On March 13th, the Network Science Institute (NetSI) hosted the Network Science Student Research Symposium, an event organized by the NetSI Student Graduate Association to highlight the incredible research happening in our community. This fully student-organized initiative showcased the depth and breadth of research happening in our community.
The day was filled with thought-provoking presentations, engaging discussions, and inspiring keynotes from faculty and students alike. Topics ranged from epidemic modeling and fairness in algorithms to open-source software, mobility networks, and higher-order interactions—highlighting the diverse applications of network science.
Special thanks to our faculty speakers:
- Samuel Scarpino (Opening Speech; Talked about the importance of network science and how networks help us grasp the universality of complex processes—from how information flows in the brain to how societies respond to crises)
- Jessica Davis (The Impact of Networks on Epidemic Modeling and Response)
- Dakota Murray (What Is Science?)
- Guillaume St-Onge (The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Branching Processes for Outbreak Analytics)
A highlight of the symposium was the faculty career panel, where professors Brooke Foucault Welles, Esteban Moro, Giovanni Petri, Alessandro Vespignani shared invaluable insights about the scientific journey—emphasizing curiosity, persistence, and the joy of discovery. They encouraged student researchers to :
- Approach science with humility and embrace learning, from the basics to the most advanced tools, as mastering them allows for deeper, more creative thinking.
- Balance time between mastering our field and exploring new ideas, while also giving ourselves the space to incubate and develop insights.
- Recognize that science is a social process—"it takes two to think"—and that our motivation and growth often come from the people we work with.
- View science as a vocation, one that thrives on collaboration, discussion, and a shared passion for understanding the world.
Alongside stimulating talks and discussions, the symposium also featured an engaging poster session over lunch, where student researchers exchanged ideas in a more informal setting. The day concluded with a dinner for NetSI students and admitted PhD applicants, strengthening connections within our research community.
Huge congratulations to our student presenters for their outstanding research contributions!
Student Presenters: Clara Bay, Jesseba Fernando, Raúl Garrido García, Julian Gullett, Bijin Joseph, Sharaj Kunjar, Robin Lange, Moritz Laber, David Liu, Saumitra Kulkarni, Narayan Sabhahit, Alyssa Smith, Erik Weis, Guangyuan Weng.
A huge round of applause to the student organizers (Jesseba Fernando, Tamanna I. Urmi, and Yukun Yang), for making this event happen! This symposium was a testament to the collaborative spirit at NetSI, and we look forward to more student-led initiatives in the future!
