SEBASTIAN E. HEATH, Vet MB, Ph.D., DACVIM, DACVPM
Dr.
Sebastian Heath currently serves as Science, Technology and Diplomacy Fellow for
the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In this
capacity, Dr. Heath works in the Global Bureau - Office of Agriculture and Food
Security of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), where he
provides technical advisory and administrative assistance for livestock
development programs.
Dr.
Heath’s previous administrative experiences include Section Chief of Large
Animal Medicine at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, where he had
responsibilities for hospital operations, effecting vocational curricula, and
public relations. As chair of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association’s
Disaster Preparedness Committee, the Indiana State Emergency Management Agency
and the Board of Animal Health developed the first comprehensive Veterinary
Services and Animal Care Annex to a State Emergency Operations Plan in the
United States. As chair of the Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Animal Care Committee
he was responsible for developing a comprehensive county Emergency Operations
Plan for the care of owners and their animals in disasters. Both state and
county emergency management plans have been recognized by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency as “Exemplary Practices”.
Dr.
Heath has consulted for the Organization of American States and the Pan American
Health Organization on disaster reduction programs for the livestock industry in
Central and South America, and the Caribbean. He also consults with the
Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC)
and is chair of the World Veterinary Association Committee on Veterinary Support
during Disaster and Emergencies. Dr. Heath is Vice-President of the American
Academy on Veterinary Disaster Medicine. He has also served on the Board of
Directors for the Indiana Horse Council; Tippecanoe County, Indiana, American
Red Cross; and the Greater Lafayette Volunteer Bureau.
Dr.
Heath has written two books: “Animal Management in Disasters” (Mosby), and
“Rescuing Rover” (Purdue University Press). He was senior editor for the two
Federal Emergency Management Agency Independent Study courses “Animals in
Disasters”. Dr. Heath’s publication record consists further of 27 peer
reviewed scientific articles; 5 book chapters; 43 scientific proceedings; 26
scientific abstracts; 6 scientific newsletters; and 29 other publications,
including audio visual programs. In 1999 Dr. Heath was presented with the Samuel
F. Scheidy Award for excellence in veterinary research at the World Veterinary
Congress, in Lyon, France.
Dr. Heath was born in New Hampshire, and grew up in England and Germany, where
he completed his school education. He has received his undergraduate degree from
the University of Newcastle on Tyne, England. In 1985 he graduated from the
School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, England. Dr. Heath
also has a Masters in Veterinary Science degree from the Western College of
Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada, a Master of Veterinary Preventive
Medicine from the University of California, Davis, and a Doctor of Philosophy in
Comparative Epidemiology from Purdue University. He is Board Certified with the
American Colleges of Internal Medicine and Veterinary Preventive Medicine. He
has lived and worked on three continents (Europe, North and Latin America). His
experience as a practicing veterinarian includes small animal and large animal
private practice.
