Katie Beckmann

Lecturer in Wildlife Health & Conservation Medicine

Contact details

Address

Street

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian

City
Post code
EH25 9RG

Biography

Background

I’m a Lecturer in Wildlife Health and Conservation Medicine here at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

After graduating from the University of Cambridge’s Vet School in 2001, and working in private (predominantly equine) practice, I studied for an MSc in Wild Animal Health at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), University of London, and Institute of Zoology (IoZ), Zoological Society of London (ZSL), from 2006-2007. I worked as a Wildlife Veterinarian and Postgraduate Research Assistant at the IoZ from 2008-2014: initially on long-term post mortem disease surveillance programmes for garden wildlife (birds, amphibians and hedgehogs), and then in a team conducting disease risk analyses (also called health risk analyses) for, and providing veterinary support to, conservation initiatives for a broad range of native species of conservation concern (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates). I also worked occasionally as a Locum Veterinary Officer at ZSL London Zoo from 2009-2012. I worked at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), UK, as a Veterinary and Wildlife/Ecosystem Health Officer, from 2012-2019. My role there evolved from one covering both captive animal and wild waterbird health, to a bespoke position as vet for WWT’s Conservation Directorate. In this latter role, I provided clinical and scientific veterinary support to a range of multi-partner waterbird conservation translocation programmes and conservation breeding initiatives, conducted disease surveillance and disease outbreak investigations, and oversaw the management and mitigation of health problems, in both captive and free-living waterbird populations.

I am interested in wildlife health research that has application to biodiversity conservation practice. I enjoy investigating wildlife health issues and working collaboratively with scientific and conservation partners to prevent, mitigate and manage them. I have a current research interest in health risk analysis – including health management planning – for conservation translocation programmes and am studying part-time for a PhD on this subject at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), University of London, IoZ and WWT. I also have a long-standing interest in building animal health expertise in lower-income countries, so am looking forward to being involved in the R(D)SVS’s online Masters programmes in Conservation Medicine and One Health as part of my role.

Qualifications

  • Diploma of the European College of Zoological Medicine (Wildlife Population Health) (2014)
  • Master of Science in Wild Animal Health, RVC and ZSL (2007)
  • Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS; 2001), Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (2001) and Master of Arts (2002), University of Cambridge

Responsibilities & affiliations

  • European Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Wildlife Population Health) (2014, re-credentialed 2019)
  • Member, IUCN Conservation Translocation Specialist Group (2015-)
  • Moderator, BVZS British Wildlife Health Network (listserv) (2016-)
  • Committee member, Zebra Foundation for Veterinary Zoological Education (2016-)
  • Council member, British Veterinary Zoological Society (BVZS), 2015-2017
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