UCL Network for Studying Networks

This network exists to bring together researchers and students from across UCL with an interest in network structures and how they affect phenomena across all fields of enquiry.

About us

Networks are found throughout the physical, biological and social world, but are often only seen when actively sought for. Networks are central to a full understanding of how the world is interdependent, and thus how action in one place can affect outcomes elsewhere. While all networks are similar in representing the connections between elements (places, people, websites, proteins), the nature of these connections and the implications of the structures they create vary greatly. The study of networks therefore requires certain core theories and tools which can be applied to many research fields.

This group exists to bring together academics and students from across multiple academic faculties to share their experience of using networks as a lens through which to study their area of enquiry. It aims to share theories and methods for collecting and analysing network data, as well as experiences of how to overcome the difficulties of managing the complexity that viewing the world as a network can bring.

Get involved

Join our Networks Teams site to receive updates on upcoming in-person and hybrid events relating to networks at UCL, as well as the opportunity to interact online with colleagues, share resources and learn from one-another. The Teams site also contains relevant course listings and brief biographies of members.

Please note you must be a UCL researcher or student to sign-up as this is an internal network.

Join the network's TEAMS site

Meet our network co-leads

Dr Guy Harling is an Associate Professor in the Institute for Global Health and faculty member at the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa. He measures and analyses social networks to understand how they pattern human health and how they can be leveraged to improve health.

Dr Emily Emmott is a Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology. She is a human behavioural ecologist working on how cooperative childrearing and social support affect the wellbeing of children and families.

Events

We aim to hold in-person or hybrid events at least once per term. UCL affiliated individuals can join our Teams site to receive regular updates on these events.

Past events

• November 2023. Rapid-fire research talks. Presenters from Global Health, Anthropology and Computer Science gave 10-minute presentations on how they use networks in their research, followed by a Q&A.