Anastasia Stellato, an expert in companion animal behavior and welfare, has been named an assistant professor in Texas Tech University’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences, according to officials within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. She officially stepped into her new teaching and research post on May 1.

The Canadian native indicated that her research program broadly focuses on promoting the health and welfare of companion animals through improving human-animal interactions within various applied environments, such as shelter and veterinary environments. Her major focus is to identify ways to improve human-animal interactions through evaluating animal welfare indicators, human-animal bond, and mental wellness of humans.

One of her primary goals at Tech is to develop an interdisciplinary and collaborative research program that develops practical and critical solutions to improving our interactions with companion animals. Further, through her teaching, she aims to cultivate a supportive and welcoming environment that encourages group discussion and critical thinking as well as offer the foundational skills necessary to achieve post-grad success. 

Prior to joining the Texas Tech faculty, Stellato served as post-doctoral researcher and research assistant at the University of Guelph, Canada. She also devoted her previous employment to better the welfare of animals through her role as a dog behaviorist for Toronto Animal Services, and a Canine Adoption Counselor at the Toronto Humane Society. In addition, Stellato was a Wildlife Conservation Volunteer at the De Wildt Shingwedzi Cheetah and Wildlife Ranch in South Africa and was a field research assistant with the Society for Conservation Biology at the University of Toronto.

Her bachelor's degree in conservation biology is from the University of Toronto-St. George, and her master’s degree in animal behavior and welfare is from University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College. Her doctorate in epidemiology is from the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College. 

CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-5653 or michael.orth@ttu.edu

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