Department of Primatology

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Deutscher Platz 6
04103 Leipzig

phone: +49 (341) 3550 - 200
fax: +49 (341) 3550 - 299

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Roman M. Wittig
Citizenship: German

since 2013	Head of Research Group, Senior Scientist (W2)
2011 – present	Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (D), Department of Primatology, Scientific Staff
2008 – 2011	University of St Andrews (UK), School of Psychology, Research Fellow
2004 – 2008	University of Pennsylvania (USA), Department of Biology, Research Fellow

since 2018	Editorial Board member of American Journal of Primatology
2014 - 2017	Member of the Human Sciences Section of the Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society

2004	University of Leipzig (D) & Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (D), Dr. rer. nat. in Biology (Supervisor: Christophe Boesch, Co-referees: Frans de Waal, Peter Kappeler)
1996	University of Bielefeld (D), Diplom in Biology (Supervisor: Hubert Hendrichs, Co-referee: Jürgen Döhl)

Since 2012	Director of the Taï Chimpanzee Project (Côte d’Ivoire) Responsibility for the Taï Chimpanzee Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
2008 – 2010	Budongo Conservation Field Station, Budongo Forest (Uganda), Assistant Director Studying the chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Sonso community for 2½ years, conducting field experiments (playback and object presentation), behavioural observations, urine collection for hormonal analysis and fecal collection for genetic analysis.
2004 – 2005	Babooncamp, Okavango Delta (Botswana), Post-doc Researcher Studying Chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus) at the long-term study site of Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth for 1½ years, conducting playback experiments and fecal collection for hormonal analysis.
1996 – 1999	Taï Chimpanzee Project, Taï National Park (Côte d’Ivoire), Camp Manager Studying the chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) of the North community for 3 years, conducting behavioural observations for my PhD thesis.

starting 2018	NEW international Master course: Integrative Biology, University Leipzig Block module: Cognitive Ethology in Primates
since 2014	Lecturer, Master of Science in Biology, University of Leipzig Course: Bridge Seminar - Social intelligence
since 2011	Coordinator & lecturer, International Max Planck Research School for Human Origins Course: Comparative and Molecular Primatology
2011	Substitute lecturer, School of Psychology, University of St Andrews Module: Evolutionary and Comparative Psychology

2017	African Primatological Society, Plenary Keynote at the Inaugural Conference in Abidjan / Bingerville (CIV)
2016	Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago (USA), Keynote on Social Living - Chimpanzee in Context, 'Understanding Chimpanzees' Symposium Series
	International Society for Anthrozoology, Plenary Keynote - ISAZ Meeting 2016, Barcelona (E)
2015	Wuppertaler Zoogespräche (D), Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Philosophisches Seminar
	Université de Neuchâtel (CH), Department of Comparative Cognition, Group Seminar
2014	Society for Tropical Ecology, Plenary Keynote - Conference of the Society for Tropical Ecology, Munich (D)
2013	Lorentz Center Leiden (NL), Workshop: Obstacles and Catlysts of Peaceful Behavior
2012	Université de Rennes (F), Department of Animal and Human Ethology, Ethos Seminar
2011	University of Stirling (UK), School of Nature Sciences, Behavioural Ecology Research Group Seminar
	University of Zuerich (CH), Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Behaviour Ecology Environment and Evolution Seminar.
2010	Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (D), House Seminar
2007	Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago (USA), Chimpanzee Mind Conference, 'Understanding Chimpanzees' Symposium Series
2006	Emory University (USA),Yerkes Primate Research Centre, Living Links Colloquium
	Harvard University (USA), Department of Anthropology, Anthropology Colloquium

Journals: American Journal of Primatology, Animal Behaviour, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Behaviour, Biology Letter, Current Biology, Hormones & Behavior, Human Evolution, International Journal of Primatology, Naturwissenschaften, Primates, Proceedings of the Royal Society London B, Science.
Grant Bodies: Leakey Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation

XIV Conference of the Gesellschaft für Primatologie, 11 - 13 Feb 2015, MPI EVA & University of Leipzig, Germany
Great Ape Health Workshop – International Conference on the Health Threat for Great Apes in Research and Tourist Sites, 21 – 24 Aug 2009, LAICO Lake Victoria Hotel, Entebbe, Uganda.

Consultant for the exhibition 'WAR - KRIEG'. Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte Halle, Halle (D).
Consultant on baboon behaviour for the BBC Natural History Series ‘Planet Earth’ (2005-2007).
Consultant on ape behaviour and evolution for the exhibition ‘Mensch und Tier: eine paradoxe Beziehung’ (2002-2003). Deutsches Hygienemuseum, Dresden (D).
Consultant on chimpanzee conservation for the exhibition ‘Gorillas in the soup’ (2000-2001). Bushmeat crisis campaign of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EU).

1998	Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V.
1995	International Primatological Society & Deutsche Gesellschaft für Primatologie

2016	Nominated participation in the German American Frontiers of Science Symposium (Humboldt-Foundation and National Science Foundation USA)
2015	Invitation to join the DFG Researcher Consortium: The oxytocin system of the socio-emotional brain (invited by Dr. Valary Grinavich, University of Heidelberg, GER)
2014	Member of the DFG Researcher Consortium: Sociality and Health in Primates (SoHaPi)
2012	Young Investigator award of the Society of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (jointly with Catherine Crockford)
2010	Invited Guest of the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin
2006	Research Fellow of the German Science Foundation (DFG) for two years
2004	Conference Grant of the German Science Foundation (DFG)

2017	Research Grant: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - SOHAPI in collaboration with RKI (total: € 450.000)
2016	Associated Researcher to ERC starting grant of C. Crockford (total: € 1.500.000)
2015	Research Grant: Wenner-Gren Foundation in collaboration with A. Mielke & C. Crockford: US$ 6000
2014	Research Grant: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - SOHAPI in collaboration with RKI: € 230.000
2013	Conservation Grant: European Association of Zoos and Aquaria in collaboration with RKI, WWF & Zoo Leipzig: € 21.000
2013	Research Grant: Leakey Foundation in collaboration with A. Preiss & C. Crockford: US$ 12.800
2009	Research Grant: Wenner-Gren Foundation together with C. Crockford, T. Deschner, T. Ziegler & K. Zuberbuhler: US$ 25.000
2009	Research Grant: Leakey Foundation in collaboration with C. Crockford, T. Deschner & K. Zuberbuhler: US$ 22.500