I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in organizational & strategy theory at Aarhus University's Department of Business Development and Technology. Drawing on organizational search theory, cognitive science, and complexity economics, I currently study three intertwined ideas:
To investigate these mechanisms I combine behavioural experiments and computational models. In test theory I use the gamified platform Crystal Crop Fever to capture fine-grained trajectories of human search, and to develop new theory, I build agent-based models. This dual approach allows me to move iteratively between data and theory: experiments reveal unexpected regularities; models explain why they appear and when they should break down.
My route to organizational & strategy theory began when I studied physics at Master's level, where I learned that tiny design choices can reshape complex systems — a lesson that now informs my work on organizations. Industry experience as a Data Scientist at the Center for Hybrid Intelligence taught me to translate abstract ideas into tools people actually use, such as the citizen-science games Quantum Moves and Skill Lab.
Organizational search refers to the process of seeking and acquiring new knowledge and resources to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization.
Gamified experiments offer a fun and engaging approach to gathering valuable data and insights into human behavior.
Prior experience as a data scientist have given me extensive knowledge of various quantitiative and statistical methods.
Computational modelling offers a unique approach to understand and develop organizational theories.
Comparing the search behavior of individuals and groups has so far yielded conflicting results, both finding that groups are more exploitative as well as more explorative than individuals. Such divergent findings could be related to the search processes of groups, both entailing the opportunity to imitate the behavior of others yet also allowing a diversity of approaches to unfold since particular designs of group interaction could shape... Read More
Computational modeling is widely used to study how humans and organizations search and solve problems in fields such as economics, management, cultural evolution, and computer science. We argue that current computational modeling research on human problem-solving needs to address several fundamental issues in order to generate more meaningful and falsifiable contributions. Based on comparative simulations and a new type of visualization... Read More
We introduce a remote interface to control and optimize the experimental production of Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) and find improved solutions using two distinct implementations. First, a team of theoreticians used a remote version of their dressed chopped random basis optimization algorithm (RedCRAB), and second, a gamified interface allowed 600 citizen scientists from around the world to participate in real-time optimization... Read More
M. K. Pedersen, O. Vuculescu, J. F. Sherson, C. Bergenholtz
Help – I need somebody? Comparing groups’ and individuals’ search behavior across problem complexity
R&R at Strategic Management Journal
Nominated for Best Paper in the Strategy Division at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2023
Academy of Management Proceedings 2023 1, 16747, https://doi.org/10.5465/AMPROC.2023.191bp
M. K. Pedersen and S. Park
Origins of Locality During Search
Accepted for Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2025
Accepted for Strategic Management Society Conference 2025
Nominated for SMS Annual Conference PhD Paper 2025
M. K. Pedersen, O. Vuculescu, J. F. Sherson, C. Bergenholtz
Thinking Together Alone – Meta-Heuristic Approaches to Organizational Search
Presented at Organizational Design Community Doctoral Workshop 2024
M. K. Pedersen, T. Knudsen
Adapting Coupled Policies in Strategic Decision-Making
Accepted for Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2025
M. K. Pedersen, E. Ilseven
Relativity of Complexity: Quantifying Simon’s Scissors
Accepted for Theoretical Organizational Models Society’s Annual Meeting 2025
J. F. Abadi, S. Kunisch, D. Gligor, M. K. Pedersen
Towards More Nuanced Turing Trap and Turing Transformation Perspectives: Evidence From Stock Market Reactions to AI Augmentation and Automation
R&R at Information Systems Research
M. K. Pedersen
A Game Of Search: Navigating the Hidden Landscapes of Organizational Problem Solving
PhD dissertation, Department of Business Development & Technology, Aarhus University, Herning, Denmark (2025), pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/a-game-of-search-navigating-the-hidden-landscapes-of-organization
M. K. Pedersen, C. M. C. Díaz, Q. J. Wang M. A. Alba-Marrugo, A. Amidi, R. V. Basaiawmoit, C. Bergenholtz, M. H. Christiansen, M. Gajdacz, R. Hertwig, B. Ishkhanyan, K. Klyver, N. Ladegaard, K. Mathiasen, C. Parsons, M. B. Petersen, J. Rafner, A. R. Villadsen, M. Wallentin, B. Zana and J. F. Sherson
Measuring Cognitive Abilities in the Wild: Validating a Population-scale Game-Based Cognitive Assessment
Cognitive Science 47 (6), e13308, (2023), doi.org/10.1111/cogs.13308
O. Vuculescu, M. K. Pedersen, C. Bergenholtz, J. F. Sherson
Human Search in a fitness landscape: How to assess the difficulty of a search problem
Complexity 2020, 7802169 (2020), doi.org/10.1155/2020/7802169
R. Heck, O. Vuculescu, J. J. Sørensen, J. Zoller, M. G. Andreasen, M. G. Bason, P. Ejlertsen, O. Elíasson, P. Haikka, J. S. Laustsen, L. L. Nielsen, A. Mao, R. Müller, M. Napolitano, M. K. Pedersen, A. R. Thorsen, C. Bergenholtz, T. Calarco, S. Montangero, J. F. Sherson
Do physicists stop searches too early? A remote-science, optimization landscape investigation
