Prof. Dr. Shade T. Shutters

After earning a BS in finance and working several years in the international corporate sector, I completed a PhD in systems ecology and postdocs in (1) applied economics at the University of Vigo, Spain, and (2) complexity science at Arizona State University (ASU). Today I am a complexity scientist fusing data science, evolutionary theory, and a complex adaptive systems framework to understand and guide economic transformations. As a Research Scientist in ASU’s School of Complex Adaptive Systems I conduct cutting edge basic research to understand the evolutionary dynamics of economic development and resilience, especially in urban systems. As Director of Economic Transformations at ASU’s Decision Theater I apply that research along with world-class data analytics to create tools that help guide economic development policies at the local, regional and national levels. Using these tools, I engage with stakeholders and collaborators in several countries to address the challenges of reinventing regions, building back better after shocks, and mapping economic pathways to visionary and sustainable futures. In addition to my external research appointment with the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, I hold an external appointment at the Global Climate Forum in Berlin and am a Senior Advisor to the U.S. National Laboratory for Education Transformation.