Elian Hattinga van 't Sant holds a MA degree in History (1984) from the Utrecht University and a postgraduate degree in Applied Animal Behaviour (2011) from the Ghent University College. Until 1989 she was a lecturer in medieval history at the Utrecht University. From 1989 until 2013 she worked as a manager in Finance and Organizational Management.

Her current PhD research concerns the origin and the evolution of the construct of  'dominance' and its role in scientific study of Animal Behaviour (especially of dogs, monkeys and apes.)