Dr József Topál
18-22 Victor Hugo St.
1132 Budapest
Hungary
Phone: (+36 1) 279 68 50
CURRICULUM VITAE
Personal
Date and Place of Birth: October 18, 1964, Budapest, Hungary
Languages Spoken: Hungarian, English (fair) German (some)
Education
MsC (biology), Loránd Eötvös University, 1989, The ontogenesis and parental behaviour of paradise fish (in Hungarian)
PhD (biology, ethology) Loránd Eötvös University, 2000,The role of mental construction int he learning proceses of animals (in Hungarian)
Affiliation
2011- Associate professor, Comparative Behaviour Research Group,
Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of
Sciences, Research field: Comparative social cognition in dogs
and infants
2007- Associate professor, Comparative Behaviour Research Group,
Institute for Psychological Researches, Hungarian Academy of
Sciences, Research field: Comparative social cognition in dogs
and infants
2000-2006 Associate professor, Comparative Ethology Research Group,
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Research field: Social cognition in dogs.
1999-2000 Assistant professor, Comparative Ethology Research Group,
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Research field: The dog as a model for human behaviour evolution
1993-1998 Research assistant, Dept. of Ethology, Eotvos University Budapest
1989-1992 Research fellow, Hungarian Academy of Sciences,
Research field: The role of cue stimuli in predator avoidance and
learning proceses.
Fellowship
1997 Verein zur Vörderung der Partnerhunde für Behinderte, Salzburg, Austria
1999 Canine Partners for Independence, Petersborough, UK.
Memberships
1991- Hungarian Ethological Society, member
1996- Dogs for Humans Foundation, Chair
2006- Assistance Dogs Hungary, Chair
Awards
1989 OTDK silver grade
2001 Frank A. Beach Comparative Psychology Award (best paper in 2001)
2004 Frank A. Beach Comparative Psychology Award (best paper in 2004)
2007-2009 Bolyai Fellowship
Research grants
1999-2002: Social intelligence in dogs. OTKA T029705
2003-2006: The dog as a model for human personality. OTKA T043763
1999-2002: Social cognition in dogs. MTA F226/98.
2000-2002: Social learning processes in dogs. Ministry of National Health,
261/2000.
2003-2006: Comparative social cognition. MTA 031/01.
2005-2008: Understanding human personality: the dog as a model.
OTKA T049615
2005-2007: On modelling the evolution of social cognition. EU NEST-6 programme
SAP5100041413
2007-2009: Social learning and teachability: the dog as a model for studying
natural pedagogy. Bolyai Grant
2008-2011: Mechanisms of human cultural knowledge transfer in 3-5 year-old
children. OTKA K76043
2012-2014: Neurohormonal aspects of social sensitivity in dogs and humans:
the role of oxytocin. OTKA K100695
Teaching
Ethology (lectures for undergraduates, ELTE, students of biology), 1994/95, 1997/98, 2000-present
Behaviour genetics (special course for undergraduates ELTE, students of biology) 1994/95, 1995/96, 1997/98 2000/2001, 2002/2003.
Cognitive ethology (special course for undergraduates ELTE, students of biology) 1996-present
Evolution of communication (special course for undergraduates ELTE, students of biology), 2000-present
Advances in behaviour genetics (lecture for PhD students of the Doctoral School of Biology) 2003-
Current advances in cognitive ethology (lecture for PhD students of the Doctoral School of Biology) 2003-
Advances in Ethology (lecture for PhD students of the Doctoral School of Biology) 2003/4, 2005/6
Supervising
24 undergradate students, MsC thesis, Eötvös University
5 PhD students
Publications
Papers in peer reviewed journals: 45
Cumulative impact factor: 161,222
Number of independent citations: 1202 Personal
