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Introducing Professor Julia Beatty and Professor Vanessa Barrs

January 3, 2020
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From left: Prof. Barrs, Prof. Beatty

As an institution that draws veterinarians and veterinary medicine experts from around the world, the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences (JCC) is pleased to welcome two renowned feline veterinarians to its faculty this year: Chair Professor Vanessa Barrs, who is taking up the post of Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Affairs, and Professor Julia Beatty, joining as Chair Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Infectious Disease. Both professors have been teaching at the University of Sydney, Australia, for the last 15 years.

With problems such as antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic diseases raging around the world and posing major threats to human health, both Professors Barrs and Beatty believe that JCC can play an important role in the Asia-Pacific region as Hong Kong’s first veterinary medicine and life sciences college, and both of them are dedicated to furthering their research to tackle these problems. Furthermore, Professor Barrs will specialise in curriculum development and the teaching programmes related to One Health, whilst Professor Beatty will bring her years of clinical teaching experience to establishing the Department of Clinical Sciences.

Just as Hong Kong is culturally diverse, CityU brings together veterinarians, researches and scientists of various nationalities, each with their own expertise and insights. This was what attracted the two professors to take up the positions at JCC. “Instead of competing with each other, we believe that veterinarians should join hands for the benefit of animal and human health. The future of mankind is created through collaboration with all kinds of experts from different backgrounds. For this reason, we hope that Hong Kong will attract more international professionals and that students at CityU can also widen their horizons through taking up further studies or careers overseas, and engaging in global academic exchanges.

About Prof. Vanessa Barrs >

About Prof. Julia Beatty >

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介紹Julia Beatty教授及Vanessa Barrs教授

賽馬會動物醫學及生命科學院雲集多國獸醫及動物醫學專家,今年有幸邀請同在澳洲悉尼大學執教十五年的貓科權威學者Vanessa Barrs教授及Julia Beatty教授加入,前者擔任學院的副院長及獸醫事務總監,後者則任動物醫學及傳染病講座教授。

抗藥性、人畜共患病等問題在全球肆虐,威脅人類健康,兩位教授均指學院作為全港首間動物醫學及生命科學院,在亞太區擔當重要的角色,他們會致力推動相關研究工作,Barrs教授專責課程發展,致力與健康一體化(One Health)相關的教學和推廣工作;而Beatty教授則以多年臨牀教學經驗帶領設立臨牀科學部門。

香港是一個文化多元的城市,城大更匯聚不同國籍的獸醫、研究人員和科學家,各有專長和識見,對兩位教授來說,這正是這個崗位吸引之處,她們不約而同說:「我們認為獸醫之間無須互相競爭,反之要為動物及人類健康共同努力,不同背景的專才群策群力,人類才會有未來。因此,我們期望未來香港能吸引更多海外專才來港執業,學院的學生亦能放開眼界,多到外國深造或執業,促進學術交流。」

關於Vanessa Barrs教授
 

關於Julia Beatty教授