Maggie O'Haire, Ph.D.

About Dr. O'Haire

Dr. Maggie O’Haire (PI) is an internationally recognized Fulbright Scholar. She is a Professor of Human-Animal Interaction, affiliate faculty in the Department of Psychology, and the Associate Dean for Research at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine. She earned her BA in Psychology from Vassar College in New York and her PhD in Psychology from the University of Queensland in Australia. Her research program focuses on scientifically evaluating the unique and pervasive ways that humans interact with animals. From research with household pets to highly trained service animals, her findings have been instrumental in evaluating the effects of human-animal interactions. She has given over 275 presentations, co-authored more than 100 publications, and mentored over 100 research students with distinction. She has obtained $18 million in research funding on human-animal wellbeing, including from three different National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutes and centers (NICHD, NCCIH, NCATS) and the Department of Defense (DOD). She has a media reach of 5 billion through interviews in outlets such as the New York Times and National Geographic. She was recently named as a University of Arizona Woman of Impact. 

Education

• Ph.D. Psychology
  • University of Queensland, Australia
• B.A. Psychology
  • Vassar College, New York, United States

Professional Interests

• Research
  • Human-Animal Interaction
  • Human-Animal Bond
  • Animal-Assisted Intervention
  • Service Animals
  • Dogs
  • Psychology