Bustad Lecture

Dr. Katy Schroeder is an associate professor in the Department of Counseling Education at the University of Iowa. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and holds certifications from PATH International as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning and Therapeutic Riding Instructor. She currently co-directs the Human-Animal Interactions for Wellbeing Collaborative, University of Iowa Obermann Center Working Group on the Human-Animal Bond. Dr. Schroeder’s research, teaching, and clinical interests center on the intersection of human-animal interactions and mental health. Over the past decade, she has published and presented extensively on the incorporation of horse interactions in counseling, therapy horse behavior and welfare, and special topics in human-animal interactions. She also is a passionate advocate for the wellbeing of animal healthcare professionals, drawing on her mental health expertise to address compassion fatigue and burnout through education, outreach, and professional development. Some of her most recent research collaborations involved the application of Motivational Interviewing in animal shelter management, the impacts of a canine socialization interaction on military Veterans and shelter dog wellbeing, and the assessment of equine affective responses in equine-assisted services.

The Dynamics of Reciprocity: Perspective-Taking in Human–Horse Interactions and Its Impact on Well-Being

MARCH 27, 2026 WSU event to share | Register for the lecture

This talk will explore emerging scientific research on the human–horse relationship, underscoring the importance of understanding the horse’s perceptual experience. As equine interactions are increasingly included in human healthcare services, it is essential to understand the mechanisms that drive effective and ethical experiences for both humans and horses. Drawing on examples from research and applied practice, Dr. Schroeder will highlight how responsive engagement between species can support positive human health outcomes while also promoting improved welfare for the horses involved. We will also explore how veterinarians play a unique and essential role in this growing field, and how their expertise positions them well to be advocates for the effective care and management of horses working in healthcare spaces.

How and why do we benefit from dogs? Emerging science on the human-dog relationship

MARCH 21, 2025

This talk will give an overview of the latest scientific research on the human-dog relationship, focusing on how positive interactions with dogs influence human health and wellbeing. We will explore studies that investigate the effects of dogs on brain function, stress hormones, emotional wellbeing, and social functioning. Through examples from research on both pet dogs and therapy dogs, the presentation will highlight key findings on how and why we may benefit from our remarkable relationships with dogs.

As the director of the HAB (Human-Animal Bond) lab, her research explores the role and impacts of the human-animal bond for both human and animal well-being across a variety of settings, populations, and contexts. Dr. Rodriguez received her PhD in human-animal interaction from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2020, completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with the Human-Animal Bond in Colorado (HABIC) at Colorado State University, and joined the University of Arizona in 2023. She has led projects investigating the benefits of assistance dogs for individuals with disabilities, the effects of therapy and facility dogs on staff and client/patient wellbeing, and the stress-buffering effects of dogs. Her work has been highlighted in media outlets such as the BBC, Washington Post, and National Geographic. Dr. Rodriguez is an internationally recognized scholar in the field of human-animal interaction, with appointments on the advisory boards of Fetch Pet Insurance, Pet Partners, and American Humane. She has previously served on the board of the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) from 2019-24 and is on the editorial board of the journals Human-Animal Interactions and Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 

2024 – Read more about Phyllis Erdman, WSU human-animal bond researcher and counselor, on the WSU Insider.

2022 – Read more about Megan Mueller, a psychologist and co-director of the Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction at Tufts University.

2020 – Read more about Steven Niemi on the WSU Insider. Title: Reaching Out to the Opposition (virtual presentation)