Our team

Founders

Marta Amat

Susana Le Brech

Susana Le Brech obtained her degree in Veterinary Medicine at the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (UNNE), Argentina. In 2009 she completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Ethology and Master’s degree in Animal Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). She obtained her PhD degree in 2014 (UAB) and her studies focused on Individual Differences in behavior and stress response in dogs. Since 2012 she is a Diplomate of the Latin American College of Veterinary Ethology (CLEVe).

Pol Llonch

Pol Llonch Obiols obtained his degree in veterinary medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) in 2007 where he also completed his master’s degree in Veterinary Research and Food Science. Subsequently, he obtained his PhD in Veterinary Medicine at the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology (IRTA). He worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Warwick and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). Diplomate from the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM). He is currently working as a researcher in the Department of Animal and Food Science at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the UAB.

Eva Mainau

Eva Mainau obtained her degree in veterinary medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), where she also completed her master’s degree in Veterinary Research and Food Science. Subsequently, she obtained her PhD in Veterinary Medicine at the UAB and worked as a researcher at the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology (IRTA). She is a Diplomate from the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM). Currently, she works as a researcher in animal behaviour and Welfare at AWEC and as an associate professor at the UAB Veterinary School.

Xavier Manteca

Xavier Manteca obtained his degree and PhD in veterinary medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and did his MSc in applied animal behaviour and animal welfare at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). Diplomate from the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM). He is currently a professor in the Department of Animal and Food Science at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the UAB, where he teaches ethology and animal welfare.

His main lines of research refer to the behaviour and welfare of zoo animals, companion animals and livestock. He has been a member of several working groups of the Animal Health and Welfare Panel of the European Food Safety Authority and has published about 200 articles in prestigious international journals.

Oriol Talló

Oriol Talló Parra obtained his degree in Veterinary Science from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), where he also completed his master’s degree in Animal and Food Science Research and his subsequent PhD in animal welfare. He has a main interest in endocrinological indicators of stress. He is currently working as a researcher in animal welfare and behaviour at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the UAB.

Déborah Temple

Déborah Temple obtuvo su licenciatura en veterinaria en la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), donde también realizó su máster de especialización en Investigación Veterinaria y Ciencias Alimentarias. Subsequently, she received her PhD in Veterinary Medicine from the UAB and the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology (IRTA). She is a Diplomate from the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM). Currently, she works as a researcher in animal behaviour and Welfare at AWEC and as an associate professor at the UAB Veterinary School.

Teamwork

Clara Agustí

Clara Agustí obtained her veterinary degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), where she also completed a Master’s degree in Animal Welfare. She has participated in several research projects related to the conservation of marine mammals. Currently, she is doing her PhD on physiological indicators of stress in cetaceans.

Raúl David Guevara

Raul Guevara obtained his degree in Animal Science from the National University of Colombia where he is originally from. There he began his studies in methodologies for the mitigation of greenhouse gases from cattle. Later, he continued his academic training as part of the research group at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) of the University of Florida, and then at Utah State University in the United States where he deepened his research in grazing management as a tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in ruminants during his master’s degree. Currently, Raul is pursuing his doctoral studies in animal production at the Department of Animal and Food Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Joana Miranda

Joana Miranda obtained her veterinary degree at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Member of the board of IVSA Barcelona (International Veterinary Students Association), promoting talks on farm, laboratory, wild and companion animal welfare to spread the importance of this field to the students of the faculty. In July 2022, she started an internship at AWEC. She is currently working as a research assistant at AWEC.

Cristian Larrondo

Cristian Larrondo obtained his veterinary degree from the Universidad de Chile, where he also completed his master’s degree in animal and veterinary sciences with a specialization in preventive animal medicine. Subsequently, he received his PhD in veterinary science from the Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh) and a master’s degree in animal welfare from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Cristian is an external collaborator of the Animal Welfare Program of the UACh (Collaborating Center of the World Organization for Animal Health, in Animal Welfare and Livestock Production Systems). He is currently an associate professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Agronomy, Universidad de Las Américas, Chile. His main lines of interest are related to ruminant behavior and welfare.