Dr Hannah Gauci

Professional biography

As an undergraduate studying BSc (hons) in Animal Science at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne I developed a passion for animal behaviour and went on to explore this further with a PhD at Edinburgh University where I researched the effects of social organisation on the feeding behaviour and welfare of growing pigs. During postdoctoral projects I continued to use behavioural and physiological measures to evaluate animal welfare and completed research on the impact of nose-ringing outdoor sows, measures of pain and distress in sheep, and the welfare of exotic farmed animals.  

Between 2002 and 2009 I worked as a lecturer in Animal Welfare and Veterinary Health at Moulton College where I taught students from level 3 through to level 7 and supervised undergraduate and postgraduate projects on a range of species in various environments including horses, companion animals and zoo animals. In addition I was involved in curriculum development and co-wrote undergraduate BSc/HND/FDSc Applied Animal Studies programmes and an MSc in Animal Welfare. Later, as Head of Higher Education at the college, I oversaw programme development in a range of subject areas from construction to sports science.

I joined the OU in 2009 firstly as an Associate Lecturer (AL) and from 2017 as a Staff Tutor in the School of Life Health and Chemical Sciences. My staff tutor role primarily involves managing and supporting ALs to provide effective tuition for our students. My teaching responsibilities currently include chairing SXB390 the biology undergraduate capstone project module, and authoring topics on the new module S286 Biodiversity: Survival in a changing world.  I was Biology Qualification Director from 2020 to 2025 during which time I led the successful RSB reaccreditation of our biology programmes.

Over the last few years I have worked with the OU Validation Partnerships team to support several FE partners with the development of their HE curriculum in the animal welfare subject area and I am currently an academic reviewer for the BSc (hons) Animal Management and Welfare (top up) at University College Peterborough. I am also external examiner for Worcester University (undergraduate biological sciences). 

I am a FRSB, SFHEA, member of UFAW, and member of ASAB. 

Research interests

Scholarship projects:

'Impact of introducing new practical and dataset project options to the science undergraduate capstone project module (S390)' (https://www.open.ac.uk/about/teaching-and-learning/esteem/projects/themes/other/impact-introducing-new-practical-and-dataset-project-options-the-science)

 'Evaluating a new STEM AL induction programme'. (https://www.open.ac.uk/about/teaching-and-learning/esteem/projects/themes/other/evaluating-new-stem-al-induction-programme)

‘Assessing the effectiveness of the induction process for novice Associate Lecturers in preparing them for the Associate Lecturer role’. (http://www.open.ac.uk/about/teaching-and-learning/esteem/projects/themes/other/assessing-the-effectiveness-the-induction-process-novice-associate-lecturers)

'Summer Series of Journal Clubs: an opportunity to develop employability skills and a sense of community amongst students in secure environments' (http://www.open.ac.uk/about/teaching-and-learning/esteem/projects/themes/supporting-students/summer-series-journal-clubs-opportunity-develop-employability)