. Data users will also be given help to put strategies in place to avoid a reoccurrence and to address the impact the data breach has on any affected person.

11.8 If a data breach occurs as a result of a data user’s non-compliance with the Society's policies and their legal responsibilities under the GDPR, data users must be aware that this will lead to careful consideration of their position and potential sanctions under the GDPR.

Use of Personal Data

12. Key Concepts

12.1 This part of the policy provides data users an introduction to some basic points of practice relating to the handling and processing of Personal Data at the Society.

12.2 Data users should be aware of all of the collection points of personal data within the Society as data users will need to provide individuals with information on how their personal data is processed. Such information will typically take the form of a reference to our privacy notice at the point where personal data is collected.

12.3 There are three key concepts data users should be aware of to assist in understanding their data protection obligations:

12.3.1 Purpose Data controllers can only process personal data where they have a clear purpose for doing so. The purpose must be recorded by the Society for future reference.

12.3.2 Fairness In defining the purposes for which the Society processes Personal Data, the fairness of that processing must be considered. For some types of processing the required elements of fairness are clearly outlined in the legislation, but for many others they are not. In such cases, the Society has tried to take a broad approach to deciding what is fair in each case, based on an interpretation of the GDPR and in conjunction with advice from the ICO, the Society’s own legal advisers and on wider practice.

12.3.3 Transparency All data subjects must be able to feel that there is no intention to hide from them details of how their personal data is collected, used and distributed by the Society. One of the functions of this policy is to provide that assurance.

13. Personal Data

13.1 In most cases, the Personal Data held by the Society will be obtained directly from the data subjects themselves. A data protection notice must accompany most requests for personal data (exceptions apply). Any data user responsible for managing the collection of personal data for the activities of the Society must ensure that a link to the Society's Privacy Policy is included.

13.2 Personal data should only be amended/entered by appropriate data users who must be satisfied as to the identity of the information provider before effecting any change.

13.3 In the case of ‘self-service’ systems, data subjects are responsible for the maintenance of certain elements of their personal records following secure login.

14. Sharing Data Externally

14.1 In general no personal data should be disclosed to third parties unless the authority and authenticity of the request can be established. Disclosures requested by those claiming to be relatives or friends of the data subjects should be refused unless the consent of the data subject is obtained for such disclosures or proper authority is demonstrated.

15. Disposal of Personal Data

15.1 When personal data is to be disposed of, the following procedures will be followed:

15.1.1 All paper, or other physical documentation containing personal data will be permanently destroyed by secure shredding or incinerating.

15.1.2 All computer equipment or media that are to be sold or scrapped will have had all personal data completely destroyed, by re-formatting, over-writing, degaussing or other effective process.

15.2 Data users should note that merely erasing/deleting electronic files does not necessarily equate to destroying them.

16. Unsolicited Email Communication

16.1 It is expressly prohibited for any data user using the Society’s electronic media or services to transmit or facilitate the transmission of unsolicited commercial marketing communications. Data users should be aware that any breaches under this heading could be considered as gross misconduct, resulting in dismissal/termination of contract.

17. Use of Email

17.1 The following principles must be followed when making use of the Society’s email system:

17.1.1 Data users must be aware that an electronic mail message is not necessarily a confidential means of communication and therefore:

(a) Email should at all times be treated as a permanent written record which may be read by persons other than the addressee. Consequently data users should apply the same standards that would be expected in a formal letter.

(b) Email is to be used for Society business purposes only. Care must be exercised when transmitting confidential information, personal data or commercially sensitive information. Other methods of sending such information including by encrypted means may be more appropriate. If in any doubt contact the DPO.

17.2 Although email is provided primarily for business use, occasional sending or receiving of email for personal, non-business purposes is acceptable. However, data users need to demonstrate a sense of responsibility and may not abuse the privilege, which may be withdrawn at the Society’s discretion.

17.3 Data users must respect the confidentiality of other people’s electronic communications and must not attempt to read, “hack” into other systems or other people’s logins, “crack” passwords or use others’ passwords, breach computer or network security measures, or monitor electronic files or communications of other data users or third parties.

17.4 Passwords are unique to each data user, and must not be made available to any other data user. For the avoidance of doubt, upon the termination of a data users employment / engagement, (for whatever reason) they are required to provide password details to the IT Department.

17.5 No email may be sent which attempts to hide the identity of the sender, or represent the sender as someone else.

17.6 Digital signatures can have the same legal effect as written signatures; consequently any data user signing a document transmitted by e-mail on behalf of the Society must be aware that by so signing the document the data user has effectively bound the Society to comply with the content of the document. The data user must only do so if they have the necessary authority to bind the Society in this way.

17.7 All business records such as; contracts, agreements, financial statements or other records and any correspondence connected with any legal proceedings should be stored appropriately in accordance with the Society’s retention and use table. These may be needed for legal, regulatory, tax, contractual, audit and evidentiary purposes.

17.8 All users should be aware that emails can be retrieved even if they have apparently been deleted from the system. Email is as permanent as the written word and should be treated as such.

17.9 Data Users should also be careful that they do not breach any copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right in pre-printed or published material that they incorporate into their e-mail for transmission to third parties or for general publication.

17.10 Data users should exercise caution when copying, downloading or transmitting to third parties any published material that has been written by other people without their consent. This could expose the Society to legal action by the owner of the copyright.

17.11 Data users should, at all times, exercise a general duty of care with respect to the drafting of emails; insofar as the emails will clearly be circulated or published for, or on behalf of, the Society, the reputation and business interests of the Society are at risk by the careless use and abuse of email by any of its data users.

18. Social Media

18.1 Data users must not, whether at work or out with, disclose personal or confidential information via their own personal use of social media; make derogatory or discriminatory comments about the Society, its data users or members; harass or bully data users/members or disclose any personal data without permission. Data users should be aware that any breaches under this heading could be considered as gross misconduct, resulting in dismissal/termination of contract.

Information Security

19. Approach

19.1 It is important to ensure that information is appropriately secured, maintains integrity, ensures appropriate confidentiality, is readily retrievable and is compliant with data protection legislation.

19.2 Many of the requirements around data protection can be achieved through a common sense approach to data security, for example:

19.2.1 If you leave any computer switched on and unattended lock the computer

19.2.2 Be conscious of who can see your work and screen, especially in public places

19.2.3 Only print files if you are certain that you will collect the printing

19.2.4 Never leave IT equipment unattended in public places and take special care in public places like airports, hotels and conferences or meetings

19.2.5 If you must leave IT equipment or any paperwork in your vehicle, ensure it is locked in the boot, out of sight

19.2.6 Paperwork and computers should be transported in a secure carrier and no information should be visible to other travellers

19.2.7 All electronic devices used to access Society data should be PIN/fingerprint or otherwise securely protected at all times

19.2.8 Any electronic data containing personal information should be encrypted/protected by a password or otherwise to prevent unauthorised access.

