ITR - (ASE+NHS) - (SIM+SOC): Characterizing the Dynamics of Complex Networks

该奖项支持理论和计算研究和教育，并根据信息技术研究招标NSF-04-012提交给材料研究部的提案。该奖项涵盖的研究活动属于国家优先领域“科学与工程进展”和技术重点领域“计算建模或模拟研究中的创新”。它也可能有助于国家优先领域，“国家国土安全”和技术重点领域，“信息系统和社会系统的相互作用和复杂的相互依赖”。自然、信息和通信系统复杂的相互依赖关系不仅影响着人类活动的各个方面，而且给当代科学带来了一系列新的挑战。越来越多的证据表明，复杂网络是由可量化的组织原则形成的，这引起了人们对网络发挥作用的所有研究领域的兴趣，从统计力学到计算机科学和生物学。然而，为了充分理解互联的影响，必须认识到每个网络都有一个目的，促进节点之间的材料或信息传输。这些过程分配给每个节点和链接一个动态变量，表征它们随时间变化的活动，迫使我们将网络视为动态系统。虽然对网络拓扑的理解在过去四年中有了显着提高，但网络动力学和传输的表征仍处于起步阶段。本奖项的目标是开发一个综合研究项目，解决各种复杂技术、自然和社会系统中网络的动态影响。网络拓扑、动态和功能之间的相互作用将通过一系列广泛的测量进行调查，记录几个通信和社会网络在每个节点和链接上的详细时间相关活动。在这些多通道测量的基础上，研究计划将探索控制复杂网络动态的基本机制；研究局部高活跃区或“热点”的发展；探索系统各组成部分之间的动态相关性，研究群体和社区对网络动态的影响；解决复杂网络的动态漏洞，研究各种拓扑和动态途径，以限制组件故障的影响。最后，将开发一系列模型和分析方法，旨在将实证结果转化为预测工具。该研究项目将涉及博士后助理、研究生和本科生的参与。教育活动将进一步与研究活动相结合，为本科生和研究生开展为期一周的强化暑期学校，学习网络理论的基本方面和应用。此外，还将开发一系列基于网络的课堂讲稿，设计用于专门的网络课程，并作为需要网络分析的现有物理、计算机科学或生物课程的模块。该奖项支持理论和计算研究和教育，并根据信息技术研究招标NSF-04-012提交给材料研究部的提案。该奖项涵盖的研究活动属于国家优先领域“科学与工程进展”和技术重点领域“计算建模或模拟研究中的创新”。它也可能有助于国家优先领域，“国家国土安全”和技术重点领域，“信息系统和社会系统的相互作用和复杂的相互依赖”。自然、信息和通信系统复杂的相互依赖关系不仅影响着人类活动的各个方面，而且给当代科学带来了一系列新的挑战。越来越多的证据表明，复杂网络是由可量化的组织原则形成的，这引起了人们对网络发挥作用的所有研究领域的兴趣，从统计力学到计算机科学和生物学。然而，为了充分理解互联的影响，必须认识到每个网络都有一个目的，促进节点之间的材料或信息传输。这些过程分配给每个节点和链接一个动态变量，表征它们随时间变化的活动，迫使我们将网络视为动态系统。虽然对网络拓扑的理解在过去四年中有了显着提高，但网络动力学和传输的表征仍处于起步阶段。本奖项的目标是开发一个综合研究项目，解决各种复杂技术、自然和社会系统中网络的动态影响。网络拓扑、动态和功能之间的相互作用将通过一系列广泛的测量进行调查，记录几个通信和社会网络在每个节点和链接上的详细时间相关活动。在这些多通道测量的基础上，研究计划将探索控制复杂网络动态的基本机制；研究局部高活跃区或“热点”的发展；探索系统各组成部分之间的动态相关性，研究群体和社区对网络动态的影响；解决复杂网络的动态漏洞，研究各种拓扑和动态途径，以限制组件故障的影响。最后，将开发一系列模型和分析方法，旨在将实证结果转化为预测工具。该研究项目将涉及博士后助理、研究生和本科生的参与。教育活动将进一步与研究活动相结合，为本科生和研究生开展为期一周的强化暑期学校，学习网络理论的基本方面和应用。此外，还将开发一系列基于网络的课堂讲稿，设计用于专门的网络课程，并作为需要网络分析的现有物理、计算机科学或生物课程的模块。* * *

This award supports theoretical and computational research and education and is made on a proposal submitted to the Division of Materials Research under the Information Technology Research solicitation NSF-04-012. Research activities covered by this award fall under the National Priority Area, "Advances in Science and Engineering," and the Technical Focus Area, "Innovation in Computational Modeling or Simulation in Research." It may also contribute to the National Priority Area, "National Homeland Security" and the Technical Focus Area, "Interactions and Complex Interdependencies of Information Systems and Societal Systems."The complex interdependencies characterizing natural, informational and communication systems not only impact all aspects of human activity, but offer a series of novel challenges for contemporary science. The increasing evidence that complex networks are shaped by quantifiable organizing principles has generated interest in all research fields where networks play a role, from statistical mechanics to computer science and biology. Yet, to fully understand the impact of interconnectivity, it must be recognized that each network has a purpose, facilitating material or information transfer between the nodes. These processes assign to each node and link a dynamical variable characterizing their time-dependent activity and force us to view networks as dynamical systems. While theunderstanding of network topology has significantly improved in the past four years, the characterization of network dynamics and transport is still in its infancy. The goal of the present award is to develop an integrated research program addressing the dynamical implications of networks in various complex technological, natural and social systems. The interplay between network topology, dynamics and function will be investigated through a series of extensive measurements, recording for several communication and social networks the detailed time-dependent activity at each node and link. Building on these multi-channel measurements, the research program will explore the basic mechanisms that govern the dynamics of complex networks; study the development of localized high activity regions or "hot spots"; explore the dynamical correlations between the system's components and study the impact of groups and communities on network dynamics; address