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115 (48), E11231-E11237 (2018), doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1716869115
M. K. Pedersen, N. R. Rasmussen, J. F. Sherson, R. V. Basaiawmoit
Leaderboard Effects on Player Performance in a Citizen Science Game
Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Game Based Learning, 431 (2017), arxiv.org/abs/1707.03704
M. K. Pedersen, C. C. Borre, A. Lieberoth, and J. Sherson
Knowledge Formation and Inter-Game Transfer With Classical and Quantum Physics
Proceedings of The 10th European Conference on Game Based Learning, 1010 (2016), arxiv.org/abs/1608.07391
M. K. Pedersen, A. Svenningsen, N. B. Dohn, A. Lieberoth, and J. Sherson
DiffGame: Game-based mathematics learning for physics
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 228, 316-322 (2016), arxiv.org/abs/1601.08016
M. K. Pedersen, B. Skyum, R. Heck, R. Müller, M. Bason, A. Lieberoth, and J. Sherson
Virtual Learning Environment for Interactive Engagement with Advanced Quantum Mechanics
Physical Review Physics Education Research 12, 013102 (2016), doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.12.013102
A. Lieberoth, M.K. Pedersen, and J. Sherson
Play or science?: a study of learning and framing in crowdscience games
Well Played Journal 4 (2), 30 (2015), arxiv.org/abs/1506.08128
O.E. Bjælde, M.K. Pedersen, and J. Sherson
Gamification of Quantum Mechanics Teaching
World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2014, 218 (2014),arxiv.org/abs/1510.06841
A. Lieberoth, M.K. Pedersen, A.C. Marin, T. Planke, and J. Sherson
Getting humans to do quantum optimization: user acquisition, engagement and early results from the citizen cyberscience game Quantum Moves
Human Computation 1 (2), 219 (2014), doi.org/10.15346/hc.v1i2.11
M.K. Pedersen, J.J.W.H. Sørensen, M.C. Tichy, and J.F. Sherson
Many-body state engineering using measurements and fixed unitary dynamics
New Journal of Physics 16 (11), 113038 (2014), dx.doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/16/11/113038
M.C. Tichy, M.K. Pedersen, K. Mølmer, and J.F. Sherson
Nonadiabatic quantum state control of many bosons in few wells
Physical Review A 87 (6), 063422 (2013), doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.87.063422
N.B. Until 2025 papers were published under the name Mads Kock Pedersen
May 2025 – |
Postdoc |
Deparment of Buisness Development and Technology |
Feb 2022 – May 2025 |
PhD Student |
Deparment of Buisness Development and Technology |
Mar 2024 – May 2024 |
Visiting PhD Fellow |
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management |
Jul 2023 – Aug 2023 |
Visiting PhD Fellow |
INSEAD Asia Campus |
Jan 2016 – Feb 2022 |
Head of Data Science |
Center for Hybrid IntelligenceAarhus University |
Jan 2015 – Dec 2017 |
Head of Didactics |
ScienceAtHomeAarhus University |
Jan 2015 – Dec 2016 |
Network Coordinator |
AU-network Computational Modeling of Complex Interactions (CMCI)Aarhus University |
Jan 2015 – Aug 2015 |
Project Coordinator |
Videnskabsklubben |
Oct 2013 – Jan 2015 |
Student Assistant |
ScienceAtHome |
Spring 2025 |
Lecturer |
Supply Chain Management & Digitalization | Global Management and Manufacturing |
|
Spring 2025 |
Guest Lecturer |
Digital Business Development | IT & Communcations |
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Spring 2025 |
Guest Lecturer |
Machine Learning Fundamentals and Applications | Technology Based Business Development |
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Fall 2024 |
Lecturer |
Data Driven Business Development | IT & Communcations |
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Spring 2023 |
Lecturer |
Analytics, Data Resources and Decision Making | Technology Based Business Development |
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Spring 2023 |
Lecturer |
Optimisation of Engineering Processes Using Numerical Approaches | Technology Based Business Development |
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Spring 2023 |
Lecturer |
Technology Specialization - Quantitative Methods | Technology Based Business Development |
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Fall 2022 |
Instructor |
Advanced Operations Management | Technology Based Business Development |
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Fall 2022 |
Instructor |
Management of Technology | Technology Based Business Development |
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Fall 2022 |
Instructor |
Management of Technology | Technology Based Business Development |
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Spring 2022 |
Instructor |
Philosophy of Science | HA & BSc 6th Semester |
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Fall 2018 |
Guest Lecturer |
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | BSc. in Physics |
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Fall 2018 |
Guest Lecturer |
Advanced Quantum Mechanics | MSc. in Physics |
Aug 2012 – Jan 2015 |
Master’s in Physics |
Aarhus University |
Aug 2009 – Jun 2012 |
Bachelor in Physics |
Aarhus University |
Aug 2006 – Jun 2009 |
HTX |
Hansenberg, Kolding |
2025 |
Best PhD Paper Nomination |
2023 |
Best Reviewer Award |
2023 |
Best Paper Nomination |
2023 |
Travel Grant |
2023 |
Travel Grant |
2023 – |
Theoretical Organizational Model Society PhD Brown Bags Organizer |
2025 – |
Organization Science |
2025 – |
Group Decision and Negotiation |
2024 – |
Strategic Management Society Annual Meeting |
2023 – |
Academy of Management Annual Meeting |
2023 – |
DRUID conference |
2022 – 2023 |
Experiments in Organizational Science Student Brown Bags Group Responsible |
2017 – 2021 |
Conference on Higher Education Advances |
2016 – 2021 |
Physical Review Physics Education Research |
