Algorithmic and game-theoretic analysis and implementation of network design

网络问题是最基本的优化问题之一。无论通过它们传输的货物是数据还是商品，它们都必须被设计为优化时间，成本或收入等指标。人们早就知道，尽管这些网络可能非常不同，但它们的建模可以捕捉到它们的基本共同特征。这一趋势的一个最近的表现（以及网络流、路由、容错等的旧例子）在研究大型数据和通信网络（如互联网）时引入自私行为;虽然这对大多数计算机科学家来说是一个新的范式，但经济学家和运输界已经研究了50多年。基于拍卖机制设计的网络协议的设计是另一个这样的例子。本研究的目的是探索这些新的范例在网络设计中的应用，从算法的角度来看，更“传统”的方面，如开发，分析和实施更好的近似算法的网络流量和路由问题的研究。在一个比以往任何时候都更加相互关联的世界里，这项研究提案的期望是对更有效地分配信息、商品、服务等产生重大影响。

Network problems are among the most basic optimization problems. Whether the goods transfered through them are data or commodities they must be designed so as to optimize metrics such as time, costs, or revenue. It has been long known that although these networks may be very different, their modelling can capture their underlying common characteristics. A very recent manifestation of this trend (alongside the older examples of network flow, routing, fault tolerance etc.) is the introduction of selfish behaviour in the study of large data and communication networks such as the Internet; while this is a new paradigm for most computer scientists, it has been studied for more than 50 years by economists and the transportation community. The design of network protocols based on auction mechanism design is another such example. The purpose of this research is to explore the application of these new paradigms in network design from an algorithmic point of view, alongside the study of more `traditional' aspects such as the development, analysis and implementation of better approximation algorithms for network flow and routing problems. In a world that is more inter-connected than ever, the expectation of this research proposal is to have a significant impact on the more efficient distribution of information, goods, services etc.