Bio

Dr. Ruth M. Gibson (如詩 吉布森) is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Health Policy at Stanford University with a courtesy appointment at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) within the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. Her work is supported by the Department of Health Policy and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, the most prestigious postdoctoral award given by the Government of Canada to future global leaders in health research, medicine, and the humanities.

Dr. Gibson specializes in global health, foreign affairs, and strategic studies, with a dedicated focus on improving maternal and child health in geopolitically complex regions affected by war, geopolitical coercion, and diplomatic challenges. She holds an Honour's Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from the University of Toronto, a fellowship in Medical Education from the Wilson Center for Medical Education at the University Health Network, and a PhD in Global Health and Strategic Studies from the University of British Columbia. Fluent in English and French, and proficient in Mandarin Chinese, Dr. Gibson has spent a decade living abroad, engaging in humanitarian and global health initiatives across eight countries on five continents. Her experience spans fragile regions grappling with poverty, human rights issues, and war.

Currently, she is leading a project that utilizes wargames and complex systems modeling to analyze the civilian consequences of escalating tensions between China and Taiwan. Recently, she published significant findings on the impact of foreign aid sanctions on maternal and child health in The Lancet Global Health, garnering attention in Nature Medicine, The Stanford Report, and numerous international media outlets due to its critical relevance in today’s geopolitical landscape.

Dr. Gibson collaborates with the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights to develop a universal monitoring system to assess the impact of sanctions on human rights. Her research has been cited in UN General Assembly meetings by the Special Rapporteur on Unilateral Coercive Measures. She also contributes to mental health reports for the International Criminal Court's prosecution of war crimes and collaborates with the Global Burden of Disease Consortium at the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, to publish health estimations and forecasts in The Lancet.

Leading a diverse team of academic scholars and independent experts and consultants, Dr. Gibson fosters a collaborative environment that encourages participation across various fields, including politics, statistics, simulation modeling, and social media design. Together, they aim to tackle complex questions regarding how civilian and child well-being is impacted by geopolitical challenges and foreign policy decisions. Dr. Gibson welcomes inquiries from those interested in conducting interdisciplinary research with real-world impact. She is responsive to journalists and media outlets seeking to understand issues which fall at the intersection of geopolitics, foreign policy, and health.

Dr. Gibson can be reached at rmgibson (at) stanford.edu

Institute Affiliations