Steven Popper

Dr. Steven Popper is a Distinguished University Professor in Decision Sciences at Tecnológico de Monterrey, jointly appointed to the School of Social Sciences and Government and the School of Government and Public Transformation. He brings extensive experience from his previous roles as Professor of Science and Technology Policy at the Pardee RAND Graduate School and senior economist at RAND Corporation. His career spans academia, policy research, and entrepreneurship, with significant contributions to decision-making frameworks under conditions of deep uncertainty.

Dr. Popper holds a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to complex problems. His educational background bridges the natural sciences and social sciences, informing his unique perspective on technology policy and decision-making.

His research focuses on strategy in contexts of uncertainty, foresight methodologies, computer-aided reasoning, and robust decision making (RDM). He has made significant contributions to science, technology and innovation policy, economic development, emerging technologies, and defense and security. Dr. Popper's work addresses the challenge of making effective decisions when facing multiple plausible futures rather than relying on single-point predictions, which is increasingly relevant in our rapidly changing world.

Analysis of Dr. Popper's recent publications (2019-2022) reveals a consistent focus on decision-making under deep uncertainty, with applications spanning technology assessment, national security policy, and innovation capacity evaluation. His work demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach that bridges technical analysis and policy implementation, with increasing emphasis on practical applications of robust decision frameworks across multiple sectors.

• Co-founder and COO of Evolving Logic Inc., developer of the Computer-Assisted Reasoning (CAR) system
• Founding president of the education and training division of the Society for Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty (DMDU)
• Associate director of the Science and Technology Policy Institute (1996-2001)
• Chair of the Science and Technology Industry Section of AAAS

Dr. Popper has advised numerous organizations including the White House, World Bank, and OECD. His consulting work focuses on applying robust decision frameworks to complex policy challenges, particularly in technology assessment and strategic planning. He has developed methodologies used by government agencies and multinational corporations to navigate uncertainty in critical decision-making processes.

While no specific research lab is mentioned, Dr. Popper's work through Evolving Logic Inc. and his academic positions has created significant impact in the field of decision-making under uncertainty. His Robust Adaptive Planning (RAP™) methodology represents a practical application of his theoretical work, providing organizations with tools to develop strategies that remain effective across multiple plausible futures.