Kathleen Carley
Encyclopedia
Kathleen M. Carley is an American social scientist specializing in dynamic network analysis
. She is a professor in the School of Computer Science
in the Institute for Software Research International
at Carnegie Mellon University
and also holds appointments in the Tepper School of Business
, the Heinz College, the Department of Engineering and Public Policy
, and the Department of Social and Decision Sciences
.
in 1956. At High School her interest in social modeling was inspired by Isaac Asimov
's Foundation series. Artificial intelligence
was not a career path at that time and she was dissuaded from studying Mathematics because of gender stereotyping
.
Instead she studied for an S.B.
in Economics
and an S.B. in Political Science
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1978. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology
from Harvard University
in 1984. Her Ph.D. advisor was Harrison White
and her thesis was entitled Consensus Construction.
where she remains based. In 1990 she became Associate Professor of Sociology and Organizations, in 1998 Professor of Sociology, Organizations and IT, and in 2002 attained her current role as Professor of Computation, Organization and Society. Since 1998 she has also held appointments in other CMU schools and departments; the Department of Social and Decision Sciences, Heinz College, Tepper School of Business and Department of Engineering and Public Policy.
, sociology
and computer science
to address complex social and organizational problems. Her most notable research contribution was the establishment of Dynamic network analysis
(DNA). In addition, she has also contributed to research on computational social and organization theory, adaptation and evolution, text mining, and the impact of telecommunication technologies and policy on communication, information diffusion, disease contagion and response within and among groups particularly in disaster or crisis situations, and dynamic network methods.
She is the director of the Center for Computational Analysis of Social and Organizational Systems (CASOS), a university-wide interdisciplinary center that brings together network science
, computer science
, and organizational studies
and has an associated NSF funded training program for Ph.D. students. Her research on dynamic network analysis
has resulted in tools for analyzing large scale dynamic networks and various multi-agent simulation systems. Her CASOS group has developed tools for text-mining semantic networks (AutoMap), simulating
epidemiological
models (BioWar), and simulating covert networks
(DyNet).
Carley is the founding co-editor, and co-editor-in-chief of the journal Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory
. She has co-edited several books in the computational organizations and dynamic network area.
Dynamic Network Analysis
Dynamic network analysis is an emergent scientific field that brings together traditional social network analysis , link analysis and multi-agent systems within network science and network theory. There are two aspects of this field. The first is the statistical analysis of DNA data. The second...
. She is a professor in the School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science
The School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA is a leading private school for computer science established in 1965. It has been consistently ranked among the top computer science programs over the decades. U.S...
in the Institute for Software Research International
Carnegie Mellon Institute for Software Research International
The Carnegie Mellon Institute for Software Research International is part of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA....
at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
and also holds appointments in the Tepper School of Business
Tepper School of Business
The Tepper School of Business is a private business school located on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.The school consistently ranks highly among the top business schools in the U.S., as well as in a wide range of specializations, such as finance,...
, the Heinz College, the Department of Engineering and Public Policy
Engineering and Public Policy
Engineering and Public Policy, informally known as EPP, is an interdisciplinary academic department within the Carnegie Institute of Technology , Carnegie Mellon University's engineering college. EPP combines technical analysis with social science and policy analysis, in order to address problems...
, and the Department of Social and Decision Sciences
Social and Decision Sciences
Social and Decision Sciences, informally known as SDS, is an interdisciplinary academic department within the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University headquartered in Porter Hall in Pittsburgh, PA and led by Department Head John H...
.
Background
Kathleen Carley was born in Pueblo, ColoradoPueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
in 1956. At High School her interest in social modeling was inspired by Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's Foundation series. Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
was not a career path at that time and she was dissuaded from studying Mathematics because of gender stereotyping
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
.
Instead she studied for an S.B.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and an S.B. in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1978. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1984. Her Ph.D. advisor was Harrison White
Harrison White
Harrison Colyar White is the emeritus Giddings Professor of Sociology at Columbia University. White is an influential scholar in the domain of social networks. He is credited with the development of a number of mathematical models of social structure including vacancy chains and blockmodels...
and her thesis was entitled Consensus Construction.
Career
On leaving Harvard in 1984, Carley secured a position as Associate Professor of Sociology and Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
where she remains based. In 1990 she became Associate Professor of Sociology and Organizations, in 1998 Professor of Sociology, Organizations and IT, and in 2002 attained her current role as Professor of Computation, Organization and Society. Since 1998 she has also held appointments in other CMU schools and departments; the Department of Social and Decision Sciences, Heinz College, Tepper School of Business and Department of Engineering and Public Policy.
Research
Carley's research combines cognitive scienceCognitive science
Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine...
, sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
to address complex social and organizational problems. Her most notable research contribution was the establishment of Dynamic network analysis
Dynamic Network Analysis
Dynamic network analysis is an emergent scientific field that brings together traditional social network analysis , link analysis and multi-agent systems within network science and network theory. There are two aspects of this field. The first is the statistical analysis of DNA data. The second...
(DNA). In addition, she has also contributed to research on computational social and organization theory, adaptation and evolution, text mining, and the impact of telecommunication technologies and policy on communication, information diffusion, disease contagion and response within and among groups particularly in disaster or crisis situations, and dynamic network methods.
She is the director of the Center for Computational Analysis of Social and Organizational Systems (CASOS), a university-wide interdisciplinary center that brings together network science
Network science
Network science is a new and emerging scientific discipline that examines the interconnections among diverse physical or engineered networks, information networks, biological networks, cognitive and semantic networks, and social networks. This field of science seeks to discover common principles,...
, computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, and organizational studies
Organizational studies
Organizational studies, sometimes known as organizational science, encompass the systematic study and careful application of knowledge about how people act within organizations...
and has an associated NSF funded training program for Ph.D. students. Her research on dynamic network analysis
Dynamic Network Analysis
Dynamic network analysis is an emergent scientific field that brings together traditional social network analysis , link analysis and multi-agent systems within network science and network theory. There are two aspects of this field. The first is the statistical analysis of DNA data. The second...
has resulted in tools for analyzing large scale dynamic networks and various multi-agent simulation systems. Her CASOS group has developed tools for text-mining semantic networks (AutoMap), simulating
Agent based model
An agent-based model is a class of computational models for simulating the actions and interactions of autonomous agents with a view to assessing their effects on the system as a whole...
epidemiological
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
models (BioWar), and simulating covert networks
Clandestine cell system
A clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
(DyNet).
Carley is the founding co-editor, and co-editor-in-chief of the journal Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory
Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory
Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory is a double-blind peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of organization theory. The journal is published quarterly by Springer Science+Business Media. It was established in 1995 and initially published by Kluwer. The founding editors were...
. She has co-edited several books in the computational organizations and dynamic network area.