The Center for Advanced Studies in Organizations and Complex Networks (GraphNets)

The Center for Advanced Studies in Organizations and Complex Networks (GraphNets) is an emerging interdisciplinary research entity embedded in the University of Bucharest.

GraphNets explores the use of mathematical methods in social sciences and humanities, with a focus on the application of graph theory and the study of social networks. Among others, the research group is interested in the applicability of network theory to social networks (e.g. transnational networks of migrants, coauthorship and collaboration networks, etc.), and to the understanding of knowledge dissemination and diffusion. With diverse scientific expertise, GraphNets provides support and consultancy services to researchers, public and private organizations, and professionals interested in social network analysis.

Current research activities of the GraphNets group are linked to the implementation of the CoSMoS project, financed by UEFISCDI (code: PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-2828). This project seeks to address the effects of human mobility networks and weather conditions on the outbreak and spread of COVID-19, in Romania.

Past research activities of the GraphNets group are linked to the implementation of the iCoNiC project, financed by UEFISCDI (code: PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2016-0362). The iCoNiC project investigates whether research disparities among EU countries, at a macro level, are accounted for by different rates of research productivity quality (citations) and distinct patterns of coauthorship, at a micro level.

Through its researchers, GraphNets collaborated with egolab-GRAFO research group (Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Autonomous University of Barcelona) for the implementation of the research project ORBITS (i.e. The Role of Social Transnational Fields in the Emergence, Maintenance and Decay of Ethnic and Demographic Enclaves). Details on the ORBITS project are available here.​

GraphNets is coordinated by Marian Gabriel Hâncean (Department of Sociology, The University of Bucharest – UB). The core of the GraphNets research group includes among others the following researchers: Cristina Ghiță, Ph.D. (Faculty of Sociology and Social Work UB); Iulian Oană, Ph.D. (Faculty of Sociology and Social Work UB); Bianca Mihăilă, Ph.D. candidate (Faculty of Sociology and Social Work UB); Adelina Stoica, Ph.D. candidate (Faculty of Sociology and Social Work UB). A presentation of the GraphNets research group is available on this webpage (see the GraphNets Team section).