Farstad W.

I graduated from the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo, Norway, in 1979 (cand.med.vet.) After a short time in general large animal practice, I started research on canine reproduction and related subjects at the Department of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology in 1980, and on reproduction in foxes from 1987. The focus on carnivore reproduction resulted in a PhD (dr. scient.) thesis in canine female reproduction in 1984 under, and in 1993, a free PhD level doctorate degree (dr.med.vet/dr. philos.) thesis in reproduction in foxes.
I was awarded a scholarship in 1988 by the Nordic Ministry Council and spent 3 months studying bovine embryo production in vitro and embryo transfer at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 1995 I was visiting professor at The Research Institute of Libechov, Czech Republic, with professor Jan Motlik, for 3 months. I obtained the position of associate professor of reproduction in 1985, and full professor, Head of gynaecology section, from 1995 at the Department of Reproduction and Forensic Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway. I have had 100% employment at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science from 1980 until date.
I am an accredited European Reproduction Specialist (EBVS, European Board of Veterinary Specialisation), with the title Diplomat of the European College of Animal Reproduction (ECAR Diplomat). I was one of the original founding diplomats of the European College of Animal Reproduction (ECAR) in 1999- 2000 and served on the interim and official Board of the college for a total of four years, and during 2003-2009 I served on the ECAR credentials committee (chairing the committee in 2007-09). I was recertified as ECAR Diplomate in 2005 and 2010.
I was also co-founding the European Veterinary Society for Small Animal Reproduction (EVSSAR) in 1999 and I served 10 years in the Board. In 2000 I hosted the EVSSAR congress in Oslo. In recognition of my work for EVSSAR, I was created Honorary member of the society in 2008.
I have taught undergraduate veterinary students, nurses and technicians in clinical reproduction for more than 30 years ( 1980-present) I have supervised 11 PhD students in topics, such as, canid reproduction, bovine reproduction, semen quality in fox, bulls and boars , endocrine disruptors, bovine welfare, artificial insemination in sheep and goats, and neonatal pig mortality. I have worked with several international guest researchers, veterinarians and students in canine and bovine reproduction and embryo technology.
I have on a regular basis served as referee for international scientific journals with a peer review system. Journals include Animal Reproduction Science, Theriogenology, J Reprod Fertil, Reproduction, Cloning and Stem cells, Reproduction in Domestic Animals, BMC Veterinary Research.

I have authored or co-authored 150 scientifc publications, of which 60 are full original research papers in international peer reviewed journals, 8 chapters in tutorial international textbooks, 20 peer reviewed papers in national or Nordic scientific journals, 60 congress contributions (presentations and posters/abstracts);, and two tutorial chapters in Norwegian books; mainly on topics in canine reproduction, semen cryopreservation and in biotechnology. I have written scientific risk assessments for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the EFSA.
In an evaluation by EAVE 2007 my research group in animal reproduction received very good–excellent in research quality, focus, network and international relevance by an international evaluation committee appointed by the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science. By the same panel the endocrine disrupting group received the rating excellent.

I was chairwoman of the organising committee of the First Nordic Symposium on Embryo Freezing in 1996 followed by several tasks as course masters for continuing education courses both in Norway and internationally.
I was chairing the local organising committee of the 2000 ICAR satellite congress in Oslo, The 4th Int. Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction, and was member of the international committee for the 4th(2000) and the 5th (2004) International Canine and Feline Symposia, and on a regular basis served on the scientific committee of these symposia, including the 2012 Symposium in Whistler, Canada.

I have participated in an international group for endocrine disruptors during1997-2010, and was one of the Course Masters for a NOVA course in Endocrine disruptors in Oslo in 2006.
I was Head of the Nordic and local organising committee of the 14th NKVet Nordic Conference on Xenotransplantation- Animal Organs to save Human Lives in Oslo in 2002.
I have been member of the International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) since 1988, served in IETS committees, was invited speaker during the IETS 2000 Annual Conference in Maastricht and was a 2004 IETS Board member nominee. I have been a member of the ICAR (International Congress of Animal Reproduction) standing committee from 1996-2000. I have regularly attended Congresses of the IETS and ICAR.

I have regularly been invited to speak at numerous international congresses on reproduction, such as The International Congress of Animal Reproduction. (Sydney 1996, and ICAR, Stockholm 2000. I was keynote speaker at the IETS Annual Conferences in Maastrich ,NL ,2000 and in 2009 San Diego California , in 2008 at the British Small Animal Veterinary Annual Congress, in 2010 at the 60th anniversary Celebration meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Nottingham, UK. I was invited to speak at The Seventh Quadrennial ISCFR/17th EVSSAR Congress, in Whistler, Canada, July, 2012 , at the first South American Reproduction Congress , Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2015, at The 20th ESDAR Congress in Portugal in 2016 and EVSSAR in Vienna 2017. Furthermore, I have received regular invitations to chair plenary sessions at national and international conferences within my area of research (e.g. European Veterinary Society for Small Animal Reproduction Conferences; Barcelona 2002 Dublin, 2003, Barcelona 2004, EVSSAR/FECAVA Amsterdam 2005, Budapest, 2006, European Society for Domestic Animal reproduction, Vienna, 2003 and 2008, and Lisbon 2016, The 16th International Congress On Animal Reproduction, Budapest 2008 and ICAR 2012 in Vancouver.

I have worked with the conservation of endangered domestic animal species in the Genressursutvalget for husdyr (vice chair, Norwegian Gene Resource Council for Domestic Animals) (GUH) appointed by the Department of Agriculture.
I was a member during 2000-2007 member of the Norwegian reference group for the conservation programme of the Arctic blue fox (Alopex lagopus) (NINA and the Directorate for Nature Management). Futhermore, I am an advisory scientific member of IBREAM (Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals) and been co-supervisor to a PhD student involved in studying Ethiopian Wolves (Canis simiensis) in the Bale and Senetti mountains in Ethiopia. In 2011 I was a scientific member of an expedition to the Senetti mountains to assess the possibilities to bank semen from Ethiopian wolf.
I have been a member of the veterinærmedisinske rettsråd (Norwegian Veterinary Forensic Council) since 1986 (32 years) , and I was appointed Chair of the Forensic Council by the Department of Agriculture in 2003, and was re-appointed by The Department of Agriculture and Foods in 2007 for the period 2007-2013 and 2013-2018. I resigned in 2018 due to other tasks.
I was member of the Board of the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, 2005-10, serving as vice member for four years and became full member from 2009-10. From 2004 I was government- appointed Chair of Panel 8: Animal Health and Welfare, and full member of The Norwegian Scientific Committee on Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for Mattrygghet) during its initial years from 2004-2007, and was reappointed for the 2nd period 2007-2010, but I declined reappointment for a third period 2010-13 due to other tasks.
I have served as international expert panel member appointed by the Animal Health and Animal Welfare (AHAW) panel of The European Food Safety Authority in 2005 and 2007-10. This has also included participation of an expert group appointed by the AHAW group of EFSA, on animal cloning from 2007, with updates in 2009 and 2010 and in 2010 a working group on the release of genetically modified animals to the food market, Parma, November 2010.

Privately, I have bred English springer spaniels and English setters since 1989 (60 litters) under the kennel prefix Streamside.