20. Data Loss and Breach Prevention

20.1 Data loss can be prevented by data users. Adhering to security procedures and practices is critical if the Society is to maintain high compliance standards.

20.2 Data Users should avoid the following when dealing with personal data:

20.2.1 Using unsecured email or paper, especially when sending sensitive personal data

20.2.2 Using unencrypted USB/ Memory sticks, CDs and storage devices

20.2.3 Transferring data online

20.2.4 Working remotely where your screen is exposed to third parties.

20.3 Personal data should neither be stored nor shared using

20.3.1 Online file sharing or cloud based services such as Dropbox, or Slack or

20.3.2 Social media sites e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

21. Physical Security

21.1 Material containing personal information should never be transported to or stored at home in paper format when you work at home, security should be of the same standard as that which is provided in the Society.

21.2 If you travel by public transport, keep all Society information to hand. Hold onto bags or laptops rather than placing them on luggage racks. Keep smaller storage media, such as portable drives, in secure compartments of bags, rather than in a jacket pocket.

21.3 If you travel by car, lock Society information in the boot. Do not leave it in plain sight.

21.4 Dispose of Society information securely and appropriately. For example, do not dispose of documents you no longer need in general waste or recycling bins; use a shredder if you have one at home, otherwise use the normal confidential waste facilities in the Society.

21.5 The Society has bags for the disposal of confidential waste within the Society’s office. Confidential documents must not be placed in general waste bins.

21.6 Staff should ensure all confidential files/documents are securely locked away and not left on desks.

21.7 Documents created, received or used by data users in the normal course of business are the property of the Society, unless otherwise agreed. This includes documents compiled by external consultants contracted by the Society.

21.8 The Society’s official documents constitute its corporate memory (intellectual property), and as such are a vital asset for ongoing operations, and for providing evidence of business activities and transactions. They assist the Society in making better informed decisions and improving business practice by providing an accurate record of what has occurred before.

21.9 Therefore, documents are to be:

21.9.1 Managed in a consistent and structured manner

21.9.2 Suitably named, adhering to the naming convention guidelines)

21.9.3 Disposed of, or permanently archived, in accordance with this policy.

21.10 Documents, especially those containing personal data, need to be protected from unauthorised users for many reasons and also to ensure that no deletions or amendments are made to a document without the owner being aware.

22. Guidance and Best practice for Secure Remote Working

22.1 Do not use a non-Society email account for Society business. Society email accounts are accessible via the Internet so you should not need to use any other account.

Compliance with this policy

All persons referred to within the scope of this policy are required to adhere to its terms and conditions. All employees should understand that this policy is incorporated into their contract of employment.

Any data user failing to comply with the requirements of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action. Data Users should be aware that significant breaches may be considered to be gross misconduct, resulting in dismissal or termination of engagement.

Copies of the BSAS annual accounts are available, to members, via the member website area.

The Sir John Hammond Award is open for applications until 1st March 2025

One of the sector's most prestigious awards, it is awarded to those who have made significant contributions and positive impacts in the UK and RoI animal science and agricultural sector.

To learn more about the award click here (downloadable leaflet).

What is the Application Process?

The award is highly selective and nominated candidates must be of high merit.

This award is based on nominations, please note that self-nominations will not be considered. A nomination needs to be supported/submitted by two members of BSAS or BCBC.

Please submit your nomination online using the apply now link below or download complete and return the nomination form.

What is the Prize?

£500

Who was Sir John Hammond?

Sir John Hammond arrived at Downing as an undergraduate in 1907 and for most of his career was a Fellow of the College. He also headed the School of Physiology of Animal Reproduction of the University of Cambridge and was a founder of the Cambridge Animal Research Station.

Hammond conducted classical studies on embryo survival in the early 1920s. His famous study Rate of Intra-uterine Growth (1938) showed that crossbred foetal foals grew at the rate of their dams' pure breed. He was the first to crystallise the theory of metabolic rate-dependent prioritising of nutrient partitioning between tissues. He was also the first to report the duration of oestrus for lactating cows (19.3 hours) and heifers (16.1 hours). He studied closely the major changes in animal shape resulting from the domestication and selective breeding of farm animals.

With Arthur Walton, Hammond was one of the pioneers of artificial insemination ('AI'). As he could not practice certain AI techniques in England, because of religious and cultural taboos, Hammond sponsored work in other countries where such limitations did not apply. He sent a colleague, Dr Luis Thomasset, to Russia to work on AI with the Soviets. He himself introduced AI to other countries, such as Argentina. His book The Artificial Insemination of Cattle (1947) was the first comprehensive publication on AI published in England.

Hammond was the first President of BSAS (1944-1945) and founded the British Cattle Breeders Club in 1946 and was an active member in the early days of the European Association for Animal Production, serving on its Preparatory Committee. He ended his life as the guru of the British livestock world and is widely regarded as the father of modern animal physiology.

To apply for the President's Prize you must be

a BSAS member
presenting your first or second paper at the Annual Conference.

Applicants

the prize is to encourage early career scientists to improve their public communication skills

Judging

candidates will be judged, by representatives of BSAS Trustees firstly, on the quality of their summary and, if successful in becoming one of the five finalists a presentation of their work at the BSAS Annual Conference

Judging Criteria

quality of delivery/presentation
ability to respond to Q&A
content - including - identification of key issues and research questions; provision of supporting evidence for arguments; explanation of source material; consideration of potential issues

Applications

are made via the annual conference submissions platform
please tick the appropriate box, when submitting your summary, to be included for the President's Prize

Prize

a prize of £200 is awarded to the winner

Application Deadline

Deadline for the BSAS 2025 Presidents Prize submission is 18th November 2024

2024 President's Prize Winner

Sabine Scully, The faecal microbiota and calf scour.

2023 President's Prize Winner

Sophie Mahendran, A comparison of the health and behaviour of individual and pair housing in dairy calves

To apply for the Industry Prize you must be

a BSAS member
an early career animal scientist (postgraduate student or within two years of graduating with a PhD) or
working in commerce or industry with an equivalent level of experience (without necessarily having a PhD)

Applicants are asked to consider

the importance of the impact of their research to industry, appreciating that what they as a researcher think is relevant may not be to the end-user i.e., the producer
"what this means" when assessing your work, or "so what?". What is the benefit of this result?
- For example, lambs grow faster being fed additive A. An excellent finding. What does this mean? More income? What was the cost of the additive A? Is it worth while using this additive? Is the additive available now or in development?
include aspects, such as return on investment or feasibility of introducing new concepts that have been derived from the research

Judging

candidates will be judged, by representatives of BSAS, firstly, on the quality of their summary and, if successful in becoming one of the five finalists a presentation of their work at the BSAS Annual Conference

Criteria

the main criteria for winning the prize is ‘impact to industry’

Applications

are made via the abstract submission platform as part of submitting your conference abstract
please tick the appropriate box, when submitting your summary, to be included for the Industry Prize

Prize

A prize of £200 is award to the winner

Deadline for the BSAS 2025 Industry Prize submission is 18th November 2024

Introduction

This Award has been established to honour the contributions which Professor Christopher Wathes OBE made to animal science, in particular through improving the welfare of farmed livestock. The awards are intended to help members of BSAS to attend scientific meetings and workshops in the UK or overseas who might not otherwise be able to go through lack of financial support. The award is targeted at early career scientists.

