The architecture of complex networks

Many complex systems in nature and society have an underlying network topology. For example, metabolism can be thought of as a network of substances (metabolites and enzymes) connected by chemical reactions. The World Wide Web is a network of web pages and documents connected by hyperlinks, and groups of people form social networks in which the nodes are individuals and the edges are social relations. While traditionally large-scale networks were modeled by random graphs, it is increasingly recognized that their topology is much richer, and displays universal properties that suggest robust organizing principles. In this talk I will present the main advances in the theory of complex networks, focusing on evolving network models that concentrate on the principles governing the assembly and time-evolution of real networks.

The speaker is a candidate for a joint faculty position in departments of Mathematics and Physics & Astronomy.