Dr. Jan Birch
BSc, MA, PhD, PGCHE, FHEA
Trustee
Jan graduated from the University of Cambridge (1991) with a PhD in Veterinary Physiology having been awarded an Animal Health Trust Scholarship. Her doctoral studies were developed as industry-linked partnerships delivering applied research to explore new technologies. She has continued with this approach throughout her career, initially whilst based at The University of Liverpool, School of Veterinary Sciences, Leahurst and Liverpool John Moore’s University and latterly as Research, Scholarship and Knowledge Transfer Manager for University Centre, Reaseheath. This industry-linked, applied research experience includes partnership building, project development, and grant writing for numerous collaborations between industry, charitable organisations, and academia. Along with this, Jan has also spent more than 25 years as an academic engaged with both supervising industry-linked, applied research (engaging and supervising undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students), lecturing, managing degree programmes, and developing and validating industry-aligned undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in the animal and equine sciences.
Jan also has extensive experience in the charities sector having held senior management, Trustee (current Trustee with responsibility for Research for the British Horse Foundation), and independent consultant posts with responsibilities for education, research, project development and funding strategies. In addition, Jan has a special interest in dissemination and knowledge transfer including international conference organisation. She has a fundamental belief that for research to be useful it needs to be shared in such a way that everyone can use it effectively.