Our Community
Australia has a thriving community of social network researchers and educators. If you are looking for someone working in your area, this is the place to start. Please note that we are only displaying Australian and New Zealand researchers at the moment!
If you would like your details added to this page, please fill out this form. If you want to update your details, please contact us with the changes you would like made.
Alex Stivala
Institute of Computing, Faculty of Informatics, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI)
Dr Alex Stivala is a research fellow with expertise in social network analysis methods, particularly exponential random graph models (ERGMs), and the interaction of cultural dynamics with social structure. He has published in the areas of applying supercomputing to social science methods, bioinformatics and computational biology, as well as in development of new algorithms for use in advanced computing.
He has a PhD in computer science from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and has previously held postdoctoral positions in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences (University of Melbourne, Australia) and Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.
Keywords: social network analysis, exponential random graph models, ERGM, computational statistics, network science
Contact: alex.d.stivala@gmail.com
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zpc9SesAAAAJ
https://sites.google.com/site/alexdstivala/home
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Amanda Scott
Research and Education Impact, Southern Cross University
Keywords: sustainability, resilience, project-based networks
Contact: amanda.scott@scu.edu.au
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Andrew Pitts
Polinode (www.polinode.com)
Andrew Pitts is the Founder and CEO of Polinode, a leading provider of organisational network analysis software and solutions for enterprises. Andrew founded Polinode in 2013 and it is now used by large enterprises and consulting partners around the world for a variety of applications including: identifying emerging and/or hidden talent; improving collaboration; finding influencers; succession planning; organisational design; and diversity and inclusion. Prior to founding Polinode, Andrew worked in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs in both Sydney and New York. While at Goldman, Andrew was appointed to internal HR and technology committees. He enjoys working at the intersection of technology and HR and is passionate about using technology to help optimise and improve modern organisations. Andrew is a full-stack developer with experience building scalable web applications and also has deep expertise in data analysis and machine learning. He is a graduate of the University of Sydney where he was awarded the University Medal and First Class Honours in Economics and Econometrics. Andrew also holds a Law Degree with First Class Honours from the University of Sydney.
Keywords: Organisational Network Analysis
Contact: andrew.pitts@polinode.com
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=xP_A60QAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjpitts
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals No
Consultation Yes
Ben Seligmann
Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland
Ben is a risk specialist, systems thinker and teacher. Over the last 12 years he has worked in academia, engineering consulting, HSE and risk and compliance, across mining, infrastructure, healthcare and the education and industries. He currently focusses on risk management research at the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (MISCH). His particular research interests are causal network topology analysis, systems thinking embedded in risk management, risk assessment in practice, modelling of accident scenarios and engaging with the complexity of socio-technical industrial systems.
Keywords: Risk Assessment, Causal Analysis, Functional Modelling, Systems Theory, System Safety, Ontology Development
Contact: b.seligmann@uq.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=VqTT0bMAAAAJ&hl=en
https://smi.uq.edu.au/profile/6181/ben-seligmann
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals No
Consultation Yes
Bhanu Bhatia
Faculty of Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University
Bhanu Bhatia is a Lecturer in the College of Business and Law specialising in Economics. She holds a PhD in Economics from Macquarie University and Economic (Honours) from Adelaide University. She is interested in teaching Economic Theory. Her research focuses on inequality incorporating gender, microfinance, diffusion, social capital and health. Challenging the traditional theoretical boundaries of economics and sociology, her work combines standard econometric techniques with social networks analysis and Geographic Information Systems to focus on answering big questions with quantitative tools.
Keywords: social capital, gender, health
Contact: bhanu.bhatia@cdu.edu.au
https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/bhanu-bhatia
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Bridget McGlynn
School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology
Bridget McGlynn is a PhD Candidate at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Her research investigates performance in environmental governance systems, often through network analysis. She is a member of the Australian Network for Social Network Analysis board.
Keywords: social-ecological networks, social-ecological fit, collaborative governance
Contact: bridget.mcglynn@qut.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SzkGSnAAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-mcglynn/
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Dan chamberlain
Australian Research Centre for Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University
I am currently a Senior Research Fellow working on the ARC Discovery project "Networks in Flux", examining change and adaptation in Victoria's HIV and HCV sector as it responds to technological and social innovations. I have a wide array of interests, and have worked in areas across sociology, psychology, education, public policy and management, criminology, and public health. Currently my research is focused on inter-organisational networks and collaboration.
