Lotta Stern new CEO of the Ratio Institute

On September 1st, Lotta Stern, professor of sociology, will take over as CEO of the Ratio Institute.

”Ratio is a unique research environment in Sweden, that gathers researchers from several disciplines to conduct research that makes a difference. For me, it is a very meaningful mission—and perhaps a mission more important than ever. I am very much looking forward to continue building, developing and strengthening Ratio’s important research”, says Lotta Stern, who is currently vice president and responsible for Ratio’s labour market research.

A big part of Lotta Stern’s research is on labour market issues. She has studied topics such as employment protection, elites in Sweden, skills supply, health, wage formation and collective agreements. But she has a broad research interest. Her dissertation was about how competition and diffusion affect social movements’ possibilities to attract members.

Lotta Stern will take over the role of CEO after professor Nils Karlson, who founded Ratio in 2002. Since then, almost 1,000 publications have been produced and numerous seminars and conferences have been arranged. Several professors, associate professors and doctors have emerged through the institute over the years and many young researchers are today in Ratio’s large alumni network.

”I am extremely proud to have started and developed Ratio into one of Sweden’s leading research institutes. But after almost 20 years as CEO, it is time to hand over to new forces that can take over. Lotta has all the prerequisites to take Ratio to the next level. It feels very good”, says Nils Karlson, who is leaving the role of CEO to devote more time to research and idea development.

”Ratio’s research is strategically important for Swedish business and for the development of the Swedish society. Without Ratio, important decision-makers would have a narrower and significantly worse basis for decision making. Nils Karlson has embodied this important work, and in many ways. I am convinced that Lotta Stern is the right woman for the job and that she will take Ratio to a new level”, says Ratio’s chairman Marie Rudberg.

ABOUT LOTTA STERN:

Lotta Stern is a professor of sociology with a focus on organization and work at Stockholm University. She divides her time between Ratio and Stockholm University. At Stockholm University, Stern is, among other things, the program manager for the bachelor program Staff, work and organization, and she has previously been deputy head of the department of sociology. Stern has been associated with Ratio since 2011 and has been vice president since 2017. Among Stern’s scientific publications is the study “Political diversity will improve social psychological science” published in the top-ranked journal The Behavior and Brain Sciences (2014).

Stern is also engaged in Academic Rights Watch, an independent fundraising foundation that monitors academic freedom in Sweden by paying attention to attempts to restrict teachers and researchers fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression and opinion.