Research Interests

Robert Geyer is Professor of Politics, Complexity and Policy. He obtained a BA in Political Science from UC San Diego in 1986, an MA in International Political Economy from U of Essex in 1987, an MA in Political Science from U of Wisconsin-Madison in 1990 and a PhD in Political Science from UW-Madison in 1995.

Professor Geyer has:

• featured in 6 short films on complexity and public policy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO9lbEPWbZo

• been a Rapporteur on the High Level Scientific Panel for the EU Framework 6 New and Emerging Science and Technologies (NEST) programme and a Project Proposal Reviewer for the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities ResearchCouncil (AHRC)and EU Framework 6 New and Emerging Science and Technologies (NEST) programme.

• been a Rapporteur for a Scoping Workshop for the European Commission Group of Chief Scientific Advisors on ‘Making sense of science under conditions of complexity’

• Panel member, ESRC Centres and Large Grant competition

• Member of the European Science Foundation College of Experts

• Expert reviewer for Academy of Finland

• been an editoral board member for the Journal of Policy and Complex Systems, Complexity, Governance and Networks, and the Forum for Complex Systems and Health.

• given over 150 international/national speaking invitations and keynote addresses throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

• been a Director on the Council of Management of the UK Complexity Society
• taught at the University of Wisconsin, Marquette University and University of Liverpool and been a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Davis and a Visiting Professor at Buskerud University College, Norway
• received research funding from the British Academy, European Science Foundation, ESRC, ESRC/NEXUS programme, EPSRC, Lancaster University, University of Liverpool, Marquette University, Nuffield Foundation, Scandinavian American Foundation and Social Science Research Council.
• published articles for newspapers in Britain, Norway and the USA and been on BBC radio and Granada television and won the, European Voice, international writing competition in September 2001. On 16 January 2004, his work and the activities of the Centre for Complexity Research were profiled in the Times Higher Education Supplement.
• founded and was the Director (2002-2007) of the Centre for Complexity Research (CCR, later ComplexNetwork). While acting as Director, the CCR had over 800 members from 44 different countries and virtually every academic discipline and supported a wide variety of research projects and proposals.The activities of the CCR were recognised by the AHRB, ESRC, EPSRC, Wellcome Trust, Royal Society for Chemistry and were profiled in the Times Higher Education Supplement.
• created the Complexity, Science and Society conference (11-14 Sept. 2005), the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together over 400 participants from 35 countries in 18 different academic disciplines. The implications of the conference were discussed in R Geyer and J Bogg 'Outside all of the boxes: How complexity combines Newton and disorder' Times Higher Education Supplement , 23 September 2005.
• reviewed articles and/or written book reviews for, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, Comparative European Politics, Complexity and Policy, Complexity, Governance and Networks, Current Politics and Economics of Europe, European Political Science, Governance, International Theory, International Politics, International Studies Review, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of European Social Policy, Medical Law Review, Mind and Machines, New Political Economy, Policy and Politics, Politics and Policy, Policy Studies, Political Studies, Political Studies Review, Progress in Development Studies, Public Works Management and Policy, regulation and Governance, Review of Radical Political Economics, Social Science and Medicine, Theory, Culture and Society, Times Higher Education Supplement and West European Politics and reviewed book proposals for Cambridge University, Palgrave, Radcliffe, Routledge, Sage and Policy Press.

Research Overview

My research interests have evolved in several directions. My main focus is on complexity theory and public policy. My recent book publications, including co-authored and co-edited books, are Handbook on Complexity and Public Policy, 2015; Complexity and Public Policy, 2010; Complexity, Science and Society, 2007 and Riding the Diabetes Rollercoaster, 2007. I have also written various articles in this field and have featured in six short films:

Introduction to the film series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO9lbEPWbZoComplexity and public policy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wz6RIHu83kMoving from complexity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zz2w5zRYjsComplexity and the Stacey Diagram: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10sTkUlylGI Complexity and health an interview with Dr Samir Rihani http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyuVDo1DmBIComplexity and social policy an interview with Professor Eileen Munro, author of the influential Munro Review of Child Protection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3n9cWLuGXg

My other core area of research is in EU social and health policy with a particular emphasis on drug advertising policy. My key publications include a co-authored book, Integrating UK and European Social Policy, 2005 and single authored books Exploring European Social Policy, 2000 and The Uncertain Union, 1997 and a number of related articles. My other areas of interest are in international political economy, Scandinavian social democracy, European politics in general.

PhD Supervision Interests

He is interested in supervising PhD students in the following broad areas:

- European Union politics and policy

-Social and health policy

-International Political Economy

-Complexity, politics and public policy

-Scandinavian politics and policy