Dashun Wang Explained

Dashun Wang
Alma Mater:Northeastern University
Fudan University
Doctoral Advisor:Albert-László Barabási
Website:https://www.dashunwang.com/
Field:Physics, Science of Science, Computational Social Science, Network Science, Big Data, Complex Systems
Prizes:Erdős–Rényi Prize in Network Science[1]
Work Institutions:Northwestern University
Pennsylvania State University
Northeastern University

Dashun Wang is a Professor of Management and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He serves as the founding director of the Center for Science of Science and Innovation (CSSI) and a founding co-director of the Ryan Institute on Complexity.[2] [3] [4] Wang is a recipient of the AFOSR Young Investigator award (2016)[5] and was named one of Poets & Quants Best 40 Under 40 Professors (2019).[6]

Career

In 2007, Wang earned an undergraduate degree in Physics from Fudan University, Shanghai, China. He then earned both a M.Sc and a PhD in physics from Northeastern University. From January 2015 to July 2016, he was an assistant professor of College of Information Sciences and Technology at Pennsylvania State University, University Park. He is currently a Professor of Management and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management and the McCormick School of Engineering, at Northwestern University.[7]

Research

Wang studies the science of science, an interdisciplinary field that examines scientific careers and the scientific process. His work on the career paths of individual innovators identifies patterns in scientific careers, including the random impact rule and the hot streak phenomenon.[8] [9]

His study of the organization of innovative activity shows that bigger teams generally advance and improve established concepts, and smaller teams are more often responsible for breakthroughs in science and technology.[10] [11]

Wang’s research on failure has led to empirical evidence of the importance of responses to failure at the beginning of careers[12] [13] and a quantitative framework for learning from failure. He has also studied collective dynamics in social networks, human mobility, and long-term scientific impact.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang analyzed global policy responses to the pandemic.[14]

Awards and honors

In 2014, Wang received the Invention Achievement Award from IBM Research. In 2016, Wang was a recipient of the AFOSR Young Investigator award. In 2018, he received an award from the Minerva Research Initiative, a research program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.[15] [16] In 2019, his paper about the impact of the size of scientific teams was one of Altmetric’s Top 100 most discussed papers across all sciences,[17] and he was named one of Poets & Quants Best 40 Under 40 Professors. In 2021, he was awarded the Erdős–Rényi Prize.[18]

Selected publications

Books

Articles

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Erdős–Rényi prize. Network Science Society. 15 September 2021.
  2. Web site: FORE . PRESTON . September 11, 2023 . Northwestern’s Kellogg school is establishing a new $25 million institute for studying complexity science. Here’s what you need to know . 2024-02-29 . Fortune Education . en.
  3. Bleizeffer, Kristy (September 6, 2023). “$25 Million Gift Funds Kellogg’s First-Of-Its-Kind Research Institute For Complex Problems.” Poets & Quants. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  4. Web site: Channick . Robert . 2023-09-06 . Funded by the same $480 million gift as stadium proposal, Ryan Institute launches at Northwestern . 2024-05-26 . Chicago Tribune . en-US.
  5. Web site: AFOSR awards grants to 56 scientists and engineers through Young Investigator Research Pro. 2020-12-18. Air Force Materiel Command. 14 January 2016 . en-US.
  6. Web site: Allen. Nathan. 2019-04-23. Poets&Quants P&Q's 2019 Best 40 Under 40 MBA Professors. 2020-12-18. Poets&Quants. en-US.
  7. Web site: Dashun Wang. 2020-12-18. Dashun Wang. en-US.
  8. News: Thompson . Derek . 2021-11-01 . Hot Streaks in Your Career Don’t Happen by Accident . 2024-05-23 . The Atlantic.
  9. News: Herrera . Tim . 2018-10-08 . Feel Like You Haven’t Hit Your Peak Yet? It’s Never Too Late . 2024-05-23 . The New York Times.
  10. News: Yong . Ed . 2019-02-13 . Small Teams of Scientists Have Fresher Ideas . 2024-05-23 . The Atlantic.
  11. News: Carey . Benedict . 2019-02-13 . Can Big Science Be Too Big? . 2024-05-23 . The New York Times.
  12. News: 2019-05-09 . In Science, Grit Counts As Well As Talent . 2024-05-23 . The Economist.
  13. News: Herrera . Tim . 2019-10-27 . How Early-Career Setbacks Can Set You Up for Success . 2024-05-23 . The New York Times.
  14. News: Bak-Coleman . Joseph . Bergstrom . Carl T. . 2022-03-01 . A High Speed Scientific Hive Mind Emerged from the Covid Pandemic . 2024-05-23 . Scientific American.
  15. Web site: Dynamics, Predictability, and Uncertainty of Scientific Discovery and Advance > Minerva Research Initiative > Awarded Projects . 2020-12-18 . minerva.defense.gov.
  16. Web site: Park . Andrea . 2019-09-25 . New Northwestern center will study the science of scientific innovation . 2024-03-16 . . en-gb.
  17. Web site: The Altmetric Top 100 – 2019 . 2024-05-26 . Altmetric . en.
  18. Web site: Erdős–Rényi prize . 15 September 2021 . Network Science Society.

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