Dr. Evan MacLean

Director, Arizona Canine Cognition Center (ACCC)

Office: 

313A2

Evan MacLean is an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona where he holds appointments in Veterinary Medicine, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.  He is the founder and Director the Arizona Canine Cognition Center. Dr. MacLean received his Ph.D. in Evolutionary Anthropology from Duke University in 2012, where he was a James B. Duke Fellow. His research integrates methods from evolutionary biology and comparative psychology to address questions about the mechanisms through which animals represent and reason about the world.  He also conducts applied work investigating how research on dog behavior, cognition, genetics, and neuroendocrinology can improve the processes through which dogs are selected, bred, and trained for roles in society.  In addition to his work on animal behavior and cognition, Dr. MacLean studies the biological mechanisms of human-animal-interaction, with a focus on the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin. He has led diverse projects on these topics which have been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Naval Research, the AKC Canine Health Foundation, and the Waltham Petscare Science Institute.  In 2015 he was awarded a Next Generation Canine Research Fellowship from the Stanton Foundation, and his work has been highlighted in media outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, the BBC, and National Geographic. 

For an overview of Dr. MacLean's research, please see the publications page, his CV, or one of his external profile pages: Google ScholarResearchGate.