Gijsbert Werner

Dr. Gijsbert Werner is a Senior Research Fellow at the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy, where he provides scientific policy advice on strategic societal issues. Previously, he held roles as a Research Associate in Oxford's Department of Zoology, a Junior Research Fellow at Balliol College Oxford, and a Newton International Fellow. His research focuses on the evolution of cooperation, mutualisms, biological markets, and interdisciplinary applications of evolutionary theory. He earned a PhD (cum laude) in evolutionary biology from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, an MSc from Oxford, and a BSc from Utrecht University.

Key research interests include symbiotic relationships (e.g., mycorrhizal fungi, legume-rhizobia interactions), phylogenetic comparative methods, and the application of evolutionary principles to human behavior and policy. He developed the sensiPhy R package for statistical sensitivity analysis. Awards include the 2016 Hugo de Vries Prize and the 2018 Jasper Loftus-Hills Young Investigator Award.

His current project at WRR addresses sustainable healthcare systems. He also engages in interdisciplinary initiatives, such as applying evolutionary approaches to behavioral economics through the Balliol Interdisciplinary Institute.