Bruna Silper

About

Bruna Silper is a Precision Livestock Specialist with Zoetis in Brazil.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

It has been a different year due to the whole Covid situation. I started my work at Zoetis just a couple weeks before the first lockdown. I have been working remotely ever since, with the bright sides and down sides we have all been seeing. I am involved in different activities, from marketing to technical support to team trainings, so daily routines vary depending on the focus at a given time. I especially enjoy building up content to be shared with vets and farms on the media, as well as discussing with peers where we’re headed to next and how do develop our projects to get there. Understanding the market, market shares and potential clients, are also very interesting parts of my job.

What motivated you to enter the science field?

I have always been very curious and enjoyed learning all the time. During my time at vet school in Brazil, I started attending a few conferences where research was presented in a very applied manner and I saw first-hand these research outcomes being applied on the field. The idea that I could dedicate my work to unveiling better practices, or processes that lead to better results for the cows and farmers, is what motivated me to dedicate to this field.

What challenges have you faced in your career?

There have been a few, although I am very grateful for all the support I had along the way. A big first career challenge was starting as a lecturer back at the vet school where I graduated, just a couple of months before. Teaching a large class, and looking quite young, was an interesting way of working on confidence and leadership skills. Next, I moved on to industry jobs, first at DeLaval and now at Zoetis. These where also a whole new challenge, where skills on domains such as negotiation, business and marketing are quite relevant. I understood I was going into a different field, that would push me on new skills – having solid Animal Science knowledge and the whole background of my time at UBC gave me confidence to face these challenges as well.

Share one example of where your LFS degree has allowed you to differentiate yourself from other professionals.

It is hard to choose one! In addition to being able to do research on a facility such as the UBC Dairy Research and Education Centre, including the availability of so many precision livestock tools, I see the critical thinking, environmental conscience, animal welfare knowledge and the whole international experience as big factors on my career nowadays.

What is something that you are proud of that you have accomplished in your career?

I am very proud to be able to apply the knowledge acquired through the years of vet and graduate schools, bringing value and contributing to dairy farming development.

What are your top tips in finding the right balance between work life and personal life?

This is really not so easy; my time at LFS taught me a lot on this too. My take on this matter is to understand that there will be times that work will demand much, and it will pay off to dedicate those extra hours. But also to know that time flies by, and that we have to set time aside for ourselves, family and friends. Learning to recognize these moments, knowing how to prioritize, and being organized go a long way in achieving balance on the long run.