Who was Christopher Wathes?

Christopher was an outstanding and uncompromising scientist who acted on evidence and always challenged ill-informed opinions. He was strongly supportive in developing the careers of his younger colleagues. His career began with a degree in physics followed by a PhD in environmental physics. In 1980 he became a lecturer in animal husbandry at the University of Bristol. Here his interest in the impact of housing design on farm animals led him to develop expertise in the field of animal welfare including the use of preference testing. In 1990 he moved to Silsoe Research Institute to head their bioengineering division, where he was at the forefront of the newly emerging field of precision livestock farming. He then joined the Royal Veterinary College in 2005 as their first Professor of Animal Welfare, where he also developed a strong interest in animal ethics. Christopher chaired the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) for eight years from 2005, working with a wide range of stakeholders to develop a clear strategy and produce a number of highly relevant reports, which have a lasting impact on the welfare of farmed livestock in the UK. He was also instrumental in the formation of EuroFAWC, providing a platform for informed debate and development of shared policy relating to animal welfare throughout Europe. He was awarded the 2002 Research Medal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England and the 2016 UFAW Medal for Outstanding Achievements in Animal Welfare Science. He received an OBE in 2013 for services to animal welfare.

Competition

The award must be used for travel, accommodation and/or registration to attend BSAS 2025. The value of each award will be determined by the distance traveled by the applicant from their place of residence to Galway. This award supports studies involving animal welfare, precision livestock farming, design of animal housing or ethical considerations relating to the use of animals. To enter you must have submitted an abstract to BSAS 2025 and provide a short video clip (2-3 mins) stating why you should win this award. The maximum amount awarded will £1500. The award may be split to offer more than one bursary.

Review of competition entries

Applications to the Christopher Wathes award will be assessed based on the submitted video clip. In making its decision, the selection panel will consider the relevance of the applicants work and the extent to which they will benefit from attending BSAS 2025.

Reporting requirements

The award holder will be required to submit a short report to BSAS following their attendance at BSAS 2025, which focuses on the benefit in knowledge and skills gained from winning the award.

Questions?

If you have any queries, please contact bsas@bsas.org.uk

What is the prize?

The maximum amount awarded will be up to £1500.

How do I apply?

The award is open to applicants from all branches of animal science who are in the early stages of their careers. Applications are accepted from BSAS members only. Please send your video clip to bsas@bsas.org.uk. Please include your full name and contact details in the email.

Application deadline

18th November 2024

Click here for the downloadable information leaflet.

Click here for hints and tips for making your video

WHO WAS STEVE BISHOP?

A world-renowned scientist, Professor Bishop made an outstanding contribution to the understanding of the impact of genetics on infectious diseases in farm animals. After he obtained a degree in agricultural science from the Lincoln College at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, in 1981, he studied for a PhD in genetics at the University of Edinburgh. After periods working at the Technical University of Munich and for the Livestock Improvement Corporation of the New Zealand Dairy Board, he took up a position at the Roslin Institute in 1988, where he built up a major research group with an international reputation. His primary research interests revolved around the genetic control of resistance to infectious disease in livestock, studying impacts from the gene to the population. Steve’s work had a major influence worldwide on how animal scientists and farmers approach breeding for nematode and infective disease resistance. Steve was a member of BSAS from 1993 to 2015.

The Steve Bishop Collaboration for Innovation Award – SHORT RESEARCH OR TRAINING - EARLY CAREER AWARD

SUPPORTED BY Innovate UK

The Steve Bishop Collaboration for Innovation Early Career Award supported by Innovate UK.

INTRODUCTION

This scholarship is aimed at those in the early part of their career as an animal scientist (postgraduate student or within three years of graduating with a PhD, or those working in commerce or industry with an equivalent level of experience without necessarily having a PhD).

COMPETITION

The Steve Bishop Collaboration for Innovation Short Research or Training Award 2024

Worth up to £5,000, the award is for specific short research programmes and/or training opportunities in the UK, overseas, with a new academic or industrial partner. The overall aim is to help support and develop a new partnership rather than a piece of work with a current partner or organisation.

The successful fellows will have the opportunity to present the outcomes of their award(s) to leading figures from animal science and related sectors.

In some circumstances the awards may be used to part-fund a project. Funds can be used in any relevant animal science sector.

REVIEW OF COMPETITION ENTRIES

Applications to the Award will be assessed based on the application form. In making its decision, the selection panel will consider the relevance of the applicants' work and the extent to which they will benefit from attending the educational workshop or meeting.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The successful fellow will be required to complete a short-written report (1000 – 1500 words) or a short video (5-15minutes) about the project and outcomes as well as presenting same at the next BSAS annual conference in Galway in April 2025, including submission of an abstract (conference fees will be covered and travel and subsistence of no more than £200).

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

BSAS and Innovate UK are committed to encouraging a supportive and inclusive culture across our organisations, promoting diversity and inclusion, and eliminating discrimination in all that we do.

All applications will be equally judged using set marking criteria, applicant names and locations are not supplied to the selection panel.

QUESTIONS?

If you have any queries, please contact awards@bsas.org.uk

WHAT IS THE PRIZE?

Worth up to £5,000, the funding available is dependent upon the length of the visit. Applicants may request:

up to of £2,000 for projects up to 6 weeks

up to of £3,000 for projects up to 3 months

up to of £5,000 for projects up to 6 months

HOW DO I APPLY?

The award is open to applicants, in the early stages of their career, from all branches of animal science. Applications are accepted from both BSAS members and non-members. Please complete the on-line application form and return it by the application deadline.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

30th November 2024

APPLY NOW

Click here for the downloadable information leaflet.

BSAS Corporate members are deeply valued and enjoy a range of benefits including access to training, discounted events, free accreditation and reduced rates for the annual conference.

BSAS is looking to forge mutually beneficial communication, collaboration, sponsorship and partnership relations to create and deliver a range of activities that challenge and inform on the issues that matter most to the sector, including opportunities to develop and sponsor events and awards.

