I am an Assistant Professor of Government at Cornell University. Starting in Fall 2024, I will transition to the University of Notre Dame as an Assistant Professor of Political Science. I earned my PhD in Political Science from Columbia University in 2021 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University in 2021—22.

My research focuses on international cooperation and political economy, particularly in the realms of international finance and climate change. My scholarly contributions have been featured in leading academic outlets such as the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, International Organization, and World Politics. Additionally, I have provided commentary for outlets like Brookings, Devex, and The Washington Post, with coverage in Nature Climate Change.

I am excited to announce that my forthcoming book, Cooperative Complexity: The Next Level of Global Economic Governance, will be published by Cambridge University Press in summer 2024.

My research has been recognized with the Best Dissertation award from the American Political Science Association’s International Collaboration section; the Lawrence S. Finkelstein Prize from the International Studies Association’s International Organization section; the Midwest Political Science Association’s Best Paper in International Relations award; and the Bretton Woods Committee’s Henry Owen Memorial Award.

My work has been supported by generous funding from the Charles Koch Foundation, Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell Center for the Social Sciences, President’s Council of Cornell Women, and UC Berkeley Economy and Society Initiative.

I earned a BBA from the University of Notre Dame in 2016. Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, I have a passion for golf, baseball analytics, and my dog, Carl.

For inquiries, please reach out to me at richard.clark@cornell.edu, or connect with me on Twitter (@ProfRickyClark) and Bluesky (@rickyclark.bsky.social).