November 2024 ABI Alum Spotlight: Jamie Nakatani
My name is Jamie Nakatani, and I graduated from UC Davis in 2012 with a major in Animal Biology and a minor in Entomology. After college I worked in the zoo field for several years, starting as an animal care volunteer, progressing to a paid zookeeper, then earning an Associate of Science degree in Exotic Animal Training and Management from Moorpark College in 2016. During my time in that program, I realized I was primarily drawn to the older animals or those with interesting medical issues and spent as much time with the veterinary staff as I could. The logical next step was to apply for veterinary school, and I was fortunate to be accepted to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. I returned to Davis, graduated from veterinary school in 2021, then earned my Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine degree in 2022. Now, I am a PhD Candidate in the Animal Behavior Graduate Group at UC Davis, studying captive bottlenose dolphin behavior and welfare, with a special interest in how positive reinforcement training impacts their welfare and overall health. I am concurrently pursuing veterinary board certification through the American College of Animal Welfare to become a veterinary specialist in animal welfare. I am also working part-time at the veterinary school as a surgery lab veterinarian, helping the third-year veterinary students through their first spay and neuter surgeries.
As an undergraduate student, I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my career, only knowing that I wanted to work with animals. The Animal Biology major gave me the flexibility to explore my options and gave me invaluable exposure to the process of scientific research. My senior practicum focused on the foraging efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes in different soil salinities, and I was extremely fortunate to be included as an author when the larger project was published. My senior practicum made me stand out when I was applying for positions after college and laid the foundation for my career in behavioral and welfare research. I have found I truly enjoy the research process and how it can be used to improve the lives of individual animals. The path to my current career has been anything but straightforward, but all the experiences I gained along the way helped shaped the person I have become and allowed me to find what I am truly passionate about. Twelve years after graduation, I am still extremely grateful for the Animal Biology major, the flexibility it afforded, and the diverse opportunities it provided, because it helped launch a long career of exploration and a never-ending search for knowledge.