CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – HAI RESEARCH
The WALTHAM® Human–Animal Interaction (HAI) Research Programme is pleased to announce the availability of £340,000 (approximately 524,000 USD) in 2015 to fund high quality research into the impact of companion animals on human cognition or academic outcomes.
Although animals are often included in educational settings for a variety of purposes, there is little empirical research documenting the efficacy of such practices. In the absence of an assessment system for these activities there are significant gaps in our understanding of the potential impact of animals on measures of academic success. Fundamental research is required to provide an evidence base to inform practice and guide educators and administrators on when, and under what circumstances, animal presence or animal ownership may be pedagogically valuable.
Specific areas of research eligible for funding under this call include but are not limited to the following categories:
- Reading/literacy
- Academic learning outcomes
- Aspects of cognition (executive function, memory, learning, categorization, language etc.)
- Stress/anxiety reduction
- Classroom behaviours impacting academic success
- Physical activity and cognition/learning
- Typical and/or special populations (e.g. ADHD, autism spectrum, etc.)
Deadlines:
Letter of Intent: Prior to submitting a formal application, investigators are required to submit a Letter of Intent to Dr. Nancy Gee (nancy. gee@effem.com) by June 1, 2015.
Application: The application deadline is June 31, 2015.
Further details and the application can be downloaded from the WALTHAM
website:
http://www.waltham.com/waltham-research/other-funding-opportunities/
If you have an interest in the human-animal bond and how pets can help children with autism then this free webinar from SCAS will be of interest to you.
Dr Marie-Jose Enders-Slegers, Professor of Anthrozoology at The Open University in the Netherlands, together with Professor Martens from the Maastricht University, is carrying out research into the emotions of pet animals and if pet ‘owners’ can recognize them.
Approximately one quarter of all people over retirement age own pets but SCAS research revealed that the majority of care homes and sheltered housing complexes in the UK do not have pet policies resulting in many older people having to part with their pets.
Have you read a good book lately that relates to the human-animal bond? We’d love to hear about it.