Brad Greening Rutgers University Duration of Infectivity and Disease in Dynamic Networks Bobby Zandstra Florida Gulf Coast University Long- vs. Short-term Friendships and the Spread of Disease Mentor: Prof. Nina Fefferman Presentation Date: June 17, 2008

Overview Previous Research Performed Goals of Projects Questions and Pathways to Successful Projects Conclusion

Key Terms Social Network SEIS Model

Previous Research Performed Model disease spread within dynamic networks where associations shift based on three different measures of network centrality. Metrics Betweenness Closeness Degree Results New Directions to Take? Fefferman, N.H. and K.L Ng The role of individual choice in the evolution of social complexity. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 44: Fefferman, N.H. and K.L Ng How disease models in static networks can fail to approximate disease in dynamic networks. Phys. Rev. E 76,

Questions to Address Duration of infectivity and disease in dynamic networks Long- vs. Short-term friendships and the spread of disease What happens if we make the following adjustments to the dynamic workings of the network: If we include a fixed structure such as a “family”? If individuals make “smart” decisions concerning what friends they pick up? If individuals aren’t “social” once they become sick? By keeping long term friendships and minimizing short-term contacts, are you less prone to getting a disease? Varying the percentages of long- vs. short-term social contacts on patterns of disease spread in a population over time. Varying the percentage of each duration of friendship among social contacts over time will affect disease dynamics.

Pathways to Successful Projects Duration of infectivity and disease in dynamic networks Long- vs. Short-term friendships and the spread of disease Assign a family structure to certain nodes in the network Implement “smart” decision making to the friend “pick- up” stage. Implement a fixed structure once an individual becomes sick Determine the length of a long and short term friendship Vary duration of long and short term friendships. Vary percentage of long and short term friendships. Randomly place disease in network.

Goals of Project Duration of infectivity and disease in dynamic networks Long- vs. Short-term friendships and the spread of disease Determine how relative durations of social and disease processes interact to shape epidemics; search for variations in disease incidence (or rate of occurrence), duration, and spread caused by these different dynamics in the social network. By keeping long term friendships and varying the percentage of short and long term contacts, we will show close knit networks of individuals contribute to the evolution of the role of a family structure in society.

Questions?