Please contact Maggie Mitchell if you would like more information or to discuss partner and sponsorship opportunities

Learn about the impacts of BSAS accreditation

View our Accreditation Register on mySociety

Continuing professional development (CPD) involves maintaining and enhancing the knowledge, skills and experience related to your professional activities.

Benefits

Helps you to keep pace with the standards of others in the same field
Maintaining and enhancing your knowledge and skills to deliver a professional service, whether academia or industry
You stay up to date with changing trends, becoming more effective in the workplace
You can help advance the body of knowledge and technology within your profession
Potential to increase your public standing with other animal science professionals
Shows commitment to your leaning and career development

Register

Once your application to the BSAS Accreditation Register is approved, you’ll only stay on the Register by showing evidence of Continued Professional Development (CPD) and accruing CPD credit. Log in to your account from where you can access your CPD record files.

Members must accrue at least 50 credits each year by taking part in a range of activities including:

Work-based learning (maximum 20 CPD points)
Professional activity involving learning (maximum 20 CPD points)
Formal training courses and educational programmes (maximum 30 CPD points)
Self-directed learning (maximum 10 CPD points)
Other (maximum 10 CPD points)

Maintaining

Members will be given access to their CPD recording scheme when they are first entered onto the Register.

For each activity area, the record should give:

A brief definition of the type of work undertaken.
Date
Number of hours accumulated for each activity
A description of what was entailed and how it was beneficial
Evidence of the work having been undertaken

For more information download our CPD guide.

To update your CPD please click here

BSAS Accreditation provides a mark of assurance of your work and achievements when dealing with clients, colleagues, employers, collaborators, funders, government, and other societies.

BSAS raises the standards of excellence in the abilities, conduct and reputation of its members and by accrediting their professional activities, furthers members interests.

Joining the Register

Membership of the Accreditation Register is open to all those working in food-production, animal welfare, equine, companion animals and zoo animals, in the topics of animal science, animal technology or animal care in the academic, industry or government policy sector. The Register, which is open to public view is a mark of assurance.

Click here to apply

Benefits

A Registered Animal Scientist or Animal Technologist benefits (amongst other things) from:

Public recognition of competencies, knowledge and professional status at home and internationally
Evidence to support career development opportunities
Provides independent verification of responsible and reputable conduct
Evidence of an audited programme of Continued Professional Development (CPD), appropriate to the individual’s own areas of expertise
For organisations, BSAS Accreditation demonstrates a culture of high-quality staff training and skills development
Greater opportunity to share knowledge and being seen by potential employers

Applications

Accreditation is open to those working in food-production, animal welfare, equine, companion animals and zoo animals in the topics of animal science, animal technology or animal care in the academic, industry or government policy sector. You can apply to be registered as one of the following:

Receiver of knowledge – LEARNING animal science

Student (Affiliate) – in full time education, studying animal science, animal technology or animal care

User of knowledge - APPLYING animal science

Animal Technologist (Associate) - Early Career
Animal Technologist (Certified) - Professional level

Seeker of knowledge - CONDUCTING animal science

Animal Scientist (Associate) - Early Career
Animal Scientist (Certified) - Professional level

Click here to apply

Process

When you apply to become accredited you will be asked about your expertise. Applicants can choose from a number of proficiencies that they feel are appropriate to them, including written publications in the public domain, teaching, management and knowledge seeking research and development.

Applications are assessed on individual merit by two assessors. You may be asked to provide further information.

Designation

Members will select their own CPD programmes as appropriate to their own particular designation (Student, Scientist or Technologist), Level (Affiliate, Associate or Certified). These programmes may be provided by any appropriate organisations, in-house or extra-mural. CPD programmes are also provided by BSAS through its range of annual and occasional meetings and training workshops. Members can also choose to accrue points through other societies and organisations as appropriate to their competencies and specialisms.

Early Careers

The BSAS Accreditation Register is not just for those who are established in their careers, with its 'Affiliate' and ‘Associate’ levels specifically designed to recognise the knowledge and expertise of those early on in their career. The register is applicable to a vast range of disciplines relating to early career animal science and technology. From those studying in higher education in animal science or veterinary related courses, to those starting out in relevant industry or policy careers. Applying and maintaining registration improves key professional skills and exposes those in the early stages of their career to processes which they may not otherwise have been introduced.

Further Information

Download -

Accreditation Booklet

CPD Guide

Rules, Regulations and Protocols

Application Guidelines for Student Affiliate

Application Guidelines for Animal Technologist Accreditation

Application Guidelines for Animal Scientist Accreditation

Assessor Guidelines for Student Affiliate

Assessor Guidelines for Animal Technologist Certified and Associate

Assessor Guidelines for Animal Scientist Associate

Assessor Guidelines for Animal Scientist Certified

Cost

Application to the register is free for members of BSAS. There is a cost of £150 to those that are not members of BSAS.

Contact

If you have any questions, wish to discuss which level is most appropriate for you or need any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated register team on register@bsas.org.uk

Submit your news item here

You can access the BSAS newsletter archive here:

Learn more about BSAS Global membership

BSAS Global Key Activities

Member Support – including early career mentor and buddy schemes, academia and industry collaboration
Member Discounts and offers
Accreditation Register - BSAS is the professional accrediting body for the Register of Certified Animal Scientists and Technologists
Annual Conference – providing a platform for the latest information in global animal science and associated areas
Occasional Meetings – focusing on key issues or topics
Webinars – short and informative, subject specific
Training Courses – for example, R-Stats and Good Writing Habits
Publications – animal Family of Journals, Special Editions, Animal Bytes
Awards – a range of member and non-member awards

BSAS Global has two categories of member societies: “Global Member” and “Global Associate Member”.

BSAS Global Member

BSAS Global Member - Key Benefits

Access to BSAS member resources and society member discounts
Access to BSAS accreditation – reduced cost of £45/application (non-member charge £145); annual charge £25
Collaboration and discussion on a global platform; Co-development of the Global session(s) at BSAS annual meeting
Opportunity to influence policy and future direction – working with BSAS to ensure activities meet current and future people and place, animal science and global sustainability needs
Early career community that supports, encourages and provides a podium for our future animal scientists and technicians
Potential for joint applications - international research funding

Individual Members support via:

Early Career Mentor
Buddy Schemes

Global Member Fees

Societies/Associations with up to:

500 members - £1500.00 / annum
500-750 members - £2000.00 / annum
750 plus members - £2500.00 / annum

Global Associate Member

This membership was conceived for societies of any region of the world where payment of full membership fees can be challenging; the associate member category will be free of charge for those like-minded societies accepted as an associate member society/association.

Associate member organisations will be granted to up to one Society per country and the application to this category will be assessed in a case-by-case basis by the Global Committee. The candidate society will need to justify why they would qualify for this membership type.

