Matthias Ruth

Professor Matthias Ruth is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research.

Responsibilities

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research:

is responsible for the research leadership of the University
leads on developing and implementing the University's strategy and policy on research
has strategic oversight of the University’s research grants and contracts
acts as the key point of contact with funding bodies and government agencies
leads on the enhancement of the University’s industrial income generation, including engaging with external partners.

Contact us

Matthias Ruth

matthias.ruth@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 326707

Polly Salter
Executive assistant

pvcr-ea@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 328136

Kate Ball
Project officer

pvcr-po@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 322122

Urgent challenges for the sector

Matthias says: "My background is in environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation and mitigation. There are urgent challenges in these areas and we have the tools and ideas to address them.

“We need to improve the way we bring our research to the marketplace, not just the marketplace of business, but also the marketplace of ideas, through government policy, public discourse and engagement with the private sector.

“The sector as a whole has not lived up to its promise on this. By looking at the University as a Living Lab for experimentation, living what we preach and working with partners, we can show it can be done.”

Watch https://youtu.be/10QrvZW4QvM on YouTube

About Matthias Ruth

Matthias leads on our strategic aim to produce Curiosity-driven and action-oriented research.

He joined the University of York in 2019 after serving as Vice-President for Research and Innovation at the University of Alberta.

Prior to York he worked at Boston University and the University of Maryland, where he was the Roy F Weston Chair in Natural Economics and Policy Advisor on Sustainability to the Chancellor.

Following his tenure at Maryland, he worked at Northeastern University, Boston, USA, as Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, as well as Founding Director of the University’s Resilient Cities Laboratory.

He holds a Masters degree in Economics from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and a PhD in Geography from the University of Illinois, where he also received training in engineering and biology.

York is small enough that we can do a lot of things quickly, and large enough to make a difference.

Professor Matthias Ruth, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research

Matthias’s research focuses on dynamic modelling of natural resource use, industrial and infrastructure systems analysis, and environmental economics and policy. His theoretical work heavily draws on concepts from engineering, economics and ecology, while his applied research uses methods of non-linear dynamic modelling as well as adaptive and anticipatory management.

Applications of his work cover the full spectrum from local to regional, to national and global environmental challenges, as well as the investment and policy opportunities these challenges present.

He has published 20 books and over 150 papers and book chapters. He is a founder of Ecological Economics and founding Editor-in-Chief of the science journal Urban Climate, serves on the boards of numerous academic journals, scientific organisations and companies, and collaborates extensively with scientists and policy makers worldwide.

View Matthias' department profile