Meet the academic who provides real-world solutions in animal health and welfare through his work at Murdoch.
Who are the people who care for livestock, making sure their health and welfare is top priority?
It’s specialists like Dr Joshua Aleri: Veterinarian, Senior Lecturer in cattle medicine and epidemiology, and researcher at Murdoch University.
There’s no better place to get involved in this nature of work because our campus is much more than just classrooms. It’s a living environment; a thriving hum of activity with multiple farms and laboratories for critical study and research. Out there in the paddocks is a special class of animal specialists, working tirelessly to progress their field and the lives of the animals in their care. These are also the people educating future veterinarians and animal health practitioners in Veterinary Science and Agricultural Sciences.
“Through the research we conduct, we have been able to provide real life solutions towards improving animal health and welfare.”
“I am a veterinarian by training and enjoy working with livestock. I specifically work with dairy cattle but recently with beef cattle and sheep too. My teaching and research focuses on food security, One Health, and biosecurity.
“In a snapshot, my research involves determining burden of disease in livestock and providing the next best future predictions in terms of animal health and welfare, and implementing strategies to mitigate disease and optimise health and production,” he said.
You could hardly ask for a more passionate and hard-working professional in this area. Dr Aleri was awarded the Ruminant Well-being Award in 2018 and the Gustav Rosenberger Award for young cattle scientists. He holds Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nairobi, a Masters in Clinical Studies, and a PhD in Cattle Medicine and Epidemiology from The University of Melbourne. And he’s continuing his vital work at Murdoch.
“I chose Murdoch University because of the good standing the Veterinary School had.”
One of his current focuses is something that touches almost everyone in our society: monitoring antimicrobial resistance on dairy farms to ensure continued, safe milk production. This important research supports the World Health Organisation’s One Health, an integrated, unifying approach to balance the health of people, animals and the environment – and can help us respond to future global threats such as pandemics. Murdoch is involved in the One Health approach at our world-class science centre, the Harry Butler Institute, where Dr Aleri is a Senior Lecturer.
“I focus on training the next generation of scientists who will be thinkers and problem solvers, and be able adapt to the changing world.”
Although he has done so much in his career already, Dr Aleri says it’s the long-term relationships he’s built that have been his greatest achievements.
“Research, teaching and community engagement is continuous, and handing down the tips, strengths and accountability is what I consider great.
“My heartfelt recognition goes to all the research students we work with – PhD, Masters, Honors, and undergraduate students – as they assist us passing these on, season after season, generation to generation,” he said.
These values align with our Ngala Kwop Biddi, Building a Brighter Future Together vision. This is a shared purpose to change lives and society for the better, solve complex future problems, whilst being an inclusive community where anyone can realise their potential.
“I believe one of the important roles of a society is to build a brighter future for generations to come. To build a stronger generation by equipping the vulnerable and embracing diversity is key.
“I focus on training the next generation of scientists who will be thinkers and problem solvers, and be able to adapt to the changing world,” he said.
Murdoch has been a leader in veterinary medicine, environmental science, and sustainability for 50 years. We’re prepared for the next 50, making sure our graduates are ready to embrace the challenges facing our planet.
