Current Projects
I am currently a first year PhD student in the Department of Statistics at University of California - Irvine, working with Padhraic Smyth and the DataLab.
My current research focuses on probabilistic models for relational events, e.g. communication or interaction within a social network.
Testing the Theory of Structural Holes For Sunbelt Social Networks Conference 2009 I presented an application of Carter Butts' relational events model to the Enron data set. The model is interesting because it allows one to test competing network formation mechanisms (participation shifts, preferential attachment, baseline activity levels, etc) and see which models best explain the history of network events. Here, I've parameterized the model using metrics related to structural holes theory in an effort to detect related behaviors in the dynamics of the Enron social network. [For more details, check the poster]
Network Data RepositoryAs an extension of the UCI Machine Learning Data Set Repository, I am creating a repository for network data that includes data sets from sociology, biology, the web and more. For more information, check it out: UCI Network Data Repository
UC Irvine R SeminarI am coordinating an informal seminar series for those who want to learn more about the possibilities of the R system for statistical computing. People will be presenting tips on coding, debugging, data visualization, Sweave, parallel computing with R, and writing C extensions. For more, check out the website: UC Irvine R Seminar.