She was born in Lund, Sweden, in 1971, to Eva Haettner-Aurelius [1] and Einar Benedikt Olafsson.

Her research group[7] focuses on the data-driven computational design and prediction of new materials for clean energy production and storage applications.

In 2024, Persson was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, in the class of Chemistry.

[8] Persson holds a Master of Science in engineering physics from Lund Institute of Technology[9] in Sweden and completed a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden in 2001, under the supervision of Göran Grimvall.

[12][13] Some of the group's past research has explored the properties of lithium-graphene, phase transformations in high-voltage nickel-manganese spinel, intercalation mechanisms in lithium excess materials, novel oxide photocatalysts, and the correlation between solvation structure and electrolyte performance in multi-valent electrolytes.