Nigel Perkins

Professor Nigel Perkins is from a mixed grazing property in south west Queensland and completed a veterinary degree at the University of Queensland, followed by a Master of Science at The Ohio State University and a PhD in veterinary epidemiology at Massey University, New Zealand. He has practiced as a veterinarian in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria and has worked as a veterinary academic clinician at university veterinary schools in Australia, the USA and New Zealand. In 2003 Nigel was promoted to Associate Professor in veterinary epidemiology and Group Leader of the EpiCentre, an internationally acclaimed epidemiology research and consultancy centre within the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Science, Massey University. Nigel then joined AusVet - a private epidemiology consultancy company - in 2004 and became a Director of AusVet in 2007. Nigel joined UQ in February 2016 as Professor of One Health and Academic Superintendent within the School of Veterinary Science. In October 2017 Nigel was appointed as the Head of School of the School of Veterinary Science.

Nigel has held leadership roles in a number of organisations, including research program manager for the Horse R&D Program within the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), surveillance program co-ordinator for the Australian Biosecurity Co-operative Research Centre (AB-CRC), and Chief Examiner of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. He is the current Chair of the Thoroughbred Advisory Panel for Agrifutures Australia. Nigel is recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in the field of veterinary epidemiology. He has broad experience in investigations of animal health, welfare, production and disease in a number of species including sheep, cattle, horses, poultry, pigs, aquatic species, and wildlife, as well as experience in human health projects. He has been involved in many short-term projects in Asian countries associated with capacity building in animal health, transboundary animal disease preparedness and response, risk analysis and disease outbreaks. Nigel's work has a strong focus on improving animal health, production and welfare outcomes in Australian livestock as well as providing leadership within the veterinary profession and in the broader areas of science, food sustainability and one health. .