University of Maryland

Joint Theory-AI Seminar: Social Networks: Spring 2009

 (previously known as Capital Area Theory Seminar (CATS))

In this semester, we have a joint Theory and AI seminar with a focus on various problems in social networks.

Schedule

CATS usually meets on Fridays 1:00pm- 2:00 pm  CSIC3120  but some talks may be at a different place and time.

 
Date Time Location Speaker Title
Feb.6 1-2pm CSIC3120 Sorelle Friedler How do Computers Solve Geometric Problems?
Feb.13 1-2pm AVW3258 Bill Rand Diffusion of Innovation Across Diverse Systems
Feb.20 1-2pm CSIC3120 Samir Khuller
Chapter 1, Introduction.    Chapter 2, Graphs
Chapter 3, Weak Ties and Triadic Closure
Feb.27 1-2pm CSIC3120 Peter Fontana Chapter 4. Similarity and Mixing
Mar.6 1-2pm CSIC3120 Sorelle Friedler Chapter 5. Structure Balance
Mar.13 1-2pm CSIC3120 Aravind Srinivasan Chapter 6. Game Theory and some stuff on the complexity of computing Nash Equilibrium
Mar. 20       Spring Break (no talk this week)
Mar.27 1:30-2:30pm CSIC3120 Mihai Pop Chapter 7.  Evolutionarily Stable Strategies and some stuff on food webs
Apr. 3 1-2pm CSIC3120 MohammadReza Ghodsi Chapter 22.  Epidemics
Apri. 10 1-2pm CSIC3120 John Kleint Chapter 8.  Modeling Network Traffic using Game Theory
Apr 17 1-2pm CSIC3120 Matthias Broecheler Chapter 12. Network Exchange Theory
Apr 24 1-2pm CSIC3120 Barna Saha Chapter 14. Link Analysis and the Web
May 1 1-2pm CSIC3120 Tom DuBois Chapter 20. The Diffusion of Innovations.

Chapter 21.The Small World Phenomenon
May 8 1-2pm CSIC3120 Richard Matthew McCutchen Cascading Bahavior in Networks: Algorithmic and Economic Issues

Chapter 24 from the book <<Algorithmic game theory>>.
         

For additional information send email to Samir Khuller.

If you want to receive announcements of upcoming talks join the theory-local mailing list.

CATS Talks from previous semesters

Other cats

Abstracts

 

Time: 1 pm
Date: Feb 6th(Friday)
Location: CSI3120
Title: How do Computers Solve Geometric Problems?

Speaker: Sorelle Friedler

It is a practice talk for a presentation to high school math
teachers.  It'll last about 45 minutes.  
 
ABSTRACT

How do Computers Solve Geometric Problems?
Computational geometry is the study of computer methods to solve geometric
problems and the study of geometric problems arising from computer
applications. This presentation discusses some classic computational
geometry problems, such as Voronoi diagrams and the Art Museum problem,
and ways they can be presented to high school students. These new
geometric problems have many applications and can be added to a high
school geometry curriculum to motivate and challenge students.

 

Speaker: Bill Rand, Asst. Prof., Business School, UMCP
Location: Room 3258, AVW Bldg.
Date and time: Fri., Feb. 13, at 1 pm

Title: Diffusion of Innovation Across Diverse Systems

Abstract:  Where do fads come from? Why are urban myths popular? Which of
our friends tells us about the next must-have gadget? Underlying all of
these questions is a process of diffusion, that is how do ideas, concepts,
and best practices spread through a population of individuals? We examine
these questions using a combination of agent-based modeling, social
network analysis, and machine learning. We start by recreating traditional
equation-based diffusion models using an agent-based approach. From there
we embed these models within a social network. Finally, we allow the
embedded agents to adapt innovations over time. Our initial results show
that social structure does play a role in innovation diffusion, and that
even loosely coupled structures can provide the same amount of information
transfer as panmictic structures.

 

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