I teach Intro to Social Network Research and Analysis through ACSPRI twice a year (https://www.acspri.org.au/courses/introduction-social-network-analysis-social-researchers), and have the good fortune to help many scholars find their footing as they begin to use SNA.
Keywords: research design, public health, collaboration, power
Contact: D.Chamberlain@latrobe.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=T49dtw0AAAAJ&hl=en
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
David Bright
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University
Professor David Bright is a criminologist and forensic psychologist. His research interests include criminal networks, organised crime, and illicit markets (e.g., drugs, firearms). He runs the Deakin Covert Networks Lab which conducts ground-breaking research using social network analysis and related approaches to study organised criminal groups and terrorist groups. Professor Bright has been Chief Investigator on six consecutive Australian Research Council (ARC) funded projects in addition to projects funded by industry and government. He is currently appointed to the ARC College of Experts. Professor Bright is the author (with Professor Chad Whelan) of Organised Crime and Law Enforcement: A Network Perspective, published by Routledge in 2021, which applies a network theoretical lens to organised crime.
Keywords: illicit networks; organised crime; illicit markets
Contact: david.bright@deakin.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=knaO0OoAAAAJ&hl=en
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Dean Lusher
Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology | SNA Toolbox Pty Ltd
Dean is a co-founder of SNA Toolbox and Head of Social Insights, leading the team on the applied side of social networks. He has 22 years’ expertise in social network analysis, including his PhD research on the application of social networks in schools and Australian Football League (AFL) teams. Dean has a strong passion and interest in the application of social network analysis (SNA) to real-world problems, and he drives the application of focused analytics that can lead to intervention actions in schools to further promote student learning and wellbeing. Dean is also a Professor of Innovation Studies at Swinburne University of Technology. In that role he has worked with the AFL, Boeing Aerostructures Australia, CSIRO, Siemens, SENVIC, VicHealth and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services on projects that examine the structure and impact of social networks on social, technological and organisational outcomes.
Keywords: ERGMs, organization culture, masculinities, wellbeing
Contact: dlusher@swin.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=-2dCSVoAAAAJ&hl=en
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals
Consultation No
Garry Robins
University of Melbourne, Swinburne University
Keywords: Social network research, network statistical models, Social network theory, methods and research design
Contact: garrylr@unimelb.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=25_H0_wAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals No
Consultation No
hannah fair
Wicking Dementia Centre, University of Tasmania
Dr. Hannah Fair is a passionate lecturer and researcher who focuses on understanding and improving equity in health promotion, particularly in dementia prevention. She is interested in understanding the role of social networks in providing access to health information, and promoting health behaviour change. Her research revolves around promoting behaviour change across the domains that contribute to dementia risk (including cardiovascular health, cognitive activity, social activity, physical activity, alcohol intake, and tobacco use). Her work primarily utilises data from a 10-year longitudinal study of dementia risk behaviours among 14,000 older Tasmanians, and data from an online dementia risk education program that reaches 5,000-20,000 people each year.
Keywords: Ego-centric network analysis, social networks and health, information diffusion, health promotion, preventative health behaviour
Contact: hannah.fair@utas.edu.au
https://discover.utas.edu.au/Hannah.Fair
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Requires negotiation. Please contact is the project has strong alignment with dementia-related health factors
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Lloyd rothwell
UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney
PhD candidate (CEO succession in sporting organisations: A network perspective) and research assistant
Keywords: sport management, leadership, succession, social networks
Contact: lloyd.rothwell@uts.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=T9JNRSEAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals
Consultation
Malcolm Alexander
Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research Inc. (retired), Griffith University (retired)
From 2000 to 2020 I taught courses on personal network research and in-depth interviewing in the sociology major of the School of Humanities, Griffith University. I also ran an ACSPRI course on Social Network Research and Analysis twice a year. Since retirement I have continued working with PhD and ECR social network researchers with difficult projects.
Keywords: UCINET. Personal Network Research. Egonets. Two mode data.
Contact: malcolmalexanderbrisbane@gmail.com
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Maria Alejandra Pinero de Plaza
CFI, Flinders University
Dr Maria Alejandra Pinero de Plaza, PhD, is a scientist who facilitates healthy living and better public health services. Dr. Pinero de Plaza strengthens researchers, clinicians, industry, and consumers' abilities to design, measure, and accomplish different health and social impacts. Her experience in mixed-methods, experimental design, and evaluation helps her identify and demonstrate how interventions, healthcare services, and technology can provide better choice, inclusion, voice, justice, health, and wellbeing. She engages stakeholders as co-researchers because she believes they are fundamental for developing and implementing transdisciplinary evidence-based solutions to address complex and adaptive health and care problems. She is passionate about care and social networks, technology, and methods influencing behavioral change. Dr Pinero is an advocate for evidence-based research as a member of the JBI Evidence Implementation Network.