BSAS Global Associate members’ benefits

Access to:

Newsletter
Webinars that are offered free of charge by the organiser
Opportunity to engage in conversation on animal science and global sustainability needs

The British Society of Animal Science, leading dissemination of animal science knowledge in the UK and internationally

Why partner with us?

BSAS understands and believes that generating meaningful research that has maximum benefit for the animal science and technology community, requires engaging with the right people from the very beginning of planning your research idea and that’s where we can help. Not only are we able to identify the primary audience of your research, but we can also engage with that audience and help to bring on influential opinion leaders to act as champions of said research and amplify its message.

R&D Project Dissemination training support

The role of BSAS Global in R&D projects will be to ensure that the work and its dissemination is relevant to the needs of the industry. Specifically, BSAS Global can facilitate:

BSAS Knowledge exchange activities between Stakeholder and Research Partners.
Establish a farm-level observatory and knowledge exchange network.
Project output dissemination.

Dissemination Plan

BSAS Global will establish with partners a Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation Plan. The plan will define a communication and dissemination strategy with detailed tasks and timelines to deliver on project objectives; to communicate the project concepts and outputs; to promote engagement between partners and key interested groups; to involve policy makers and to ensure that the most relevant channels and effective forms of communication are used including social media, workshops, webinars, conferences, and web-based learning materials which allow for wider access.

Visual Identity

The visual identity of each project will benefit from BSAS Global’s expertise in creating and defining a graphic charter, logos, fonts, colours incorporating compulsory partner logos for clean and clever communication. We’ll also create a start-up brochure, a poster to present the aims of the project, and A4 newsletters focused on the final two years of the project when results become available. BSAS Global will also establish a project-based website which will allow for closed and open discussion between partners and stakeholders, host web-based training courses and a vital link to the farm-level observatory and knowledge exchange network.

If you’re interested in BSAS Global participating and supporting your R&D Bid, please email bsas@bsas.org.uk

We are interested in working, globally, with like-minded societies and organisations. Please email bsas@bsas.org.uk if you would like to discuss opportunities for working together.

These are some of the partners we work with:

BSAS Global aims to establish formal and informal international animal science networks, developing links with like-minded societies and organisations across the world. We look to work with others to advance responsible, safe, high-welfare, environmentally sustainable animal production and management globally.

Comprising of science and industry experts we aim to:

Strengthen animal science and dissemination
Facilitate international collaboration
Recruit BSAS members internationally
Host regional conferences and workshops
Exchange speakers, students and scientists
Provide access to Accreditation and CPD

Key aims & outcomes

Establish formal animal science networks, developing links with likeminded international societies and organisations
Create a global network of relevant organisations to share/improve benefits including partner events and resource sharing
Develop BSAS Global by identifying areas of research needs and working with partners to create funding and support opportunities, particularly in developing countries
Distribute information, scientific papers, opinion pieces and news to a global audience

View our training materials

Summarised papers of award-winning early careers theses.

Animal Bytes blog

Read publications from animal: The international journal of animal biosciences

Our answers to the most common questions about BSAS.

WHAT IS ANIMAL SCIENCE?

Animal Science relates to the science and business of producing domestic livestock species, including but not limited to beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, pigs, sheep and horses. In recent years, animal science has expanded into a far broader area to include companion animals, wildlife and zoo animals helping to improve their health, nutrition, care and welfare.

Research and technology is revolutionizing animal production. Animal scientists constantly strive to improve and increase the efficiency of livestock production and management techniques through research into areas, such as animal behaviour and welfare, genetics/breeding, microbiology, nutrition, physiology and reproduction. They also play a key role in maintaining and improving the quality and quantity of the world's food supply.

LIVESTOCK

Securing world food supplies is more important than ever before.

Global populations are expected to hit 8bn by 2050, meaning food production has to be seriously examined if people are going to have healthy, nutritious diets.

Productive farmland is coming under threat due to climate change and the need to house more people, while the planet’s resources are diminishing, meaning farmers have to find new ways to produce food.

At the same time, livestock are becoming an increasingly important source of nutrition around the world, with demand for meat products predicted to double in the first half of this century.

The Society has a vital role in advising policy-makers on meeting the challenge of securing food supplies with lower environmental impact.

AQUACULTURE

As one of the world's fastest growing food sectors, approximately 50% of all seafood produced for human consumption comes from Aquaculture - the controlled process of cultivating aquatic organisms (shellfish, molluscs, finfish) and plants.

Aquaculture not only produces food and other commercial products, it also restores habitats and replenishes wild stocks, and rebuild populations of threatened and endangered species.

Harvesting wild sources of fish, crustaceans and other aquatic species cannot keep up with the demand presented by a growing human population.

We need alternate sources for seafood to feed the planet’s ever-growing population in a responsible and sustainable way to provide future generations with access to healthy and environmentally friendly protein options.

Sustainable aquaculture helps meet this demand while relieving the strain on wild species.

EQUINE

The equine industry is more varied than almost any other sector either within agriculture or in the wider leisure industry and generates huge amounts of revenue for some of the world’s major economies.

According to Equine Business Association (EBA), the U.S. and U.K are the biggest equine industries in the world, with the economic value of the UK equestrian sector alone standing at £4.3 billion of consumer spending across a wide range of goods and services each year.

Considered as sport, companion and working animals, the growth in the utilisation of horses means increased research to improve equine health, disease, welfare and management practices has never been more significant.

COMPANION & ZOO ANIMALS

Most of us at some point in our lives have owned a pet, such as a dog, cat, rabbit, fish or rodent.

The pet market in the United Kingdom is one of the largest in Europe, with the total pet population in the UK alone reaching approximately 58 million animals in 2018. Of those, 9 million are dogs and 8 million are cats.

Society's growing love for their furry companions hasn't been without concerns from companion animal specialists. Increased demand for cute animals has led to a rise in brachycephalic animals as a result of selective breeding, giving way to a host of welfare and health concerns, as well as irresponsible breeding.

The alarming rise in pet obesity has seen, in the UK alone, an estimated 40% of dogs and 53% of cats reported as overweight or obese - leading to health issues such as arthritis and reduced life expectancy.

The British Society of Animal Science can make a significant contribution to all of these areas by sharing discoveries in research and techniques and by providing practical knowledge to industry and the public about the latest developments in these sectors.

BSAS aims to stimulate interest and champion discussion with focus on addressing climate change and wider ecosystem challenges related to livestock production. To bring forward and disseminate evidence-based science and sector knowledge to champion and transform, through global collaboration, a one nutrition, one health, multi- disciplinary approach to address future food security and climate change.

To then use this evidence-based animal science to inform government policy and related decision making activities. Bringing together and providing a platform for individuals and organisations that are committed to the advancement of sustainable livestock and the wider animal science sectors.

We aim to work with all sectors in, and related to, animal science to encourage and ensure sharing of factual information to improve animal health and welfare; and the care of equine, companion, and zoo animals.

