Portuguese Ethological Society

Condolence Note – Passing of Professor Luís Soczka
March 3, 2025

Professor Luís Soczka passed away last Friday, February 28. A prominent figure in Psychology and Ethology in Portugal, he was dedicated to research and teaching, leaving behind a significant legacy.

He studied Evolutionary Biology and Ethology at the Universities of Louvain and Strasbourg and earned his PhD in Biomedical Sciences in 1984 from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar at the University of Porto. His academic career spanned several higher education and research institutions, including the Gulbenkian Institute of Science (Oeiras), the Higher School of Advanced Studies at ISMT (Coimbra), and Ispa (Lisbon). He was a pioneer in teaching Ethology in Portugal, introducing the discipline at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon.

He played a key role in the Portuguese Association of Psychology and was instrumental in founding the journals Psicologia and Análise Psicológica. His work, recognized with three research awards, had a lasting impact on fields such as Social Ethology and Environmental Psychology. Among his most notable publications are the books Ensaios de Etologia Social and A Companhia dos Lobos, along with numerous scientific articles.

The Portuguese Society of Ethology pays tribute to Professor Luís Soczka, whose influence will endure for future generations.