CAREER: Networked Game Theory and Mechanism Design

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

This CAREER project studies the theoretical properties underlying social networks. The focus of the research is two-fold: first, models are created to explain the formation and evolution of social networks. Particular emphasis is placed on the co-evolution of social networks and social behaviors such as smoking or the choice of profession. Next, these models are leveraged to help social planners build systems for networked societies that, say, maximize the spread of a particular social norm or generate large revenue from the sale of a socially-enabled product. The proposed modeling techniques combine economic theory and stochastic processes with standard graph theory in order to generate models that capture both the self-motivated interests of individuals in social networks as well as the randomness inherent in social interactions. The induced social planning problems are often computationally-intractable, so the proposed techniques also incorporate approximation algorithms and average-case analysis in an attempt to design practical and efficient systems. The broader impact of the proposed research will be to increase awareness and understanding of the power of social networks, enabling more effective and efficient design of systems that operate in the context of social networks. Such advances can be used to create and facilitate social networking platforms by guiding the network evolution, to promote socially-beneficial behaviors such as anti-smoking norms or charitable contributions, and to help stimulate the economy by increasing revenues of socially-oriented products. The PI will also pursue several educational and outreach efforts, focusing on individuals outside standard academic institutions. The PI will reach out to high school students and working adults through popular science articles and Science Cafes. Additionally, the PI will disseminate knowledge to developing nations such as Iran, the West Bank, and Uganda through onsite summer schools in an effort to promote the science and education that are fundamental and essential for those nations' futures.