Keywords: Care Networks
Contact: alejandra.pinerodeplaza@flinders.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=rFmySHkAAAAJ
https://researchnow.flinders.edu.au/en/persons/maria-alejandra-pinero-de-plaza
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals
Consultation Yes
Mehwish Nasim
School of Physics Maths and Computing, The University of Western Australia
I am a Lecturer in Computer Science at The University of Western Australia. I also hold Adjunct Lecturer positions at School of Mathematical Sciences at University of Adelaide as well as at Flinders University.
My research interests include: social network analysis, human-centric cyber security, machine learning, medical image processing, health analytics, and human computer interaction. My current work focuses on predicting population level events in Australia, detecting fake news and misinformation and modeling polarisation on social media. I am also working on models to improve executive decision making using methods from complex systems.
Keywords: social media; social influence; large language models; misinformation; disinformation
Contact: mehwish.nasim@uwa.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=z1VccFsAAAAJ&hl=en
https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/mehwish-nasim
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Michele L Barnes
School of Project Management, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney
Michele is an Associate Professor in the School of Project Management and head of the Social Dynamics and Environmental Change Lab. She is a social network scientist and interdisciplinary, environmental social scientist. Her work draws on theories and methods from sociology and complex systems science to contribute a better understanding of how nuanced social factors and relationships between people and nature influence sustainability and resilience project outcomes, particularly in the context of climate change. A/Prof Barnes has received number of significant national and international awards for her research on social dynamics and environmental change, including prestigious fellowships from the U.S. National Science Foundation (2015) and the Australian Research Council (DECRA, 2019), the Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research from the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, and the INSNA Freeman Award for significant contributions to the scientific study of social structure. She is committed to research impact and thus regularly works in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams and directly engages with policymakers and practitioners to work toward a sustainable future for both people and ecosystems. As a result, her research has directly contributed to the development of several sustainability and adaptation policies and programs, e.g. she served on the Expert Working Group that developed a National Strategy for Just Adaptation in Australia.
Keywords: social networks; social-ecological networks; adaptation; transformation; social-ecological systems; climate change; multilevel networks; sustainability
Contact: michele.barnes@sydney.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7fvFTH0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Natasha Arthars
School of Teacher Education and Leadership, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Natasha Arthars is Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership (STEL) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Natasha holds a PhD in Education, Master of Learning Sciences and Technology (Research), Master of Business, Grad Cert in Business Administration, Bachelor of Training and Development, and numerous Vocational Education and Training qualifications.
Natasha’s research centres on understanding and enhancing the development of skills and construction of knowledge within vocational and higher education settings and supporting students to transition to work. This includes exploring innovative methods to leverage educational technology to enhance student engagement and enrich learning experiences.
Keywords: Learning sciences, learning analytics, vocational education and training, higher education, online learning.
Contact: natasha.arthars@qut.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=LSxVKDkAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/natasha.arthars
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals No
Consultation No
patrick noonan
James Cook University
PhD candidate James Cook University thesis topic 'John Gould's network of collectors, collaborators, correspondents and contributors in the Australian colonies 1838-1881. Other qualifications BA (Deakin) history and social anthropology, Dip.Soc Sc. (UNE) sociology, GDip Ed Studies (UNE), GDip MusCur (JCU), Master of Public Health & Tropical Medicine (JCU).
Keywords: Reconstructing historical networks in nineteenth century natural history.
Contact: patricknoonan@optusnet.com.au
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals No
Consultation Yes
Pavel Krivitsky
School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of New South Wales
Dr Krivitsky earned his Ph.D. in Statistics from University of Washington in 2009 and worked as a Visiting Research Scientist and a Research Associate at Carnegie Mellon University and Penn State University before moving to University of Wollongong in 2013, then to UNSW in 2019.
His main area of research interest is modelling and data-driven simulation of structure and evolution of social networks exponential-family random graph models (ERGMs) and latent space models and fitting these models to incomplete or non-standard network data. He has developed and maintains a number of popular R packages for network analysis, including 'ergm', 'tergm', 'latentnet', 'ergm.ego', and 'ergm.multi', and has contributed to a number of others.
