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 the impacts of the many intersections we have with animals.

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 an associate research professor within the Institute for Human-Animal Connection. After 20 years of preclinical and clinical cancer research, he switched the focus of his studies to improving animal health and welfare and understanding the human-animal bond. Morris's research is conducted with leading national and international organizations and academic collaborators. He is applying clinical trial designs to quantitatively measure the impacts of animal-assisted interventions in a wide variety of environments and contexts.

Morris's other studies are aimed at documenting the reciprocal impacts between companion animals and communities. The goal is to raise the health and welfare of both people, other animals and the environment they live in within the One Health framework.

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