PhD Scholarship (Fully Funded)
Discipline: Network Science
Funded PhD Project (UK or International Students)
Funding provider: Northeastern University London (NU London)
Subject areas: Complex Systems, Computational Social Science, Network Science, Data Science, Physics.
Project start date: 29 January 2024
Supervisors (*lead):
Riccardo Di Clemente* (Complex Connections Lab, Network Science Institute, Northeastern University London)
Esteban Moro (Network Science Institute, Northeastern University)
Andrew Hone (University of Kent)
Aligned programme of study: PhD in Network Science
About the Complex Connections Lab
The Complex Connections Lab is a research laboratory based at the NUL dedicated to studying the complex social connections that govern human behaviour and interactions in cities and online. The Lab focuses on the study of the digital traces we left behind to capture human behaviour and social dynamics through the lens of Network Science, Complexity Theory, and Data Science.
The team is made up of researchers in fields such as data science, computer science, and mathematics, that work together to develop innovative methods and tools to analyze large-scale data sets and gain insights into the underlying principles of the complex connections we live within.
About the Network Science Institute (NetSI)
In 2023, NetSI established a new institute hub in London, UK at Northeastern University London. The new NetSI in London was created to advance research, education, and innovation centred around network science. The hub in London will also facilitate the development and growth of collaborations and partnerships within the UK and across Europe and US. The London hub, along with others in the US, is part of the NetSI Global program which is dedicated to engaging and integrating regional network science communities and partnering with regional talent, institutions, ecosystems of innovation.
The PhD student, even though based in London, will be a member of the Network Science Institute (NetSI), which has offices in Boston MA, Portland MA, and London UK. NetSI, founded in 2014, has emerged as a world leader of multidisciplinary research communities in the field of network science. NetSI brings together expertise from diverse disciplines, from the physical, information, and social sciences, with the goal to build and expand common, synthesising methodology and theory of networks, and to apply these tools to important societal challenges.
The successful doctoral student will be connected to NetSI’s vibrant community, with dozens of externally funded research programs, diverse faculty, and a uniquely skilled pool of fellow doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers across the global network.
About Northeastern University London
As part of a major investment, Northeastern University London (NU London) has multiple, fully-funded PhD studentships available to accelerate its interdisciplinary research in the humanities, social sciences, and computing, maths, engineering and natural sciences. Each scholarship is fully-funded for three and a half years (UKRI rates) and includes full course fees, an annual stipend (including an additional London allowance) and associated costs, such as training.
NU London is both a UK university governed by UK higher education regulations, and the European campus of Northeastern University – a large, top-tier research intensive, Boston-based institution. Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is known for its high-impact research, aimed at solving problems across the globe. Interdisciplinarity, experiential learning, and connection to partners beyond academia are at the heart of the Northeastern University ethos. Northeastern received $230.7m of external research funding in 2022, and is the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. It has campuses across the United States and Canada (in Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Portland, Maine; Oakland, California; San Francisco; Seattle; Silicon Valley; Arlington, Virginia; the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Toronto and Vancouver). Whilst the PhD will be a UK qualification, students will have the opportunity to engage with and visit the Northeastern University network overseas as part of their London-based doctoral studies, providing a truly unique and highly sought-after dimension to their research training.
The Project
Human interactions in the online space with news and events are not limited to clicks or views but consist of a continuous dynamic exchange of ideas. Previous research has focused on measuring temporal patterns in users' tweet streams during shocking events like terrorist attacks or natural disasters within online social networks.
However, these studies have primarily focused on temporal data, neglecting user interactions, and considering limited topics. The PhD thesis aims to address these gaps by analysing conversation data from social networks. We seek to explore the impact of these events on the frequency and nature of our interactions and information exchanges. Additionally, we aim to investigate whether these events influence our writing style. Furthermore, we are interested in determining if changes in user dynamics propagate in similar patterns across different events. Overall, our study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how online conversations are influenced by mass attention events, considering both the temporal and semantic aspects of the discussions.
The ideal candidate has:
MSc (or equivalent) in Complex Systems, Networks, Data Science, Computational Social Science, Natural Language Models, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related subjects.
Proficiency in programming languages relevant to research (e.g., Python, R, SQL, Julia).
Experience with software development/maintenance tools, libraries, and frameworks (e.g., Pandas, scikit-learn, Spark, Git).
Fluency in English, both spoken and written.
Highly collaborative spirit, personal initiative, and genuine interest in interdisciplinary teamwork.
Excellent personal and good communication skills.
An inquiring mind and the desire to challenge themselves.
Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary applied research.
Experience of, or willingness to learn, data visualisation techniques, and vectorial image design for presentation and project websites.
The successful candidates will benefit from a brand new campus on the banks of the River Thames next to Tower Bridge. This is an interdisciplinary, vibrant research environment with international collaboration and networking opportunities and dedicated research space. It will form the hub of a highly experienced, multi-institution supervisory team from NU London, Northeastern University and the University of Kent. In addition, successful candidates will benefit from the unique connection to the wider Northeastern University network in North America, providing a range of additional research opportunities and learning resources.
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in November. Candidates are welcome to contact the NU London supervisor with informal enquiries before the application deadline: riccardo.diclemente@nulondon.ac.uk)
Eligibility
Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject - 2:1 or 1st (essential)
Master’s degree in a relevant subject (optional)
English Language requirements:
If applicable – IELTS 7 overall (with a score of at least 6.5 in each individual component) or equivalent.
Nationality
Applications are open to UK and international students. Please indicate if you are likely to require a visa on your application. We are unable to support visa costs.
Funding
This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees, an annual stipend and an additional London allowance (set at UKRI rates) for 3.5 years. For the 2023/2024 academic year the annual stipend is £20,622. Annual increments will be in line with UKRI rates.
International travel
Students will have the opportunity to optionally travel to Northeastern University in North
America to further their research training and experience.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and a Covering Letter stating how you meet the requirements and why you are interested in the proposed research project by clicking on the ‘Apply’ button above.
Please reference your application “PHDIP1023”
You can consult our Project Details by clicking the button below.