Russell Funk
Contact
Education:
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PhD 2014University of Michigan
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MA 2013University of Michigan
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AB 2008University of Chicago
Expertise:
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Computational Social Science
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Network Science
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Topological Data Analysis
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Science of Science
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Health Care
Biography
Russell Funk is an Associate Professor in the Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship group at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, where he holds the Edward and Eleanor Asplin Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Ethical Cultures. His research sits at the intersection of computational social science, network science, and the science of science, with a particular focus on understanding how scientific and technological knowledge evolves. His work has appeared in leading journals including Nature, Nature Human Behavior, Organization Science, Administrative Science Quarterly, and Management Science. His research on the declining disruptiveness of science and technology has been widely discussed in outlets such as The Economist, The New York Times, and The Atlantic.
As a scholar bridging multiple disciplines, Funk has developed innovative methodological approaches for studying complex systems. He has made significant contributions to the measurement of technological change and scientific progress, including the development of new network-based metrics that have been adopted by researchers worldwide. His work has been supported by major grants from organizations including the National Science Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Wellcome Leap Foundation, and he has received numerous awards for his research, including recognition from the Strategic Management Society, the Academy of Management, and the Information Systems Society.
Beyond his research, Funk is deeply engaged in advancing computational approaches to social science. He serves as an Associate Editor at Management Science and on the editorial boards of Organization Science and Administrative Science Quarterly. He has developed and teaches courses in computational social science and research methods, making his course materials openly available to the broader research community. His current work focuses on applying topological data analysis and other advanced computational methods to understand the structure and evolution of scientific knowledge, while also examining how organizational and institutional factors shape innovation in both academic and healthcare settings.
Selected Works & Activities
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Journal ArticlesKedrick, Kara, Ekaterina Levitskaya, and Russell J. Funk. “Conceptual structure and the growth of scientific knowledge.” Nature Human Behavior 8(10): 1915-1923.
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Journal ArticlesPark, Michael, Erin Leahey, and Russell J. Funk. “Papers and patents are becoming less disruptive over time.” Nature 613(7942):138–144.
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Journal ArticlesGebhart, Thomas, Xiaojun Fu, and Russell J. Funk. “Go with the flow? A large-scale analysis of health care delivery networks in the United States using Hodge theory.” 2021 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (Big Data) 2021:3812–3823.
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Journal ArticlesFunk, Russell J., and Jason Owen-Smith “A dynamic network measure of technological change.” Management Science 63 (3):791–817.
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Journal ArticlesFunk, Russell J. “Making the most of where you are: Geography, networks, and innovation in organizations.” Academy of Management Journal 57 (1):193–222.