Encouraging and supporting the development of early-career professionals as tomorrow's leaders and, thereafter, throughout their careers plays a key part in BSAS activities.

BSAS delivers these strategic intentions through our range of committees, each of which have their own objectives to achieve and collectively will deliver the overall objectives of this strategic plan.

Pioneers: The backdrop of the society's beginnings

Nineteen-forty-four, the year of the foundation of the British Society of Animal Production, now the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS), and the early years that followed, were filled with urgent opportunity – these were the post-war hunger years and the beginnings of the second agricultural revolution. The time was ripe for research and development in Animal Science. Unsurprising, that same time gave rise to pioneering people and pioneering places.

In tracking the British Society of Animal Production's (BSAP) first 75 years, it is neither possible, nor necessary to mention all and every path-maker involved in the moulding of the Society. The Universities and Research Institutes have been persistent in their support of the society, as have the Knowledge and Information Transfer Services and, perhaps most importantly of all, the allied Trades and Industries that provide to the agricultural industry the wherewithal for its effective functioning.

We thank all of our members and partners for their continued support.

A brief history of our society (1944-2019) is available here.

The British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) is the principal learned body supporting animal science in the UK. We work to advance the sector, improve the understanding of all aspects of animal science and ensure research and knowledge transfer has a practical and beneficial application.

Our diverse membership comprises all career stages and includes leading academics, industry and government professionals. This creates a dynamic and enthusiastic community dedicated to the betterment of the sector..

Our collaborative global networks strive to achieve our strategic objectives to address the climate change, global food security and One Health challenges.

BSAS provides a dynamic platform that enables the dissemination of evidence-based research findings to elucidate the role of livestock and other domesticated animals in high welfare and holistic sustainable agri-food systems.

Listing of past BSAS Presidents from 1944 onwards.

Sir John Hammond FRS	1944-45
Professor R G White	1945-46
Professor J A Scott Watson	1946-47
Professor W C Miller	1947-48
Professor J E Nichols	1948-49
Mr E C J Allday	1949-50
Mr J R Currie	1950-51
Mr A R Wannop	1951-52
Professor T L Bywater	1952-53
Sir John Hammond FRS	1953-54
Sir Richard Trehane	1954-55
Lord Digby	1955-56
Professor H G Sanders	1956-57
Mr A Jenkins	1957-58
Mr H R Davidson	1958-59
Dr J Edwards	1959-60
Mr J A Crichton	1960-61
Sir Richard Trehane	1961-62
Mr J P Maule OBE, FRSE	1962-63
Mr M H R Soper OBE	1963-64
Mr A A Bindloss	1964-65
Professor A Robertson FRS, FRSE	1965-66
Sir David Cuthbertson CBE, FRSE	1966-67
Mr F H Garner	1967-68
Professor Sir Ronald Baskett	1968-69
Professor W Holmes	1969-70
Sir Kenneth L Blaxter, FRS, FRSE	1970-71
Dr R Braude OBE	1971-72
Professor M McG Cooper CBE	1972-73
Professor H P Donald FRSE	1973-74
Mr J Walker-Love CBE	1974-75
MrT G Boaz	1975-76
Dr F H Dodd	1976-77
Professor P N Wilson CBE, FRSE	1977-78
Professor J M M Cunningham CBE, FRSE	1978-79
Professor Sir Colin Spedding CBE	1979-80
Dr L K O'Connor	1980-81
Professor W F Raymond	1981-82
Professor J A F Rook FRSE	1982-83
Dr D M Allen	1983-84
Mr G Alderman	1984-85
Dr J A Craven	1985-86
Professor J F D Greenhalgh	1986-87
Dr A J F Russel	1987-88
Professor J H D Prescott	1988-89
Dr M Bichard OBE	1989-90
Dr J O'Grady	1990-91
Professor A J F Webster	1991-92
Professor J M Forbes	1992-93
Professor J J Robinson FRSE	1993-94
Dr S A Papasolomontos	1994-95
Dr W J M Black MBE	1995-96
Professor J D Leaver	1996-97
Professor E M Gill FRSE	1997-98
Professor C T Whittemore FRSE	1998-99
Professor W G Hill FRS, FRSE	1999/2000
Professor J D Wood	2000/2001
Professor J A Milne MBE	2001/2002
Professor E Owen	2002/2003
Dr J R Newbold	2003/2004
Professor S A Edwards	2004/2005
Professor J C MacRae	2005/2006
Professor P J Buttery	2006/2007
Professor G Simm	2007/2008
Professor C J Newbold	2008/2009
Dr C S Mayne	2009/2010
Professor N G Scollan	2010/2011
Professor D I Givens	2011/2012
Mr C Warkup	2012/2013
Dr P E V Williams	2013/2014
Dr A Carson	2014/2015
Dr C Rymer	2015/2016
Professor L A Sinclair	2016/2017
Professor R Dewhurst	2017/2018
Professor H M Miller	2018/2019
Professor E Wall	2019/2021
Professor M Lee	2021/2022
Mr K Matthews	2022/2023

Professor E Magowan 2023/2024

Honorary Members

Dr M Bichard OBE
Professor M G Diskin
Professor S A Edwards
Professor J M Forbes
Dr D Garwes
Professor E M Gill
Professor J F D Greenhalgh
Dr R G Gunn
Dr J P Hanrahan
Dr T L J Lawrence
Dr R W Mayes
Dr L K O'Connor
Professor G E Pollott
Dr T R Preston
Mr J L Read
Professor J J Robinson FRSE
Dr P H Simmins
Mr M A Steele
Professor C Thomas
Professor D C Wathes
Professor C T Whittemore
Professor G Wiener FRSE

The society’s vision is to be the innovator and connecter of research and information, working with partners to ensure connection from academia to application.

You can download a copy of the BSAS Strategic Plan 2019-2024 here.

BSAS is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation ("SCIO")

Freshers Week

Making the transition from student to professional can be overwhelming, but a BSAS mentor can help you successfully navigate your way, as you take your first fledgling steps into the world of animal science.

Through sharing their extensive knowledge and experience, a BSAS mentor can help you achieve your goals more quickly and effectively than if working alone and build a network of expertise to draw on that can benefit both yourself and others.

What is it?

Mentoring is a system of semi-structured guidance whereby one person shares their knowledge, skills and experience to assist others to progress in their own lives and careers. Mentors need to be accessible and prepared to offer help - within agreed bounds.

Mentors very often have their own mentors, and in turn their mentees might wish to ‘give something back’ and become mentors themselves - it's a chain for ‘passing on’ good practice so that the benefits can be widely spread.

Mentoring can be a short-term arrangement until the original reason for the partnership is fulfilled (or ceases), or it can last many years.

