Dima Yankova
POLISS research theme
Coordination and Local Networks
Host institution
Spanish National Research Council
Secondment institutions
University of Pécs
Consellería de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital de la Comunidad Valenciana
Supervisory team
Sonia Tirado González
Background
Dima holds a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Development from Cambridge University (UK) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a combined minor in Environmental and Political Science from Union College (USA). Before joining academia, she worked as an Analyst for an international consulting company and as a Project Associate for a public authority with a focus on placemaking projects.
Research
I analyze the economic specialization of regions by zooming in on the key actors and forces which drive the evolution of local collaborative knowledge networks
Current Research Question
What determines tie formation in a regional R&D network? How do exogenous shocks alter the collaborative behavior of local actors?
Data & Methods
I employ a combination of Social Network Analysis and econometric models to an original dataset reflecting formal R&D collaboration between firms, universities and research centers in the region of Valencia.
Societal interests
Mapping the evolution of collaborative networks gives policymakers an insight into how local knowledge is produced and distributed, how it can be recombined with novel advancements and ultimately converted into competitive advantage.
