Rate My Professor Esther Callcott

Dr Esther Callcott serves as Course Director and Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Technology, as well as Head of Discipline for the Bachelor of Veterinary Technology, within the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences at Charles Sturt University. Her academic background includes a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing from TAFE NSW (2009), a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) from Macquarie University (2009), a PhD in Medical Biochemistry from Charles Sturt University (2019) on the potential of coloured-rice derived polyphenols in alleviating obesity-related oxidative stress and inflammation, a Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education from Charles Sturt University (2022), and Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). With extensive teaching experience across undergraduate and postgraduate levels in biological sciences, medical sciences, and veterinary sciences, she manages academic operations, including partnerships such as with Goulburn Ovens TAFE for integrated Certificate IV delivery. She leads a team focused on producing industry-ready veterinary technologists proficient in day-one clinical competencies, emphasizing foundational scientific principles applied to clinical scenarios in courses like advanced veterinary medical nursing, clinical pathology, and applied pharmacology. Her scholarship of teaching incorporates veterinary clinical simulation models for surgical and ultrasound diagnostic techniques to optimize student learning outcomes and clinical proficiency.

Dr Callcott's research centers on medicinal biochemistry and biodiscovery, exploring the therapeutic potential of natural bioactive compounds from coloured rice, hemp seed protein, macroalgae, and other sources to mitigate risk factors for lifestyle and metabolic diseases. Her investigations employ laboratory methods, animal studies, and nationally registered human clinical trials to assess feasibility for nutraceutical products and functional foods. Notable publications include 'Pyometra case study: 6-year-old female intact Newfoundland' (2026, with Z. Lister and E. Schoenfeld), 'Optimizing student outcomes: A comparison of two teaching methods for identifying vegetal foreign bodies in canine limbs using simulation models and ultrasound' (2025, with A. Williams et al.), 'The development of a systematic ultrasound protocol facilitates the visualization of foreign bodies in canine limbs' (2023, with E. Schoenfeld et al.), and 'Review of Associated Health Benefits of Algal Polyphenols: Current Knowledge and Future Directions' (2022, with M. Willett et al.). She has supervised successful Honours completions and current PhD students, earned awards such as 3-Minute Thesis Runner Up (2018) and Best Student Presentation (2018), and holds memberships in the NSW Division of the Veterinary Nurses Council Australia and the Australasian Grain Science Association council.