Christopher Koliba is an Associate Professor in the Community Development and Applied Economics Department at the University of Vermont (UVM) and the Director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program. He possesses a Ph.D. and an MPA from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. His research interests include governance networks and complex adaptive systems, organizational learning and development, action research methods, civic education, and educational policy.
His current research program focuses on the development of complex adaptive systems models of regional planning, watershed governance, food systems, transportation planning, and smart grid energy networks.
Chris is the lead author of Governance Network in Public Administration and Public Policy published in the fall of 2010 by Taylor & Francis. He has published articles over 30 articles in such prominent peer reviewed journals as Public Administration Review, Administration & Society, Public Performance Management Review, the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, International Journal of Public Administration, Administration & Society, Administrative Theory & Praxis, American Journal of Evaluation, Ecological Economics, Educational Policy, the American Behavioral Scientists, and the American Journal of Education.
He is the 2011 Marshall E. Dimock Award winner for best lead article in the Public Administration Review. He has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on over $2.5 million in research and program development grants from the National Science Foundation, the United States Department of Transportation, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Vermont Department of Education, the Bonnor Foundation, the Bay Paul Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation. He is chair of the Complexity and Network Studies section of the American Society of Public Administration.
Chris teaches courses pertaining to public policy and public affairs, public administration, systems analysis, governance networks, collaborative management, and the intersection of science and society.