Kevin Nolan Morris

Research Professor

IHAC Executive Director, American Humane Endowed Chair

Craig Hall, 2148 South High St. Denver, CO 80208

What I do

The health of humans and other animals are intertwined. I conduct collaborative research with a diverse set of stakeholders to understand how our interactions with other animals affect individual and community-wide health and well-being.

Specialization(s)

children and youth, criminal justice, economic development, environment, health and wellness, human-animal connection, intervention research, research methods, social justice

Professional Biography

Kevin Morris, PhD, is the American Humane endowed chair and a research professor within the Graduate School of Social Work. After 20 years of preclinical and clinical cancer research, he switched the focus of his studies to improving both human and animal health and well-being by understanding the impacts of the human-animal bond. As executive director of the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection, he oversees its research and education programs. Morris's research is conducted with leading national organizations and academic collaborators. The overall goal of his efforts is to raise the health and well-being of both people and other animals within the One Health framework through innovative, in-depth research and education.

Degree(s)

Ph.D., Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, The University of Chicago, 1991
BS, Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 1986

Featured Publications

Flynn, E. J., Combs, K. M., Gandenberger, J., Tedeschi, P., & Morris, K. N. (2020). Measuring the psychological impacts of prison-based dog training programs and in-prison outcomes for inmates. Prison Journal, 100(2), 224-239. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885519894657

Hawes, S. M., Ikizler, D., Loughney, K., Barnes, A. T., Marceau, J., Tedeschi, P., & Morris, K. N. (2020). A quantitative study of denver's breed-specific legislation. Animal Law Review, 26(2), 195-270.

Hawes, S. M., Camacho, B. A., Tedeschi, P., & Morris, K. N. (2019). Temporal trends in intake and outcome data for animal shelter and rescue facilities in Colorado from 2000 through 2015. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 254(3), 363-372. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.254.3.363

Flynn, E. J., Roguski, J., Wolf, J., Trujillo, K., Tedeschi, P., & Morris, K. N. (2019). A randomized controlled trial of animal-assisted therapy as an adjunct to intensive family preservation services. Child Maltreatment, 24(2), 161-168. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559518817678

Sparks, J., Camacho, B., Tedeschi, P., & Morris, K. N. (2017). Ethnicity is not a primary determinant of willingness to spay or neuter pets dogs and cats. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science.

Hawes, S. M., Kerrigan, J., & Morris, K. N. (2018). Factors informing outcomes for older cats and dogs in animal shelters. Animals, 8(3), 36. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/ani8030036

Han, T. M., Flynn, E. J., Winchell, J., Gould, E., Gandenberger, J., Barattin, D., et al. (2018). Prison-based dog training programs: Standard protocol (p. 49). WBI Studies Repository. Retrieved from https://animalstudiesrepository.org/anitobe/2/

Flynn, E., Gandenberger, J., Mueller, M. K., & Morris, K. N. (2020). Animal-assisted interventions as an adjunct to therapy for youth: Clinician perspectives. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 37, 631-642. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-020-00695-z

Awards

Faculty Career Champion, University of Denver
Faculty Career Champion, University of Denver
Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work Dean’s Recognition, University of Denver