Allan Gunn

Pathobiology

Associate Professor Allan Gunn

BSc.Agric, BVM&S, MANZCVS (horse med, reproduction, dairy cattle med), DACT, FHEA, FRCVS

Associate Professor in Large animal Theriogenology and Production animal medicine
Wagga Wagga
Building 229 Room 278

Allan was born of farming parents in what is now known as Zimbabwe. He attended state boarding school, followed by a year of compulsory National service where he passed the selection process to join a special forces unit. Thereafter he completed an agricultural degree before working and travelling in the UK and the USA. After a few years of agriculture related employment which included farming, and being part of the 1988 Zimbabwe rugby squad, he completed a veterinary degree at the University of Edinburgh. After working in the UK, he returned to Zimbabwe to set up a practice in rural Zimbabwe based in Mvurwi. The political and economic uncertainty in the country led to him undertaking veterinary work in Australia, Beijing and the UK before settling in Australia in 2001. He is married and has three children. He is still keeping active on the sports fields of Wagga.

ORCiD

He obtained MANZCVS in horse medicine, animal reproduction and dairy cattle medicine in 2002, 2006 and 2021 respectively, became a diplomate ACT via the alternate route in 2008. In 2013 he was registered as a specialist in Theriogenology with the RCVS, and in 2014 in Australasia. In 2012 his academic career began at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. He is involved teaching veterinary students throughout the undergraduate course, with a particular interest in tutorial and practical based pedagogy. He obtained Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in July 2021 as a result of submitting a reflective dissertation on his interest in encouraging students to use a reflective approach to practical sessions to enhance their learning; and the use of video presentations to encourage collegiality and engagement in work integrated learning placements. He is involved in the mentoring of clinicians interested in obtaining advanced practitioner (MANZCVS) and specialist (DACT) status from around the world. His teaching philosophy is to enhance the learning of all students so they may become the best practitioners they can be, by especially giving them agency. This is done by using appropriate affordances and encouraging the use of practical situations to induce self and peer discovery in a safe and vibrant reflective learning environment using Kolbe’s theory of experiential learning.

Allan is research active and has published on a variety of topics mainly in the field of reproduction. He has presented at national and international conferences including the ANZCVS, and the Society for Theriogenology in the USA. In July of 2020 he was conferred the honour of Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a result of his meritorious contribution to clinical practice. He is supervising DACT and DVStud students at CSU. He also supervises Honours, Masters and PhD students’ at CSU. He collaborates with colleagues at the University of Newcastle, where he co-supervises a PhD student, and the University of Melbourne. The latter projects are in semen longevity (UoN) and the neuro-endocrinological control of the reproductive axis (UMelb).