Erica van de Waal

• SNSF Professor, University of Lausanne, Switzerland, 2017–2023
• Director, the Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, South Africa, 2015–present
• Group leader, University of Zurich, Switzerland, 2015–2017
• Scientific Coordinator, the Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, South Africa, 2011–2015
• Research Fellow, University of St Andrews, UK, 2011–2015
• PhD in Biology, University of Neuchâtel, in collaboration with ABEERU (Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit) of University of South Africa and Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga Parks Board, South Africa, 2010
• MSc in Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 2006
• BSc in Biology at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 2004

This project will yield unique insights into tradition formation in wild primates by adding an experimental approach to the commonly used observational approach. Dr. van de Waal will test the effect of a model’s identity on the extent to which novel innovations spread, and also examine the spatial and temporal scales on which traditions may develop. The combined results will for the first time assess the role of social learning for behavioural phenotypes in a wild primate population, which should help us to better understand what makes our human culture so unique.

• ERC Starting Grant for project “Knowledge Moves”, 2021–present
• Tinbergen prize & Plenary talk, Ethologische Gesellschaft, European Conference of Behavioural Biology, Prague, 2014
• Advanced Postdoc.Mobility fellowship, Swiss National Science Foundation, 2014
• Student prize for best talk: Testing for traditions of food cleaning in 6 groups of vervet monkeys, IPS, Kyoto, 2010
• Prize “Jean Landry” for Master of Science in Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution at University of Neuchâtel, 2006
• Prize “Société Académique de Genève, Prix Gillet-Voyage” for swiss high school leaving exam- in language/experimental science section, at the “Collège De Saussure”- Geneva, 2000