Dr. Timothy Hackett joins the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) as the next chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences, effective September 20th.

We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Hackett to the college and to the Department of Clinical Sciences,” says Lorin D. Warnick, D.V.M., Ph.D. ’94, Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “His extensive experience as a clinician, leader and educator will be a great asset to our community. The faculty and staff in the Department of Clinical Sciences have an exceptional impact on our teaching program, advancing veterinary knowledge and serving the public. I look forward to working with Tim and seeing the department’s accomplishments in the years to come through his leadership.”

Hackett is excited to join the Cornell community. “I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity to join CVM faculty and leadership,” he says. “Having worked with CVM faculty on national-level projects and talking to peers at CSU who have been Cornellians, I was really excited at the prospect of joining the team.” He adds that he was drawn to “CVM’s international reputation for excellence in veterinary medicine, their reputation for a supportive and collaborative culture and the strong record of impactful research.”

Hackett will be joining CVM with his spouse, Dr. Eileen Hackett, who started her position as professor of large animal surgery on August 1.

Hackett joins Cornell from Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CSU), where he served as interim associate dean of the veterinary health system and professor of emergency and critical care medicine. He was drawn to a career in veterinary medicine from the outset of his academic career, garnering his D.V.M. from Colorado State University, as well his residency and Master’s of Science in in clinical emergency and critical care medicine. He went on to become board certified by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC) in 1994, working at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital as one of the first ACVECC diplomats and cardiac/coronary care unit /ER specialists in Southern California. He returned to academia and CSU in 1996. He was tenured and asked to lead the emergency/critical care service in 2001, appointed small animal chief of staff in 2005. He launched an urgent care service in 2009, served as ACVECC president and spent the last decade as hospital director and interim associate dean of the veterinary health system.

During his professional journey, Hackett has paired his passion for clinical emergency and critical care medicine with his affinity for teaching and leadership. “Early in my career I got the most satisfaction working a busy clinical service with student at my side,” he says. “Getting to see veterinary students’ eyes light up when they suture their first traumatic laceration made my day. With more responsibility I got the same charge mentoring residents and faculty through advanced cases, publications and research projects. With hospital and college leadership, I got tremendous satisfaction resourcing and fundraising to grow programs and facilities to give students, staff and faculty the space and equipment they deserve. From room remodels to new buildings, I have spent the last decade right-sizing the facility for the work we do.”

In his new role at Cornell, in addition to his administrative duties, Hackett will provide clinical support as a professor of emergency and critical care and continue comparative research on envenomation and antivenom production. His clinical research interests have also centered on trauma, toxicology, and gastrointestinal and cardiopulmonary disease.

As he steps into his new role as chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences, Hackett hopes to maintain the department’s strengths. “The department should continue to build on its strong programs in research, clinical services, and veterinary training in a supportive culture for everyone working there,” he says. He also notes that, “With recent retirements of renowned faculty and an influx of more junior faculty, I am excited at the prospect of supporting the next leaders of the profession navigating clinical and research opportunities to assure their success.”

Outside of his roles in veterinary medicine and administration, Hackett looks forward to rehabilitating a small farm near Cornell. “I enjoy the outdoors, gardening, cooking and carpentry. With our new farm, I now have ample space and water to really grow things. Hiking, biking, skiing and sailing have all been hobbies at different times of my life I’d like to pursue in Tompkins County and the northeast,” he says. 

Written by Lauren Cahoon Roberts