He has received the 2019 Freeman Award for significant contributions to the scientific study of social structure by an early career researcher and shared the 2019 Richards Award for development of publicly social network analysis software, both from International Network for Social Network Analysis. He is a founding member of the Australian Network for Social Network Analysis (ANSNA) and has served as its vice-president in 2023 and its president in 2024.
Keywords: ERGM; sampling; computing; latent; inference; ego data
Contact: p.krivitsky@unsw.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MfT1V7EAAAAJ
https://krivitsky.net/research
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Payam Pirzadeh
School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University
Payam is a construction management researcher with professional experience in the construction and civil engineering sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering followed by 5 years of experience in planning and control of industrial and infrastructure construction projects. He is a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia. He also holds a Master Degree in Project Management and a PhD Degree in Construction Management.
His application of systems thinking and multilevel network analysis to understand design decision making and its influence on health and safety in construction projects has received two prestigious research awards in 2019, the RMIT Prize for Research Excellence and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Research Award. He has further applied systems thinking and network analysis to study health and safety performance management and to analyse incident causation on major construction projects.
Keywords: Decision-making, construction, health and safety, design, systems thinking, social network analysis
Contact: payam.pirzadeh@rmit.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zuPjgOwAAAAJ&hl=en
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Philippa (Pip) Pattison
University of Sydney, University of Melbourne
Pip Pattison is a quantitative psychologist whose major contributions have included the development of algebraic representations of social network structure and, building on these structural foundations, a hierarchy of statistical models (exponential random graph models, or ERGMs) for social networks that recognise the potential endogeneity of network processes. She has also contributed to the extension of these models to other data structures and forms, including longitudinal observations, networks with multiple types of nodes and multiple types of tie, and data generated under some network sampling designs.
Pip graduated with a PhD from the University of Melbourne in 1980 and spent much of her early academic career at the University of Melbourne. She has held a number of leadership roles at the University of Melbourne (including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) from 2011-2014) and the University of Sydney (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education)). She retired in December 2021, and is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney.
Pip was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in 1995. In 2002 she received the annual Simmel Award from the International Network for Social Network Analysis and in 2015, was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Keywords: mathematical and statistical models for networks and network processes
Contact: philippa.pattison@sydney.edu.au
https://scholar.google.pl/citations?user=iLWP_LEAAAAJ&hl=en
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Rebecca Langdon
School of Management, Queensland University of Technology
I am a lecturer and researcher with the School of Management for the Faculty of Business and Law at Queensland University of Technology. Prior to my academic career, I worked as a safety and compliance professional in various industries including construction, mining, defence R&D, and manufacturing. I continue to work as a health and safety advisor within the building and construction industry. My current research interests focus on the mental health and well-being of construction workers by evaluating the egonets and support structures available to workers.
Keywords: Egonets, personal network research
Contact: r2.langdon@qut.edu.au
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SFJzyNQAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/r2.langdon
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
Shao-tzu yu
Office of Population Research, Princeton University
My research interests intersect development economics, household studies, and social demography, with a particular focus on understanding how various forms of disparities emerge from micro-level network processes, specifically in lower- and middle-income settings. I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Office of Population Research at Princeton University. Prior to this position, I was a graduate student at the Australian National University.
Keywords: Social networks, demography, applied statistics, latent models
Contact: shaotzuyu@princeton.edu
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lho_yFwAAAAJ&hl=en
Availability:
Higher degree supervision Yes
Review network papers for journals Yes
Consultation Yes
TRACEY POTTS
The Fenner School of Environment & Society, ANU and NSW Local Land Services
Tracey has extensive experience in natural resource management with nearly thirty years of working in conservation management, rural and social development, private land conservation and Landcare in South Africa, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and Australia. Tracey’s passions lie in developing novel approaches to the challenges we experience in the space where people and the environment meet. She enjoys the opportunities, complexity and challenges associated with working in multi-stakeholder environments and is committed to effecting lasting impacts on resilient ecosystems and communities. Tracey holds a master’s degree from Rhodes University, South Africa and is currently working part-time towards a PhD at ANU’s Fenner School. Tracey’s research aims to understand some of the psycho-social and ecological factors that enable or impede farmer adoption of improved NRM practices that support adaptation and transformation in the face of climate change impacts.
Keywords: Farmer learning networks; egonet research; sustainability; climate adaptation
Contact: tracey.potts@anu.edu.au
Availability:
Higher degree supervision No
Review network papers for journals
Consultation Yes