Dr. Dorey is a faculty member at the University of Florida, where she teaches courses in psychology and animal behavior. In addition to her teaching, Nicole is co-founder and director of the Animal Behavior & Welfare Laboratory. The group has published a number of scientific papers on a variety of species, ranging from dogs to tortoises. Her current research interests are twofold. First, to evaluate the use of behavioral choices in improve animal welfare. And secondly, to scientifically investigate different approaches to positive reinforcement to identify the optimal methods.

In addition to being a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), Nicole has served as a board member of the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA), consulted on animal research and training at a variety of zoos and has been an invited speaker to a number of national and international conferences and workshops.