Burak Özturan

I am Burak Ozturan, a fourth-year first-generation Ph.D. student at Northeastern University, studying Network Science.

My research focuses on the digital information ecosystem, where I examine emergent phenomena such as misinformation, power dynamics, and the segregation of users within digital spaces. I explore how these forces influence the flow and quality of information, the concentration of influence, and how public discourse is shaped across online platforms. A key focus is understanding how echo chambers form, amplifying certain viewpoints while isolating others, and how all this affect broader societal engagement. Through my research, I've investigated how critical events, like elections, disrupt information quality within digital ecosystems. By analyzing the evolution of users' online networks, I uncover how factors such as age, gender, and political affiliation impact these dynamics, further contributing to the formation of echo chambers. Additionally, I explore how shifts in intergenerational influence and attention reshape the distribution of power and information flow in digital spaces, affecting the concentration of voices in public discourse. As a computational social scientist, I integrate technical skills and domain knowledge in Network Science, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and social science methodologies. I apply advanced statistical, machine learning, and deep learning models to identify complex patterns and dynamics within digital ecosystems. My expertise lies in analyzing large-scale datasets to understand how information flows through these systems, using tools such as Python, R, and SQL. I also deploy machine learning models on cloud platforms to generate actionable insights from complex data structures.

I am passionate about understanding and enhancing the digital information ecosystem to foster more reliable and equitable online environments. With the rise of large language models (LLMs), I am particularly interested in how these technologies will shape online user behavior, influence content consumption, and potentially amplify or mitigate issues like misinformation and echo chambers. My goal is to translate research into actionable solutions that improve the transparency and inclusivity of digital platforms, helping to foster healthier public discourse and societal engagement.

I aim to leverage my expertise in digital ecosystems to collaborate with organizations or research institutions focused on improving public communication and information equity. I am also open to continuing my academic research, shaping policies and technologies that promote quality of the content, and inclusiveness in digital spaces. Please feel free to reach out if you'd like to collaborate or discuss potential opportunities.

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