Dr. Ellen Furlong

Director

Dr. Ellen Furlong is an Associate Professor in Psychology at her alma mater, Transylvania University. Ellen has long roots with the PRC, having volunteered and then worked part-time at the sanctuary while she was a student. Ellen teaches courses on animals and has team-taught travel courses on animal cognition and welfare with her father, Jack Furlong, a bioethicist and former PRC board member. Ellen also directs a research group exploring cognition in dogs and nonhuman primates. She has published papers and presented work at academic conferences on chimpanzee, orangutan, and dog cognition. Ellen recently authored an Audible/Great Courses book entitled Decoding Dogs: Inside the Canine Mind and a textbook on learning entitled Learning and Behavior. Her works have been featured in numerous media outlets including, most recently an ABC Australia documentary, A Dog’s World. Dr. Furlong joined the PRC board in August 2022.