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Network Analysis

networks
bayesian
machine-learning
computational
Latent space models, variational inference, role analysis, and robust sampling methods for social and ecological networks.

Network data—comprising relational links between interacting individuals or entities—arise across the social, biological, and information sciences. Our methodological research develops scalable Bayesian and variational inference algorithms for latent space cluster models (VBLPCM), multiview network representations, and ego-network role clustering via mixtures of exponential random graph models (egoTERGM).

In collaboration with wildlife and movement ecologists, we also study how partial sampling and GPS radio-telemetry design affect the bias and uncertainty of animal social network metrics, accompanied by open-source diagnostic protocols and the aniSNA R package.

Project Publications

Kaur, Prabhleen, Simone Ciuti, Michael Salter-Townshend, and Damien R Farine. 2025. “Using an Agent-Based Model to Inform Sampling Design for Animal Social Network Analysis.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 79 (3): 45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-025-03586-4.
Conteddu, Kimberly, Holly M English, Andrew W Byrne, Bawan Amin, Laura L Griffin, Prabhleen Kaur, Virginia Morera-Pujol, et al. 2024. “A Scoping Review on Bovine Tuberculosis Highlights the Need for Novel Data Streams and Analytical Approaches to Curb Zoonotic Diseases.” Veterinary Research 55 (1): 64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-024-01314-w.
Conteddu, Kimberly, Prabhleen Kaur, Michael Brown, Julian Fennessy, Stephanie Fennessy, Emma Hart, Bawan Amin, et al. 2024. “Random Subsamples of Animal Populations Can Reveal Intrinsic Differences in Sociality with Key Implications in Ecology, Conservation and Disease Transmission.” bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.07.622426.
Kaur, Prabhleen, Simone Ciuti, Federico Ossi, Francesca Cagnacci, Nicolas Morellet, Anne Loison, Kamal Atmeh, et al. 2024. “A Protocol for Assessing Bias and Robustness of Social Network Metrics Using GPS Based Radio-Telemetry Data.” Movement Ecology 12 (1): 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-024-00494-6.
Kaur, Prabhleen, Simone Ciuti, Adele K Reinking, Jeffrey L Beck, and Michael Salter-Townshend. 2024. “aniSNA: An R Package to Assess Bias and Uncertainty in Social Networks Obtained from Animals Sampled via Direct Observations or Satellite Telemetry.” bioRxiv.
Hart, Emma E, Simone Ciuti, Leticia Herrmann, Julian Fennessy, Emma Wells, and Michael Salter-Townshend. 2022. “Static and Dynamic Methods in Social Network Analysis Reveal the Association Patterns of Desert-Dwelling Giraffe.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 76 (5): 62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-022-03167-9.
Salter-Townshend, Michael, and Tyler H McCormick. 2017. “Latent Space Models for Multiview Network Data.” The Annals of Applied Statistics 11 (3): 1217–44.
Qin, Xiangju, Pádraig Cunningham, and Michael Salter-Townshend. 2015. “The Influence of Network Structures of Wikipedia Discussion Pages on the Efficiency of WikiProjects.” Social Networks 43: 1–15.
Salter-Townshend, Michael, and Thomas Brendan Murphy. 2015. “Role Analysis in Networks Using Mixtures of Exponential Random Graph Models.” Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics 24 (2): 520–38.
Salter-Townshend, Michael, and Thomas Brendan Murphy. 2014. “Mixtures of Biased Sentiment Analysers.” Advances in Data Analysis and Classification 8 (1): 85–103.
Salter-Townshend, Michael. 2012. “Analysing My Facebook Friends.” Significance 9 (4): 40–42.
Salter-Townshend, Michael, and Thomas Brendan Murphy. 2012. “Variational Bayesian Inference for the Latent Position Cluster Model for Network Data.” Computational Statistics & Data Analysis 57 (1): 661–71.
Salter-Townshend, Michael, Arthur White, Isabella Gollini, and Thomas Brendan Murphy. 2012. “Review of Statistical Network Analysis: Models, Algorithms, and Software.” Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 5 (4): 243–64.
Salter-Townshend, Michael, and Thomas Brendan Murphy. 2011. “Clustering Nodes in a Network by Role.” In Conference on Applied Statistics in Ireland (CASI), 17.
Brew, Anthony, and Michael Salter-Townshend. 2010. “A Latent Space Mapping for Link Prediction.” In Networks Across Disciplines: Theory and Applications; NIPS Workshop.
Salter-Townshend, Michael, and Thomas Brendan Murphy. 2009. “Variational Bayesian Inference for the Latent Position Cluster Model.” In Analyzing Networks and Learning with Graphs; NIPS Workshop.