the dynamic vulnerabilities of complex networks, studying various topological and dynamical avenues to limit the impact of component failures. Finally, a series of models and analytical methods will be developed, aiming to turn the empirical results into predictive tools.The research program will involve the participation of postdoctoral associates, graduate students and undergraduate students. Educational activities will be further integrated with research activities by conducting an intensive weeklong summer school for undergraduate and graduate students on the fundamental aspects and applications o network theory. Also, a series of web-based lecture notes will be developed, designed to be used both in specialized network courses and as modules in existing physics, computer science or biology courses that require network analysis. %%%This award supports theoretical and computational research and education and is made on a proposal submitted to the Division of Materials Research under the Information Technology Research solicitation NSF-04-012. Research activities covered by this award fall under the National Priority Area, "Advances in Science and Engineering," and the Technical Focus Area, "Innovation in Computational Modeling or Simulation in Research." It may also contribute to the National Priority Area, "National Homeland Security" and the Technical Focus Area, "Interactions and Complex Interdependencies of Information Systems and Societal Systems."The complex interdependencies characterizing natural, informational and communication systems not only impact all aspects of human activity, but offer a series of novel challenges for contemporary science. The increasing evidence that complex networks are shaped by quantifiable organizing principles has generated interest in all research fields where networks play a role, from statistical mechanics to computer science and biology. Yet, to fully understand the impact of interconnectivity, it must be recognized that each network has a purpose, facilitating material or information transfer between the nodes. These processes assign to each node and link a dynamical variable characterizing their time-dependent activity and force us to view networks as dynamical systems. While theunderstanding of network topology has significantly improved in the past four years, the characterization of network dynamics and transport is still in its infancy. The goal of the present award is to develop an integrated research program addressing the dynamical implications of networks in various complex technological, natural and social systems. The interplay between network topology, dynamics and function will be investigated through a series of extensive measurements, recording for several communication and social networks the detailed time-dependent activity at each node and link. Building on these multi-channel measurements, the research program will explore the basic mechanisms that govern the dynamics of complex networks; study the development of localized high activity regions or "hot spots"; explore the dynamical correlations between the system's components and study the impact of groups and communities on network dynamics; address the dynamic vulnerabilities of complex networks, studying various topological and dynamical avenues to limit the impact of component failures. Finally, a series of models and analytical methods will be developed, aiming to turn the empirical results into predictive tools.The research program will involve the participation of postdoctoral associates, graduate students and undergraduate students. Educational activities will be further integrated with research activities by conducting an intensive weeklong summer school for undergraduate and graduate students on the fundamental aspects and applications o network theory. Also, a series of web-based lecture notes will be developed, designed to be used both in specialized network courses and as modules in existing physics, computer science or biology courses that require network analysis. ***