Dr. O’Connor is an internationally recognized veterinarian and quantitative epidemiologist who is particularly interested in the application of epidemiology to better inform policy related to food safety, one health, animal welfare, animal health, and veterinary clinical practice. Dr. O’Connor has been a leader in veterinary science in efforts to translate research into practice by reducing research wastage and maximizing the value of research. She has led initiatives that seek to improve the reporting of all research involving animals; these initiatives have required international collaborations and have had international impact on reporting in veterinary science.

Dr. O’Connor (with colleagues) has been instrumental in introducing the use of systematic review methods into livestock diseases, food-borne pathogens of animal proteins and veterinary public health. Her work has been funded by organizations such as the USDA, the National Pork Board, and the European Union Food Safety Authority. Topics evaluated include pre-harvest food safety interventions, post-harvest interventions, zoonotic pathogens, diagnostic tests for assessment of unconsciousness and detection of zoonotic pathogens in pets and the impact of proximity to confined animal operations on community public health.

Dr. O’Connor is a principal author of the REFLECT statement (a statement like the CONSORT statement, but specifically relating to livestock trials). Dr. O’Connor is currently involved in developing a modification of the STROBE statement for animal populations. Many of the research synthesis techniques developed in human health are readily translatable to animal populations and vice versa. The major issue between the two populations is the extent of clustering in the primary research in animal populations, which often exceeds that encountered in clinical medicine, and is more reminiscent of the clustering encountered in education research or public health.

Dr. O’Connor's professional reputation is also documented through her extensive publications (>100 peer-reviewed manuscripts), invited national and international presentations at numerous producer and research meetings, and strong extramural funding record. Dr. O’Connor has a strong teaching and mentoring record of graduate and veterinary students. Dr. O’Connor also served as an advisor for the European Food Safety Authority and the Food and Drug Administration, as president for the Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and the Evidence-based Veterinary Medical Association, and as a faculty representative on university faculty senate committees.