UK presents inaugural Companion Animal Speaker Series
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 14, 2024) — The University of Kentucky, The Bill Gatton Foundation and the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment invite the UK campus, along with the local and state community, to The Bill Gatton Foundation Speaker Series: The Human-Animal Bond, starting Nov. 4.
This speaker series is designed to inform and inspire attendees about the human-animal bond by identifying the important linkage of improving the lives of companion animals and humans. The series will also explore relationships and collaborations between practice, policy and academia.
To begin this series, Kate Shoveller, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph, will present on the topic “From Hooves to Paws to Hands: Interconnectivity in the Pursuit of Innovation.”
Shoveller’s presentation will further explore the need for collaboration across multiple sectors — government, industry, health care, academia and the public — to improve the lives of companion animals and human life.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Shoveller as one of the inaugural speakers in The Bill Gatton Foundation Speaker Series,” said Nancy Cox, Martin-Gatton CAFE dean. “Dr. Shoveller’s data-driven research on enhancing the lives of companion animals and their human counterparts perfectly aligns with Bill Gatton’s vision of promoting and supporting the human-animal bond.”
The event will take place at the Gluck Auditorium in the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center building on campus, beginning at 12:30 p.m. and concluding at 1:30 p.m. with a light reception to follow.
Visit ca.uky.edu/gatton-foundation-speaker-series to register. Registration deadline is Oct. 23.
The series continues Nov. 6 with an additional talk by Shoveller titled “Checking our Pulse: The Use of Pulses in Dog Food.” Taylor Richardson, research assistant studying under Shoveller, will also present on “The Pursuit for an Alternative Oil: Comparing the Dietary Supplementation of Camelina, Flax and Canola Oils to Dogs and Horses.”
The speaker series serves as a foundation for launching the future Companion Animal Studies undergraduate certificate program at Martin-Gatton CAFE. Slated for Fall 2025, pending approval, the certificate will provide UK students with a comprehensive understanding of the roles and significance of companion and working animals in society — encompassing topics such as animal care, management and well-being and the human-animal bond.
For questions or information on the Companion Animal undergraduate certificate program, email CAFEadvising@uky.edu.
Bill Gatton, who bestowed a transformational $100 million gift through The Bill Gatton Foundation in 2023, was a believer in the power of the human-animal bond. He passionately supported further exploration of the role of companion animals in all aspects of human health and well-being.
University of Kentucky alum and former trustee Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton bestowed a transformational $100 million gift to the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment through The Bill Gatton Foundation. It is the largest gift to the university in its history.
Four pillars of The Bill Gatton Foundation's Gift are Scholarships and Student Success Initiatives; Companion Animal Program; Capital Projects and New Initiatives Fund; and Faculty Research.
At the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, we recognize that our lives as humans are closely connected with animals. As such, we are committed to developing a globally recognized program centered on the land-grant mission and focused on research, instruction and outreach related to companion animals.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.