Dr. Alexandra (Sasha) Protopopova, MS, PhD, CPDT-KA is an applied animal behavior scientist in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University. The Human-Animal Interaction Lab, directed by Dr. Protopopova, systematically explores questions of companion animal well-being, behavior, and human-animal interactions. Her research aims are 1) to improve the well-being of dogs housed in animal shelters, 2) assess and develop therapy dog programs to benefit human health and educational outcomes, and 3) improve our general understanding of animal behavior. Dr. Protopopova earned an MS and a PhD in Behavior Analysis from University of Florida and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Dr. Protopopova spends her days conducting behavioral research, teaching university classes in Animal Shelter Management, and cuddling with her bull terrier named Sonya.