Workshops on Network Economics

Project Outcomes Statement

The Network Science in Economics Conference series has established itself as North America's premier forum for research on social and economic networks. From 2019-2024, this series funded annual conferences at leading research institutions including Indiana University (74 presentations), the University of Chicago's Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (44 presentations), Virginia Tech (68 presentations), and the University of Minnesota (78 presentations), with one virtual meeting during Covid (70 presentations). The conferences bring together economists, computer scientists, sociologists, mathematicians, and other scholars to explore how network structures influence macroeconomic stability, financial markets, trade networks, educational outcomes, and global supply chains, among other phenomena.

A cornerstone of the series' success is its dedication to supporting early-career researchers: across the 2019-2024 conferences, graduate students and postdocs delivered 120 presentations while junior faculty gave 117 presentations, together accounting for over 70% of all presentations. The series fosters dynamic interactions through varied formats, including posters. The scholarly impact of these gatherings has been substantial, with presenters publishing the work they presented in the world's leading economics journals, as well as general science journals and specialized journals in fields ranging from computer science to physics. This success exemplifies the synergies created by the conference, fostering cross-pollination of ideas across fields.

The series has particularly benefited scholars from institutions lacking a strong local research community in network science, providing them with constructive, detailed feedback and connecting them to other researchers who become collaborators and mentors. This approach has strengthened scholarly engagement across the field and facilitated cross-disciplinary collaboration, as evidenced by numerous testimonials from participants who formed new research partnerships at the conferences.

The impact extends beyond academia, as research findings on networks in supply chains, labor markets, and financial markets inform decisions by businesses and policymakers. Participants use the conference to form and continue collaborations, with multiple attendees reporting new co-authorship relationships formed at the events. The conference series has built lasting infrastructure for the network economics community, including a mailing list with over a thousand members, connecting the community and allowing the conference to constantly increase in both breadth and quality. These efforts strengthen the pipeline of emerging talent, advance U.S. leadership in network science and technology, and establish enduring academic collaborations.

Through its proven track record of advancing research, supporting junior scholars with dedicated funding for their travel and participation costs, and informing policy discussions, the Network Science in Economics Conference series fosters fundamental and applied science and the research community that produces it. This drives innovation, and strengthens the nation's capacity to address complex economic and technological challenges.