Maggie O'Haire

I am an internationally recognized Fulbright scholar, and the Associate Dean for Research and Professor for the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine. I earned her BA in Psychology from Vassar College, and my Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Queensland, Australia.

I have given more than 200 national and international presentations, with 16 prestigious research awards. I have authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications on the human-animal bond with more than 3,400 citations. To study human-animal interaction rigorously, I have obtained over $8 million in research grants. In this field, I have mentored more than 80 graduate and undergraduate research students with distinction. My research mentees have received >30 national and international awards. I also have a media reach of over 2.6 billion people through social media and news outlets, such as the Wall Street Journal, NPR, New York Times, and CNN. Most recently, I was named as a 2023 University of Arizona Woman of Impact.

Research Interests:

My research program focuses on the unique and pervasive ways that humans interact with animals. From household pets to highly trained service animals, my findings have been instrumental in demonstrating the impact of human-animal interactions.

Entire page updated: 05/16/24