ABOUT
As an undergraduate student, I came across a lab studying dog cognition – I was excited to be able to combine a love for animals with a love for psychology! I believe a deeper understanding of the way dogs communicate with humans is vital to improve our relationship with them and protect their welfare, and thus, I decided to devote my career to the study of dog cognition.
My research focused on how to maximize the welfare of therapy dogs, exploring different handling strategies in sessions with children, as well as how to assess their preferences for different types of human interaction. Besides that, I collaborated in several other studies on dog behaviour. My supervisor was Sasha Protopopova.
I had a great time at the AWP! My time in the program allowed me to deepen my knowledge about matters related to animal welfare, which complements my prior background in Psychology. I also enjoyed learning about welfare aspects related to different species, despite my focus being on companion animals (dogs).
Now, I have started a full-time teaching position as a Lecturer in the Psychology Department at UBC. Next year, I will be teaching a course on Human Animal Interactions, which will definitely draw on my learning and experiences from the AWP.
My advice for students is to spend time in room 180, connect with peers as well as supervisors. Those interactions are one of the best features of the AWP.
EDUCATION
Bachelor in Psychology (2016), University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Teaching Training Degree in High School and Higher Education in Psychology (2021), University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
PhD in Psychology (2022), National University of Córdoba, Argentina