Marina von Keyserlingk

University of British Columbia, 1995, PhD

University of Alberta, 1989, MSc

University of British Columbia, 1987, BSc (Hon)

Nina’s love of animals began at a very young age while growing up on a beef cattle ranch in British Columbia. After leaving the ranch, she went onto complete her undergraduate in agricultural sciences at UBC, and her M.Sc. in Animal Science at the University of Alberta. She returned to Vancouver to complete her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences at the University of British Columbia.

A professor with a pioneering approach to engaging in research that is targeted specifically at improving the lives of animals, she has frequently been recognized for the ground breaking nature of her work and is one of the top global scholars in this field.

For her outstanding contributions to the sustainability of food of animal origins, Nina was also the 2018 recipient of the Hans Sigrist Prize, the annual award of the Hans Sigrist Foundation to an academic researcher who is viewed as an international ground-breaker in their field. In 2025 she was also the recipient of an honorary doctorate by Ghent University for her outstanding contributions to the field of animal welfare science. Her most recent accolade was being recognized by the Faculty of Land and Food Systems young alumni for her exceptional dedication to transforming the way humans think about animal welfare, and guiding Canadian animal agriculture towards meaningful change. She has also been the recipient of numerous other international awards; in 2018, the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Extension Award recognized her outstanding achievements in extension (knowledge transfer); in 2013, she received the Excellence in Dairy Science award, the first woman to do so since the ADSA’s inception in 1917.

For more details, please visit the Animal Welfare Program website.

Marina (Nina) von Keyserlingk (together with her colleague Dan Weary) offer an undergraduate course targeted at 3^rd and 4^th year students interested in gaining research experience - Research Methods in Applied Animal Biology. This course introduces students to research methods including research design, scientific critique, writing proposals and reports, and oral presentation. She also encourages senior undergraduates with a strong interest in Animal Welfare to participate in hands-on research in Animal Welfare by enrolling in the undergraduate thesis or directed studies.

During her tenure as a faculty member at UBC she has devoted to achieving teaching excellence. In 2008 she was awarded the Killam Teaching Award, recognizing her excellence in teaching. In 2023 she was recognized for her mentorship contributions to graduate and post doctoral fellows when awarded the Killam Graduate Mentoring award. Most recently in 2024, she was the recipient of Canada’s top award for graduate and post-doctoral mentorship, Dr. Suning Wang Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship. Awarded by the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS), Ottawa, Ontario.

Please visit Dr. von Keyserlingk’s Google Scholar page for a list of recent publications.

1. 2025  Faculty of Land and Food Systems Alumni Award, The University of British Columbia
2. 2024 (conveyed March 21, 2025). Honorary Doctorate, Ghent University for outstanding global leadership in the field of animal welfare.
3. 2024 (July) International Society of Applied Ethology – recipient of the Creativity Award for displaying exceptional creativity - has contributed research/a theory/a concept/a method that has had a significant impact of the field of applied ethology.
4. 2024 (November) Killam Mentoring Award (UBC; senior category) for outstanding contributions to mentoring at the graduate level – senior category
5. 2022 (October) J.L. Thomson Lecturer, awarded annually by the University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary School to an outstanding researcher and mentor in a field relevant to Veterinary Sciences.
6. 2022 (May) Killam Research Award (UBC) for outstanding contributions to Research in the Sciences, Medicine and Applied Sciences – senior category
7. 2018 (December 8th) Recipient (award received in 2019): The Hans Sigrist Prize, Hans Sigrist Foundation, University of Bern. The Foundation's premier annual award extended to an academic researcher who is viewed as international ground breaker in the field.
8. 2018 Recipient: The American Association of Dairy Science Dairy Extension Award (sponsored by DeLaval) was created to recognize outstanding achievements in dairy extension. The winner must have made a valuable and noteworthy contribution to the dairy industry through dairy extension in the broad areas of production, manufacturing, marketing, and youth work; be active in dairy extension when nominated and have at least 10 years of dairy extension work with an educational or public institution; and have been a member of ADSA for at least five successive years.
9. 2016 Co-recipient (with Daniel M. Weary): Ruminant Well-being Award for outstanding contributions to the field of ruminant well-being. Award given by the World Buiatrics Association (Dublin, Ireland) and sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, Inc. (Germany).
10. NSERC Industrial Research Chair (Senior Chair holder), NSERC, 2014 – 2024
11. 2013 Co-recipient (with Daniel M. Weary): Metacam Award for outstanding contributions to the field of cattle welfare. Award sponsored by Canadian Division of Boehringer Ingelheim, Inc.
12. 2013 Recipient: Award for Excellence in Dairy Science – Production and Manufacturing. American Association of Dairy Science (award sponsored by Elanco Animal Health); first woman to receive this award since its inception in 1917.
13. 2012 Recipient: Canadian Animal Industries Award in Extension and Public Service. Awarded by the Canadian Society of Animal Science.
14. NSERC Industrial Research Chair (Associate Chair holder), NSERC, 2008 – 2014
15. 2008, Killam Teaching Award (UBC)