Mentoring is more than ‘giving advice’, or passing on what your experience was in a particular area or situation. It's about motivating and empowering the other person to identify their own issues and goals, and helping them to find ways of resolving or reaching them - not by doing it for them, or expecting them to ‘do it the way I did it’, but by understanding and respecting different ways of working.

Mentoring is not counselling or therapy - though the mentor may help the mentee to access more specialised avenues of help if it becomes apparent that this would be the best way forward.

What's in it for you?

As mentee

Being able to change/achieve your goals more quickly and effectively than working alone
Building a network of expertise to draw on can benefit both yourself and others

As mentor

Mentoring is voluntary but extremely rewarding, and can benefit your own skills development and career progression
You need to be the sort of person who wants others to succeed, and have or can develop the skills needed to support them

What makes a good mentor?

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, check yourself against this list:
Are you interested in helping others to succeed - even if they may surpass you in achievement?
Are you reliable, honest, and trustworthy to keep things confidential?
Are you capable of active listening - not interrupting, picking up important cues from what someone says, able to reflect back the relevant issues and check understanding, minimising assumptions and prejudices?
Are you empathetic - can you convey understanding of their experience without saying ‘yes me too’ and launching into anecdotes of your own?
Are you able to question someone sensitively but empoweringly to help them explore their own issues?
Can you pass on your knowledge and expertise clearly, encouragingly and helpfully?

It is important to structure your mentoring partnership

Example Agreement

Time

Agree when the mentor relationship will start/end: three months would be a reasonable length of time but it could be shorter or longer. You can extend the relationship if you both wish or just continue as friends. Agree how often, how and how long you'll meet: e.g. 20 minutes, once a week for coffee, by video call or phone.

Flexibility

Agree whether it is ok to be phoned up or called on if the person you are mentoring has a particular question. Since part of the role is to reassure, it is a good idea to agree to this initially and re-negotiate if it gets out of hand.

Confidentiality

Agree that you will not disclose to anyone else what you discuss with the person you are mentoring unless with their agreement. Agree how you will describe the partnership to others, including the head of institution if they ask.

Boundaries

You are not responsible for the person you are mentoring. But you can answer questions, allay anxieties and give friendly guidance.

Review and evaluation

At the end of the arrangement, look back over the time and list what went well and what you might do differently another time. Comment constructively on each other's handling of the role. Let BSAS know if you've enjoyed it or if you haven't enjoyed it and if you would be or would not be prepared to do it again, like to talk it over with us. Give any tips for future mentors or people being mentored.

I am interested in being a Mentor or Mentee (please note the scheme is open to BSAS Members only)

If you are interested in becoming a BSAS mentor, or mentee, please complete our application form available here and return to bsas@bsas.org.uk.

Mentor Case Study – Sokratis Stergiadis

Sokratis Stergiadis has been a BSAS member since 2007, a Trustee since 2020 as the new Chair of the BSAS Stakeholder Committee, before moving to the position of Chair of Membership and Accreditation in 2023, and has also recently become a BSAS Mentor. His professional experience includes several teaching and research roles in animal science, and he has been a Professor in Animal Science at the University of Reading since 2023. He previously held teaching and research roles at the University of Reading, and animal research-focussed roles at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and Newcastle University.

Sokratis first discovered the BSAS Mentor scheme via the Society’s member newsletter and felt it was the perfect fit, having been a mentor as part of his current and previous job roles, and in other professional societies. He finds mentoring very rewarding and sees it as an activity that allows both mentors and mentees to build essential skills and expertise for their personal development and career progression. He believes that the BSAS Mentoring Scheme can assist in creating strong professional networks within the animal science community, which can work collectively to address the future challenges of the sector.

‘Seeing our undergraduate students identifying gaps and planning professional development, increasing their confidence and achieving personal and career goals through the mentoring scheme, is among its most rewarding aspects and creates an excellent breeding ground for innovation.’

The BSAS Buddy Up Scheme allows those at a similar stage in their career to meet on a more informal basis to share experiences, act as a sounding board and offer each other more general support.

Become a BSAS Buddy

A Buddy is

An informal point of contact
Someone to meet in an informal environment
Someone who will reflect, with you, on their experiences at university/early career work place and share informal hints and tips on a wide range of related elements
Help build confidence, encourage and give support on a flexible basis

A Buddy isn’t

A counsellor
A careers advisor
A replacement for services, such as advice on finance or welfare
A tutor or someone who will proof read assignments, documents and coursework

Benefits of having a Buddy

Share experiences, practical advice, encouragement and support in a range of areas
Learn from the experiences - students/those in early career
Be part of the wider Buddy Up Scheme / Early Careers Forum and network that allows you to share your experiences

I want a Buddy! Please note that the Buddy Up scheme is only available to BSAS early career members.

To request a Buddy is really simple, please email bsas@bsas.org.uk now!

BSAS Buddy Case Study – Lucy Ross

BSAS Buddy and member of the Early Career Council Lucy Ross, has been a BSAS member since she started her PhD in 2018 at the University of Nottingham, focusing on heifer rearing and whole-farm feed efficiency in UK dairy systems.

Lucy was first made aware of the ‘Buddy Up’ scheme when she became a member of the Early Career Council and has been a Buddy since December 2020. She wanted to join the programme as she thought it was a great opportunity to engage with another member of the animal science community who was at a similar stage.

Soon after becoming a buddy, Lucy was paired up with an undergraduate from the University of Liverpool, who she credits with helping her to find out more about other people in the animal science community, other institutions, and their work. She also feels that being a member of the scheme over the course of the pandemic, when communication and interaction have been difficult, has been incredibly positive, as it has given her someone different to talk to, to engage in conversation and to help motivate.

Lucy believes the scheme is a fantastic idea and helps to bring early career scientists together: ‘I would encourage everybody to get involved with the scheme. The opportunity to interact with like-minded people to find out about animal science in different courses, pathways, institutions, countries, and cultures is fantastic. Not only is it helpful for academic and work-related support, but also for friendly discussion and motivation in other areas of life.’

Opportunities that are ideal for recent graduates

Comprised of early career scientists from academia, research, industry and policy the Early Career Council (ECC) provides an invaluable resource to members at the beginning of their career journey. It offers advice, tailored support and training including regular workshops/webinars where participants can hone their skills on topics such as academic writing best practice, how to get published and obtaining funding. The Early Career Council ensures that our early career members have a voice within the Society.

We regularly post job and career development opportunities.

Are you an undergraduate student undertaking animal science studies who is keen to actively promote BSAS membership, news, conference, workshops, awards, and publications?

Then click here to find out about becoming an undergraduate ambassador.

