PhD Scholarship – Individual Patterns Evolution of Social Media Interactions
Northeastern University London – Network Science Institute
London, United Kingdom
General Description Northeastern University London invites applications for a fully funded PhD scholarship focused on the Individual Patterns Evolution of Social Media Interactions. This research project is situated within the Network Science Institute and explores quantitative modelling of short‑term collective attention dynamics in online cultural and social systems. Collective attention plays a central role in cultural influence and diffusion processes, and this project aims to identify, model, and test general laws governing early attention dynamics using mathematical, statistical, and computational tools across large‑scale datasets from social media, music consumption and other platforms. The research will combine methods from probability theory, stochastic processes, statistical physics, and data science to better understand online behaviour and its implications for cultural and information systems. The successful candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary research environment with access to unique datasets, collaborations with international research labs, and opportunities for optional travel to Northeastern University’s North American campuses as part of research training.
Eligibility Criteria
* Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject (essential) with a 2:1 or first class honours.
* Master’s degree in a relevant field is desirable but not mandatory.
* Applications are open to both UK and international applicants; visa support is not provided by the programme.
Required Expertise/Skills
* Strong quantitative background and interest in computational social science, network science, data science, statistics or related fields.
* Proficiency in programming languages and tools relevant to research (e.g., Python, SQL, Julia).
* Experience with software libraries and frameworks (e.g., Pandas, scikit‑learn, Spark, Git).
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
* Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research team and engage with complex datasets.
* Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary applied research and data‑driven modelling.
Salary Details This fully funded PhD scholarship covers full tuition fees and provides a competitive annual stipend with a London allowance at UKRI rates for the duration of the award (3.5 years) in line with current UKRI funding policies.
Application Deadline Application deadlines and start dates may vary; interested candidates should verify current deadlines directly through the application portal or contact supervisors for details.
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