Tomas Persson

Tomas Persson is an Associate Professor in Cognitive Science and Deputy Head of Department at the Department of Philosophy, Lund University. He also serves as Scientific Director at Lund University's Primate Research Station Furuvik, where research on great ape cognition in chimpanzees and Sumatran orangutans is conducted. His research focuses on great apes' conceptual abilities, particularly their understanding of images and representation, as well as collaborative projects on rock art with Linnaeus University. He teaches courses on Animal Cognition and Theories in Cognitive Science.

• Administrative Roles: Deputy Head of Department (Research), Scientific Director at Furuvik Station.
• Key Projects: SHACT (rock art narratives), EvoCoop (evolution of human cooperation), and studies on primate short-term memory.
• Awards: 2019 Primates Social Impact Award, 2018 Ig Nobel Prize for cross-species imitation research.

Research interests span human evolution, primate behavior, and cognitive archaeology. Notable work includes studies on imitation in chimpanzees and infants, affective forecasting in primates, and narrative analysis in Scandinavian rock carvings. He has supervised multiple projects and collaborates internationally across disciplines.