Anna Wistedt

My work today

I work as an assistant professor in the Department of Biosciences (HBIO) and teach in all of the faculty’s programs. I primarily lecture about anatomy and physiology. Since all students in the VH Faculty’s programs (as well as one program in the NJ Faculty) take courses in animal anatomy and animal physiology, this means that we teach many different types of students in a variety of courses.

Previous areas of responsibility

Between 2016 and 2018, I served as the program director for a new bachelor’s program in Sports and Companion Animals on behalf of the faculty.

Starting at the turn of the year 2017/2018, my role at the faculty changed to Program Director for the Agronomy Program in Livestock and the Master’s Program in Animal Science. It’s been a pleasure to be part of the program for my undergraduate studies. I have worked to further develop the program and try to meet the needs of both students and the industry. Animal Science is the program designed to provide students with a research-based education about our animals and also to attract students from other universities to study animal science at the advanced level here with us. I stepped down as Program Director for Animal Science after just six months to focus exclusively on the Animal Science Agronomy program. 

Since 2021, when the university decided to change the five-year professional programs in agronomy to a 3+2 format, I have also served as the program director for the bachelor’s program in Animal Science and Sustainability. I was deeply involved in the effort to transform the agronomist professional program from a five-year program into two separate general programs: a three-year bachelor’s program and a two-year master’s program. It was a major challenge to offer students a curriculum that would not only grant them the professional title but also give them the freedom to choose. Unfortunately, this approach did not provide the freedom that was intended. Students admitted starting in the fall of 2025 will be admitted to a five-year professional program with the option to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. The work on the program has been successful and has benefited the students.

In my current position, I don’t do much research, but whenever the opportunity arises—especially in bird and poultry research at the university—I’m happy to participate.

Right now, I’m also somewhat involved in research on dogs, where we’re comparing dogs’ personalities as described in tests—known as BPH—with their baseline hormone levels.

I teach and evaluate students in basic anatomy across most animal species, but since my doctoral dissertation focused on birds, avian anatomy is my area of expertise. I also teach physiology, primarily avian reproduction but also mammalian reproduction.

I have supervised and evaluated bachelor’s theses and master’s theses, and I also handle administrative duties as a course coordinator and examiner.