Sepideh Fallahi came from Iran to continue her research on poultry welfare at the UPWr Doctoral School. From the beginning, she was interested in Polish history and art. She found the country to be a good place for research in her field since Poland is a significant meat exporter in the EU.
– I searched for the universities in Poland, especially those specialized in natural sciences, and I found out that there were some posts available in the UPWr Doctoral School, so I decided to apply – says the doctoral student.
Sepideh’s research is on animal husbandry. She wants to investigate how cannabidiol (CBD) derived from hemp may influence different aspects of poultry welfare.
– In the industry, poultry welfare is a major concern these days. The broilers with fast growth rates are prone to some health disorders, also the laying hens that are kept for a long time need proper care. I want to use cannabidiol in the diet of those animals also to improve the qualities of meat and eggs – Sepideh explains.
Cannabidiol has some antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. But most of the research has been performed on small animals like dogs and cats so far. That is why in the poultry field, this research is a novelty.
– The atmosphere at the UPWr is friendly, my supervisor Prof. Sebastian Opaliński is supportive, and other colleagues from the department, as well as members of the leading research groups ASc4Future and DroPOWER are very cooperative – says the doctoral student.
At UPWr there are different opportunities to go abroad. According to Sepideh, PhD studies are not only about studying and writing papers, but also about building a network of connections with other scientists and starting effective collaborations.
– The other great experience I had at the doctoral school was the tutoring sessions with Prof. Jan Kazak – says the PhD student – It has changed me personally and helped me in my academic career. The beginning of living here was difficult because I didn’t have much experience studying abroad. But tutoring helped me to change my perspective and see the PhD studies from a different view.
After graduation, Sepideh would like to continue her research career and prefers to stay in the academic environment with a connection to the industry. In her field, it is not possible to disconnect those two worlds. Doing a postdoc is also another option, but it is too early to plan it now.
