Honorary Professor: Chris West

Chris West has been made an Honorary Professor in the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine.

A conservationist who has worked in Africa and Australia, he is currently CEO of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

Professor West qualified as a veterinary surgeon at the Royal Veterinary College in 1983 and stayed in the Surgery department for two years. He then worked for the Medical Research Council, assisting medical colleagues largely on anaesthetic and analgesic research.

A move to ICI/Zeneca Pharmaceuticals resulted in 11 years of progression from researcher and Named Veterinary Surgeon to senior management.

In 1997 Professor West became Chief Curator, Chester Zoo, entering the field of zoo conservation.

Subsequently he became Zoological Director at ZSL, based at London Zoo, and held a Visiting Professorship at Liverpool University.

He has sat on many committees and editorial boards, and published and lectured widely.

In 2006 he moved to Australia and combined the role of CEO of Zoos South Australia with the Zoology Chair, Adelaide University.

He chaired the state Wildlife Ethics Committee and the Ethics and Welfare Committee of the World Association of Zoos.

After six years he and his family returned to the UK, and now live in Scotland.

Professor West is excited by current opportunities for science-based conservation partnerships and innovative methods of public engagement, such as those in the fields of panda reproduction, forensic genetics and beaver re-introduction.