Bruce Desmarais is a professor in the Department of Political Science at Penn State and Faculty Co-Hire of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences. Professor Desmarais' research focuses on the development and application of statistical methods in the study of Social and Political systems that are characterized by interdependence and structural complexity. Network analysis is the primary methodological approach in his research. Areas of application include international conflict and cooperation among countries, campaign finance and co-sponsorship networks in the US Congress, digital communication networks in local government, diffusion of public policies across the US states, and the interconnectedness of scientific research and US regulatory policymaking.
