Rob believes political science research tells us how politics is changing and when citizens might want a new kind of politics.  

“There’s so much we don’t yet know about political science,” he says. “Democracy is changing with the upsurge of populism, the decline in trust and the rise of China. Centre-left political parties are experiencing a period of retreat and decline. The modern party system in many countries is changing beyond recognition.”  

“There are political problems we’re not even close to fully understanding or solving yet," Rob adds. “Our whole society depends on future knowledge and scholarship to help us better understand political change, especially in the face of the mounting climate emergency.”  

Rob's current primary research, therefore, looks at the crisis of social democracy, trying to draw lessons and understanding about the decline of the family of centre-left parties. He co-wrote a collection – ‘Why the Left Loses’ CNN used for a special edition program.  

He employs humour as a learning tool in class to make students think differently about political science, earning him a 2014 faculty citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. The interplay between Batman and the Joker helps teach the concept of ‘governance’ and each year he crowns a student monarch of the class to help discuss the sources of political legitimacy.  

Rob’s inspired by the quiet fortitude of many MPs, citizen activists, human rights defenders and advocates, his students and Chelsea Football Club, decent coffee, his family, and their ridiculous dog, Mr Brown.

At age 7, Rodrigo's family suspected he'd have a career in research. During a trip to Venice, his father videoed him asking endless questions about what made Venice a Republic and how exactly its political system worked.  

It's this natural curiosity for politics and discovering things nobody else knows that has resulted in Rodrigo's award-winning career. In 2018, he was the first Australian political scientist to win the prestigious Young Tall Poppy Science Award. In the same year, he also won the Vice-Chancellor's Innovation in Teaching Award and the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Early Career Researchers.

Rodrigo is currently researching how voters choose leaders in advanced democracies. He has found that a candidate's looks or involvement in scandal can play an important role in the decision-making process, particularly if voters have little information about politics, candidates and elections. His research has a compelling role to play in helping people understand the consequences of their choices and therefore make better decisions.  

An inspiring, supportive and innovative lecturer, Rodrigo has been invited to present his work in all corners of the globe. His research is often used by mainstream media in Australia and overseas to explain current events, allowing him to reach a wider audience beyond academe. His best advice to future researchers and students is: “Choose your path carefully. The only way to succeed is to do something you really love and that excites you!”