I am currently looking for opportunities to continue my research, and would be happy to connect with researchers and other stakeholders interested in potential collaborative projects.

Download my CV here

A little bit about me…

I recently completed my PhD in Anthrozoology (my project focused on free-roaming cats) while building the foundations of a new career – either as an academic, educator, or within a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of animals (including humans who care for more than human animals). Since 2019, I have authored or co-authored 15 peer-reviewed papers that are accepted or in print, have a further three under review, and two more in preparation. Amongst others, I have published in Society & Animals (SOAN), Anthrozoös, and Animal Studies Journal (ASJ). In 2023 I established the Cat Academic Think Tank (e-CATT), a cross-disciplinary group of academics whose interests are related to domestic cats (Felis catus) or small wild cat species. 

For the past 4 years I have co-organised a free online student conference in human-animal studies (Anthrozoology as International Practice, AIP) and am involved in various outreach and collaborative projects. I am an advocate for making academic studies accessible and relevant to everyone, despite the somewhat esoteric nature of academic writing! I have served as a Communications Officer for the Society of Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) since 2021, and in 2023 was elected to the board of trustees. I am a co-founder and host on the The Anthrozoology Podcast, a collaborative project that features early-career anthrozoologists discussing various topics.

Other profiles and affiliations:

• ORCID profile: Kristine Hill
• Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) (Trustee & Comms Officer)
• International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) (member since 2019)
• Animals & Society Institute (ASI) (member since 2021)
• The Australasian Animal Studies Association (AASA) (member since 2021)
• Research Ethics Association (REA) (member since 2023)

Follow me on social media:

• Kris(tine) Hill on LinkedIN
• Follow me on Twitter: @humananimalx
• Follow me on Instagram: @humananimalx

My journey:

Other folks talk about their career paths taking unexpected turns. Well mine has been a maze! I was a high-school dropout, I worked for several years within the equestrian industry, and then I worked in bars and restaurants to fund my further education. In my mid-twenties I became a ‘mature student’ for the first time. I’ve lived in four different countries. I earned a PhD in Plant Physiology in 2007. I dedicated 20 yrs of my life to academic bench science, but tired with being a highly qualified technician unable to work on problems that most inspired me. It has been an adventure. I have few regrets in my life and I have learned the important life-lesson of how to deal with failures and disappointment. What has always missing been was a sense that I was making a positive difference in the world. I never believed what I was doing had any meaning beyond self-gratification.

When I discovered the MA in Anthrozoology from Exeter University I felt it calling out to me. I completed the course while working full-time in an unrelated field, and it became a ‘hobby’ that helped me feel good about myself again. My dissertation explored narratives associated with tattoos dedicated to companion animals, and tattoos representative of a specific animal species. This work was written up for publication in academic journals (see publications) and I wrote from a personal perspective here.

I have benefitted immensely from peer support and mentorship and am happy to Pay-It-Forward! Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to chat.