What is... temporal network?

Vortrag von Yasaman Asgari

Datum: 25.11.25  Zeit: 16.30 - 18.30  Raum:

Temporal networks offer a unique lens on complex systems that constantly change, where connections form, dissolve, and reappear, much like friendships in our own lives. While static networks capture a single moment, like a photograph, temporal networks reveal how structures evolve over time, shaping the dynamics that unfold on them. This perspective is crucial for questions ranging from disease spread to predicting where a PhD student may end up after graduation. In my talk, I begin with homophily, how similarities influence our social interactions, and show how random walks provide a richer, more dynamic understanding of these patterns. I then extend this to temporal networks and introduce a method for quantifying homophily across time scales, addressing a long-standing gap in the field. Throughout, I highlight the iterative nature of complex systems research: refining questions, adapting mathematical tools, scaling analyses with distributed computing, and grounding insights in empirical data, because every dataset tells its own story.