Affiliation: University of St Andrews, United Kingdom
Keywords: Cooperation, Reciprocity, Evolution, Social Cognition, Animal Behaviour, Comparative Psychology
Full profile: Dr Manon Schweinfurth, originally from Germany, studied Biology with a minor in Psychology at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. During her studies, she became fascinated by how and why animals live together peacefully. For her PhD, she moved to Bern, Switzerland, to investigate the evolution of social behaviours in rats. She was then awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation to study social cognition in chimpanzees at Chimfunshi, Zambia. Today, she is a Senior Lecturer (equivalent to Associate Professor) in the School of Psychology & Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews, United Kingdom, and leads an independent research group, the Cooperation Lab.
Manon’s research delves into the origins of sociality and cooperation, with a focus on the underlying evolutionary and psychological mechanisms. Specifically, she aims at understanding how and why seemingly altruistic behaviours emerge and persist in a competitive world. Her Cooperation Lab is an international, collaborative and interdisciplinary research group that works on a range of questions, while combining different disciplines and collecting data on humans and animals (predominantly chimpanzees and rats). Her work is and has been supported by prestigious grants and recognised by various international awards. The impact of her research is further evidenced by the numerous invitations she receives to present at scientific institutions across Europe and beyond, and garnered widespread media coverage in over 30 countries.
Beyond her academic contributions, Manon is actively involved in the scientific community. Currently, she manages an international academic society with over 500 members from more than 20 countries and co-organises a research consortium that spans over 30 sites across four continents. She is an Associate Editor for the journals Animal Behaviour and Journal of Comparative Psychology. In addition, she has organised international and national conferences, workshops and symposia, fostering collaboration and interdisciplinarity. Committed to supporting the next generation of scientists, Manon mentors early-career researchers through various programmes, providing guidance and support as they develop their careers. Her dedication to science communication is evident in her frequent public engagements, including events, podcasts, and popular science writing. She also teaches multiple courses at the bachelor’s and master’s levels with the aim to inspire the next generation by challenging their current understanding and fostering critical thinking. Recently, Manon designed and curated a temporary museum exhibition that attracted over 25,000 visitors, further demonstrating her passion for making science accessible and engaging to the broader public.