Karline Janmaat

Prof. Karline Janmaat holds dual appointments as Endowed Professor in Cognitive Behavioural Ecology at Leiden University (Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Cognitive Psychology) and Professor at the University of Amsterdam (Faculty of Science, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics). Her research focuses on understanding the evolutionary function of cognition in primates and other animals, particularly through studying foraging strategies, episodic-like memory, and spatial planning. She employs methods such as VR technology, field observations, and computational modeling to explore cognitive diversity and its ecological relevance.

Her work also addresses improving mental well-being of captive animals, leveraging insights from natural foraging challenges. She leads the Mbendjele Foraging Project and collaborates with institutions like ARTIS Zoo in Amsterdam. Key affiliations include ARTIS Zoo and dual university roles.