Case Study: Former BSAS Undergraduate Ambassador – Kerri Coffey

BSAS Undergraduate Ambassador Kerri Coffey is currently studying for a BSC (Hons) in Agriculture with Animal Science at Harper Adams University. As well as an interest in the growing crisis around animal health, Kerri’s main focus is on the issues regarding longevity in dairy cows, and how nationally they struggle to last 3 lactations, but are most efficient around the 6th lactation. Her choice of degree was inspired by her time spent on her uncle’s dairy farm in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, where she noticed that while you can always find someone to drive a tractor, a good stockman is often hard to find. Another driver behind her choice of degree, was that Harper Adam’s has a pig unit, and although she had no previous experience, her time working on the unit has since led her to develop a keen interest in pig health and welfare, which she will explore further during her placement year with Bedordia and the AHDB.

Kerri has always been ambitious and open to new challenges and felt that the role of Undergraduate Ambassador would not only allow her to give back to her fellow undergraduates but would also provide a fantastic opportunity to enhance her career development and raise her profile amongst key industry figures and potential employers within the sector. To those considering applying to become an ambassador, she would advise that while the role is of course a multi-faceted one, one of the most important attributes that you must possess, is a willingness to get stuck in and be creative. As one day you will be attending the fresher’s fairs to generate interest in the Society amongst fledgling animal scientists, and on another you’ll be assisting in the promotion of the annual conferences and sharing information on events that could be of particular benefit and interest to undergraduates. Kerri helped Isla Soutter and former BSAS Senior-Vice President Michael Lee, to promote the BSAS virtual conference amongst undergraduates.

The promotion of the BSAS member services and benefits, is Kerri believes incredibly important, especially to the undergrads, so that they are fully aware of the plethora of benefits that can help support them through the early stages of their careers, such as the mentor and buddy schemes, access to industry contacts, event discounts, and courses and webinars that can help enhance their skillset. Kerri thoroughly enjoys her role as an Undergraduate Ambassador, and particularly likes working with the Society’s CEO Maggie Mitchell, on developing the role further. Sitting on the global and events committees which is another important aspect of being an Undergraduate Ambassador, has also Kerri said helped her to grow in confidence and gain a better insight into the latest research developments, which she can then apply to her own research.

To anyone thinking of applying for a BSAS Membership she says ‘Just go for it’. Before starting my second year I thought that it would be great to say I am a member of a Society to help me stand out from the crowd on my CV, and now I’m an ambassador helping to bring new ideas to the Society and sitting on committees with some of the sectors most talented researchers and industry professionals. If you had said this to me at the age of 15 while milking cows, I never would have believed it.’

If you would like to apply, email communications@bsas.org.uk and provide 3 reasons why you would like the role.

‘Whether you are an established researcher in a university, a student on an animal science degree programme, or a user of animal science in industry or on farms, a BSAS membership provides you with a wealth of opportunities to progress and enhance your career. As a membership organisation we exist to serve our members, providing support to those involved in animal science and its application in the UK and overseas and our team of membership managers, specialist committees and active members are on hand to answer any questions you may have.’ Kim Matthews, BSAS Past President

Membership subscriptions contribute to BSAS activities and are essential in supporting our mission to advance the sector, improve the understanding of all aspects of animal science and ensure research and knowledge transfer has a practical and beneficial application.

Your membership helps us to:

stimulate interest and champion discussion with focus on addressing climate change and wider ecosystem challenges related to livestock production
bring forward and disseminate evidence-based science and sector knowledge to champion and transform, through global collaboration, a one nutrition, one health, multi- disciplinary approach to address future food security and climate change
use this evidence-based animal science to inform government policy and related decision making activities, bringing together and providing a platform for individuals and organisations that are committed to the advancement of sustainable livestock and the wider animal science sectors
work with all sectors in, and related to, animal science to encourage and ensure sharing of factual information to improve animal health and welfare; and the care of equine, companion, and zoo animals
encourage and support the development of early-career professionals as tomorrow's leaders and, thereafter, throughout their careers

Your membership, allows you to take advantage of the many benefits of being a BSAS member, including:

discounted rates on the BSAS annual conference fee
discounted article processing charge (APC) for animal - the international journal of animal biosciences
complimentary membership of EAAP - allowing access to discounted conference fees and participation in commissions to represent UK animal science (free membership is only available to members located in EAAP member contries)
access to BSAS Register and CPD events
opportunity to make a difference by getting involved in BSAS committees and activities

To become a member or to renew your membership, click here.

If you have any questions about becoming a BSAS Member or about your BSAS Membership, please do not hesitate to contact us at membership@bsas.org.uk.

You can read more about the benefits of becoming a BSAS member in our downloadable Member Booklet or watch the video below.

Membership Fees (per annum)

Membership Fees

Individual	£120
Graduate (up to 3 years post full-time education)	£60
Retired	£60
Student (full-time education)	£25
Low to middle-income countries (LMIC)	£25

The Society's undergraduate members are supported with a host of tools and resources to support their fledgling careers and help them feel better prepared for the transition from student to professional. This includes providing opportunities to network with leading academics and industry professionals. Comprised of early career scientists from academia, research, industry and policy the Early Career Council (ECC) provides an invaluable resource to members at the beginning of their career journey. It offers advice, tailored support and training.

Contact us...

About Membership
E: membership@bsas.org.uk

T: 020 3925 3676

About the Register and Accreditation
E: register@bsas.org.uk

T: 020 3925 3676

About Events
E: events@bsas.org.uk

About Communications
E: communications@bsas.org.uk

About Finance
E: finance@bsas.org.uk

Write to us...

Registered address:
BSAS SCIO
18 North Street
Glenrothes
Fife KY7 5NA

DONATE TO HELP US CONTINUE TO CHAMPION AND SHAPE THE FUTURE OF ANIMAL SCIENCE

BSAS is a charity, relying on donations, membership and conference fees to continue to provide support and resources for the animal science and technology sector. Right now, and always, we need your help.

FIND OUT MORE

What your donations mean

Our membership services are funded by donations, membership and conference fees. Every penny donated and spent with the society goes back in to help us improve and grow our services. Without your valuable support, we would not be able to continue.

Every little helps

Every little helps, and we greatly appreciate donations, large and small, to help us continue to offer the services widely relied on across the animal science and technology sector. From academia through to industry and across a depth and breadth of specialisms including agriculture, companion, equine and zoo animals, we continue to ensure resources, topics and opportunities are always available.

Leave a little something in your legacy

You can continue to help us champion animal science and support the sector by leaving a donation to BSAS in your legacy. You can help support this vital sector and the work that we do and provide a bright future for the industry by choosing to leave a donation in your will. For further information about this and many other sponsorship opportunities, please contact the BSAS CEO, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) – your gift could enrich the career progression of some of our fledgling animal scientists for decades to come.

Panel Discussion

Slides

Elizabeth Magowan

Erin Sherry

Jack Hannam

James Taylor