F. (Francesca) Giardini, PhD

Francesca is an interdisciplinary social scientist with a strong interest in micro-foundations of social phenomena. She uses theoretical analysis, agent-based modeling and lab experiments to investigate how individual minds are geared to achieve social sustainability and resilience. In her work she focuses on gossip and reputation as social mechanisms that, depending on the interplay betwen individual cognitions and network structure (within and between organizations), shape sustainable cooperation. She is interested in the realistic modeling of human behavior to improve risk communication, emergency management and disaster resilience. She is one of the coordinators of the Special Interest Group of the European Social Simulation Association SIG-BRICSS: Building Resilience with Social Simulations .

Director of the research theme “Risk, crises and resilience” of the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development at the University of Groningen.