Hi! I'm Bob Bertsch.
I've spent my career working in communication and education, learning about people and how they can work together to create positive personal, professional, and social change. I've used what I have learned to help organizations take strategic approaches to collaboration, innovation, and engagement.
I'm currently working in Agriculture Communications at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and as the Network Literacy leader for OneOp (formerly the Military Families Learning Network. At NDSU, I've helped develop strategies for communication, digital content, and user engagement. I've design and delivered dozens of learning experiences for NDSU employees on web technologies, strategic communication, program innovation, and more. In my role with OneOp, I've used social network analysis to help network leadership take a strategic approach to collaboration, and created learning experiences on building networks, bolstering resilience, and connecting with communities in asset-based disaster recovery. I also co-produce and co-host the podcast, "Practicing Connection in a Complex World," with my colleague Jessica Beckendorf.
I've researched how Extension programs can influence the resilience of women in agriculture ("The Effect of Relationship-building Programs on the Resilience of Women in Agriculture"), how social network analysis informed a local food network's response to COVID-19 ("Cass Clay Food Partners: A networked response to COVID-19"), and how learning circles on the ability of Cooperative Extension professionals to adopt a co-creative mindset ("Preparing to Cocreate: Using Learning Circles to Ready Extension Professionals for Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement").
Adult education theory, collective action networks, social network analysis, community development, and individual, ecological, and community resilience are all important factors in my work.