Professor Dr Bettina Rockenbach

XXVIII. President of the Leopoldina (since 2025)

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  • Section Economics and Empirical Social Sciences
  • Location Köln, Germany
  • Election year 2013

Research

Research Priorities: Behavioral Economics, Game Theory
Bettina Rockenbach is a German economist. Her research focuses on the design of mechanisms to promote cooperation in social dilemma situations and on conditions for socially responsible economic action.
In order to overcome the pressing conflicts of humanity, such as resource distribution, climate protection or global health, cooperation between actors is essential. The divergence of individual and collective interests-the social dilemma-poses an enormous challenge for cooperation. Bettina Rockenbach uses methods from game theory and behavioral economics to investigate the prerequisites for successful cooperation. In her work, she contributes both to basic research and to the application of scientific findings to current problems. 
Bettina Rockenbach and her partly interdisciplinary teams have been able to demonstrate the importance and interaction of trust, reciprocity, reputation and social sanctions for stable cooperation. They have contributed to a better understanding of the market conditions for moral and socially responsible action and have successfully developed and implemented mechanisms for a more sustainable use of natural resources.

  • since 2025 President, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
  • since 2011 Full Professor of Experimental and Behavioral Economics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • since 2019 Senior Research Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn, Germany
  • since 2018 Director, Reinhard Selten Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • 2012 Visiting Professor, University of California San Diego, San Diego, USA
  • 2000-2011 Full Professor of Microeconomics, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
  • 1999-2000 Visiting Professor, CentER for Economic Research, University of Tilburg, Tilburg, Netherlands
  • 1999 Habilitation and venia legendi in Economics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
  • 1994-1999 Research Assistant with Economic Sciences Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Reinhard Selten, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
  • 1993 Ph.D. in Economics, University of Bonn (Advisor Prof. Dr. Reinhard Selten), Bonn, Germany
  • 1993, 1992 Visiting Associate, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, USA
  • 1988-1993 Research Assistant with Prof. Dr. Reinhard Selten and Managing Director, Bonn Laboratory for Experimental Economics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
  • 1988 Diploma in Mathematics (with minors in Economics and Computer Sciences), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

Functions in Scientific Committees and Advisory Boards

  • since 2024 Chair, Advanced Grant Peer Review Panel (SH1), European Research Council (ERC), European Commission (EC)
  • since 2020 Member, Advanced Grant Peer Review Panel (SH1), ERC, EC
  • since 2019 Deputy Chair, Section “Economics and Empirical Social Sciences”, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
  • 2021-2022 Ombudsperson for Ethical Matters, Verein für Socialpolitik (German Economic Association), Berlin, Germany
  • 2020-2023 Member, Scientific Advisory Council, ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, Mannheim, Germany
  • 2018-2022 Member, Executive Council, Verein für Socialpolitik (German Economic Association), Berlin, Germany
  • 2014-2017 Member, Senate, German Science Foundation, Germany
  • 2012-2018 Member, Scientific Advisory Council, Graduate School of Decision Sciences, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
  • 2012-2017 Member, Scientific Advisory Council, Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel, Germany
  • 2010-2011 Leader, Council for Social Sciences and Member, Verein für Socialpolitik (German Economic Association), Berlin, Germany
  • 2010-2011 Member, Executive Council, Verein für Socialpolitik (German Economic Association), Berlin, Germany
  • 2004-2008 European Vice-President, Economic Science Association (ESA), USA
  • 2000-2008 Founding Director and first elected Director, Center for Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences (CEREB), University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
  • 2000-2011 Founder and Director, Laboratory for Experimental Economic Research (eLab), University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany

Functions in University Management and Academic Self-Administration

  • 2015-2023 Vice Rector for Research and Innovation and First Vice Rector, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • 2012-2015 Vice Dean for Research and Young Academics at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • 2008-2011 Vice President for Research and Young Academics and First Vice President, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
  • 2006-2008 Dean, Faculty of Law, Social Sciences and Economics, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
  • 2005-2008 Elected Member, Senate, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
  • 2001-2005 Head, Extended Senate, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
  • 2000-2006 Member, Faculty Council, Faculty of Law, Social Sciences and Economics, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
  • 1997-1999 Member, Faculty Council, Faculty of Law and Economics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

  • since 2019 Principal Investigator, Excellence-Cluster EXC 2126 “ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy”, German Excellence Strategy, Germany
  • 2015-2018 Leader, Sub-Project in the DFG-Research Unit FOR2150 “Relativity in Social Cognition: Antecedents and Consequences of Comparative Thinking”, German Research Foundation, Germany
  • 2006-2010 Leader, DFG-Project RO3071 “Endogenous Institutional Choice in Social Dilemmas”, German Research Foundation, Germany
  • 1999-2000 Leader, Casimir-Ziegler-Project “Regulatory Mechanisms in Energy Markets”, North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts, Germany, and Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Netherlands
  • 1988-1999 Member, DFG-Collaborative Research Center 303 “Information und Coordination of Economic Activities” at University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

  • 2013 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
  • 1999 Hendrik-Casimir-Karl-Ziegler-Award, North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts, Germany, and Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Netherlands
  • 1995 Heinz-Sauermann-Award for the best dissertation of the years 1993/1994, German Association for Experimental Economic Research (GfeW), Germany

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