Siobhan Speiran

Dr. Siobhan Speiran joined EUC in January as a postdoctoral visitor, continuing her collaboration with Professor Alice Hovorka (The Lives of Animals Research Group) who served as her Ph.D. supervisor at Queen's University. A wild animal welfare scholar and animal geographer, Siobhan conducts transdisciplinary research at the intersection of primate welfare, conservation, and sustainable tourism in Costa Rican wildlife sanctuaries. Her Ph.D. research focused on the lives of monkeys in Costa Rica; generously funded by a SSHRC Bombardier Doctoral Scholarship. Additionally, she founded the Costa Rican Monkey Interest Group to connect wildlife researchers, caregivers, and professionals around the improvement of monkey lives. Siobhan has published on primate rehabilitation, animal labour, tourism ethics, and the phenomenon of ‘wildlife selfies.’ She also participates in scientific activism and communication through teaching, and the website theanimalwelfarist.ca, to disseminate her research. She has contributed as a wildlife expert to multiple podcasts and journalistic news outlets, including National Geographic and the Queen’s Alumni Review.