Dr. Klavans serves as the Chief Science Officer at Syntheos, bringing over 30 years of experience in science and technology strategy​. Throughout his career he has been at the forefront of research intelligence and strategic planning, pioneering methods to map the global structure of scientific knowledge​. He is widely regarded as a thought leader in science mapping and strategic foresight, known for his calm, evidence-driven approach to complex problem solving.

Dr. Klavans founded SciTech Strategies, Inc., where he built one of the first global models of the scientific literature to inform strategic planning and competitive intelligence​. Under his leadership, SciTech Strategies became internationally recognized for its innovations in research portfolio analysis and for illuminating dependency relationships among emerging research areas​. His contributions to the competitive intelligence field earned him top honors from the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), which presented him with its Meritorious Award and named him a SCIP Fellow​. Dr. Klavans also served as President of SCIP, reflecting his long-standing influence in the science and technology intelligence community​.

Dr. Klavans has advised numerous Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, and leading academic institutions on R&D portfolio management and research strategy​. He has co-authored over 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, advancing new approaches to measure and visualize research impact. Notably, he co-authored a 2017 PLOS ONE study that examined how national research agendas balance economic ambition with altruistic goals​. This influential work (“The Research Focus of Nations: Economic vs. Altruistic Motivations”) shed light on why some countries prioritize research for economic growth while others focus on fields driven by broader societal benefit​. His findings – for example, that cultural factors like individualism can shape a nation’s scientific priorities – have informed policy discussions about science funding and innovation globally.

At Syntheos, Dr. Klavans applies his extensive expertise to develop advanced decision intelligence systems tailored for high-stakes environments​. He leads the scientific vision behind Syntheos’s solutions, ensuring they are grounded in rigorous data analysis and practical insight. From helping research agencies map out national research portfolios to guiding clinicians with evidence-based decision support, Dr. Klavans’s work bridges cutting-edge analytics with real-world decision making. His commitment to transparent, human-centered solutions aligns with Syntheos’s mission to transform complex data into clear, trustworthy recommendations​.