Carolina Berman

When Carolina Berman decided to take the plunge and move to Scotland to study Applied Animal Science at SRUC she knew without doubt that she wanted to work in the animal industry for the rest of her life. Born in Argentina to parents in the professional horse-riding industry, Carolina grew up in the countryside surrounded by animals and spent much of her free time attending horse riding events.

At the age of 17 she moved to Switzerland and undertook volunteer work on farms. She learnt the habits of wild goats in Spain, before moving on to work at an Equestrian centre in Ireland.

Carolina wanted to study with SRUC because the course had a strong practical element involving genetic laboratory work. But it was the family feeling at SRUC that really sticks in her mind: "All the lecturers know your name, you form close friendship bonds with people I am still connected with now. It was a very enjoyable place to be a student."

Highlights of her time at SRUC include the ten-day field excursion to the Scottish Highlands where she was able to sample haggis, visit various farms and examine good animal welfare practices, something which she states is an issue in Argentina: "Animal welfare is not good in Argentina; it is well structured here in Scotland, animals are looked after properly and humanely."

Carolina also speaks highly of her teachers at SRUC, in particular her 4th year Supervisor Tom McEvoy who she described as “so helpful, going above and beyond to assist students”. Tom helped her choose her honours topic, looking at milk production in cattle (factors influencing conception rates and performance of high-yielding dairy herds on a local and global scale).

Carolina is currently working as a Radiochemical Controller at Charles River Laboratories, in a team evaluating the safety of new pharmaceutical drugs and has ambitions to progress into research.