SONIC Research Group Introduction

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Our purpose at the Science of Networks in Communities research group is to research the way people interact in networks: how they communicate, form relationships, work in teams and how digital organization is re-shaping our world.

Part of that process is bringing our knowledge to the greater community. It is our goal with the SONIC blog to bring our work to a larger audience and educate folks on the impact of our work and the broader implications of network science. Here you will find analysis, opinions and breakdowns of network science developments both in the media and in the lab.

Our researchers are an enthusiastic bunch and are excited to be writing about and contributing to a field they are very passionate about. PhD candidate Aaron Schecter said SONIC is a great opportunity for interdisciplinary research.

“The constant influx of people, ideas, and data from all over makes working there fun and exciting,” he said. “As an engineer, I really appreciate the challenge of applying quantitative methodology to tangible research questions.”

PhD candidate Sophia Sullivan, whose areas of interests include social network analysis and team dynamics, said SONIC is uniquely positioned to connect people to research.

“I believe SONIC’s purpose is to act as a hub to connect researchers interested in social network analysis across a wide range of areas so we can all be more informed and can make more important contributions to the field,” Sullivan said.

Welcome to SONIC, and watch this space for posts from our team covering a wide range of topics. Be sure to like us on Facebook or follow us on twitter at @SonicNU to stay updated and join the discussion.

Sean Lavery is an undergraduate research assistant at SONIC. He can be reached by email at seanlavery2014@u.northwestern.edu or on twitter at @SeanLavery.