What are the effects of rubberized floors on baby elephants held in captivity? What impact do known stressors have on domesticated cats? Should the market or the law drive protections for animals? These are some questions Candace Croney has devoted her career to answering. As director of Purdue’s Center for Animal Welfare Science, Croney oversees interdisciplinary studies aimed at enhancing animal welfare with ethical scientific practices and innovative research design.

Croney’s own research is highly interdisciplinary. Not only does she serve as director for the center, but Croney is a professor in Purdue’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology and has a joint appointment in the Department of Animal Sciences. Croney’s research focuses on public perceptions of animal care, specifically in agricultural landscapes, best practices within veterinary sciences and applied animal behavior studies.

Croney is an authoritative source on a variety of issues pertaining to animal welfare and is frequently featured in the media, offering practical advice on canine and feline care. According to Croney, the best way to study animal welfare is through the application of rigorous scientific principles and by fostering an open and diverse dialogue. Croney’s expertise is often sought by the media, policymakers and other educators, which allows her to inform the public about animal welfare issues.