Team
Marian-Gabriel Hâncean, PhD
Marian-Gabriel Hâncean (he/him) is a mixed-methods sociologist specializing in computational social sciences with a strong focus on statistical modeling and network analysis. His research integrates methodologies from sociology, data science, and computer science to analyze human behavior through the detection and analysis of complex network patterns. He employs network science and computational sociology to explore the interplay between network structures, social selection, and social influence. Recently, his work has focused on applying advanced computational models, such as Relational Hyperevent Models (RHEM), to study phenomena like virus spreading in socio-centric networks, patterns of scientific collaboration, and the science of team science. His research combines theoretical and computational approaches to examine the mutual dynamics between relational event data (social interactions) and relational states (social structures), providing insights into areas such as epidemiology and public health. His current projects involve computational analyses of cancer and cardiovascular risk factors within panel personal network data observed in different living labs. His work underlines a multidisciplinary approach, bridging the gap between computational methods in social sciences and traditional network analysis techniques, and contributes to the broader field of computer science by developing models applicable in areas like public health, organizational studies, and collaborative networks.
Iulian Oană, PhD
OANĂ, IULIAN, PhD, is a network data scientist & quantitative sociologist at The Center for Advanced Studies in Organizations and Complex Networks (GraphNets), an interdisciplinary research entity embedded in the University of Bucharest (UB). He also serves as a teaching assistant for the courses 'Methods of Sociological Research' and 'Social Networks', and as a researcher at the Bureau of Statistics (at UB). He received his PhD from UB in 2021, for a thesis employing semantic network analysis in studying the evolution of research topics inside the field of Social Network Analysis. In general, he finds fascinating any application of network science methods to the study of social phenomena. Currently, he is working as a researcher in the 4P-CAN project, where, together with the project team, he applies personal network analysis for the understating of health opinions and behaviors of persons inside a living lab, to better public health policies regarding cancer and cardiovascular risk factors.
Bianca Elena Mihăilă, PhD
MIHĂILĂ, BIANCA-ELENA is a research assistant & sociologist and a Ph.D. candidate at the Doctoral School of Sociology within the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work at the University of Bucharest (UB). Her doctoral research concentrates on the evolving relationship between science and public health policy, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 crisis. At the UB, she is a teaching assistant for the Sociology of Organizations course and a research assistant at the Bureau of Statistics. Additionally, she is working at the Center for Advanced Studies in Organizations and Complex Networks (GraphNets), an interdisciplinary research group within the University of Bucharest. Beyond the realm of public health crises, her academic interests extend to migration studies (how migrants acquire job opportunities by being embedded in transnational social networks), network pattern detection in smoking behavior (how individuals with similar smoking behavior cluster together), and scientometrics (how transnational co-authorship influences the academic impact of researchers). She is currently part of the 4P-CAN project (which focuses on cancer and cardiovascular risk factors), where, together with her colleagues, she employs quantitative methodology, social statistics, and personal network analysis. The goal is to contribute to the understanding of how different health outcomes circulate within personal networks, thereby enhancing the development of evidence-based, well-tailored public policies.
Bogdan-Adrian Vidrașcu
VIDRAȘCU, BOGDAN-ADRIAN is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest. His preferred approach lies within the frame of quantitative methods, with an emphasis on social network analysis. His main area of interest is related to the examination of the structures underlying the development of shared systems of belief and action within both real-life and online communities. He has previously studied the presence of assortativity within the political discussion networks of Romanian voters in the context of the 2019 Europarliamentary vote. He is currently interested in the impact of social networks on an individual's behaviours like sleep or physical activity which are associated with cardiovascular risk.
Victor Solomon
SOLOMON, VICTOR is a PhD candidate at the Interdisciplinary School of Doctoral Studies, at the University of Bucharest. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Bucharest, a Bachelor of Science from the University Politehnica of Bucharest, and a Master of Science in Management of Technology from ETH Zurich. Over the past eight years, he has worked in the blockchain space, taking on various roles in product management, operations, and analysis. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies, focusing on sociology and social network analysis in the blockchain space. His research interests include understanding user behavior in the blockchain space, utilizing experiments as a research method, and applying social network analysis to study blockchain ecosystems.
Maria-Alexandra Roșu
ROȘU, MARIA-ALEXANDRA is a second-year BA student in the Sociology in English program at the University of Bucharest. Currently, she is working as a researcher on the 4P-CAN project, which focuses on cancer and cardiovascular risk factors. In collaboration with the project team, Maria applies personal network analysis to better understand the health opinions and behaviors of individuals within a living lab environment. This research aims to improve public health policies by providing deeper insights into how health outcomes spread through personal networks, contributing to more tailored and effective approaches to cancer and cardiovascular health.
Andreea-Ștefania Moise
MOISE, ANDREEA-ȘTEFANIA holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, with a specialization in Organizational Management and Marketing. Her undergraduate thesis examined the visibility of the pink tax among young individuals, with a particular focus on student consumers. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Sociological Research at the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of equity, equality, and social inclusion, as well as in the ways digital data and advertising influence contemporary social behavior. Through her work, she seeks to better understand how structural inequalities are reproduced within digital and consumer cultures.
Antonin Tron-Lozai
TRON-LOZAI, ANTONIN is a third-year BA student in the Sociology in English program at the Faculty of Sociology. A French national, Antonin has discovered his deep interest in sociology upon moving to Romania, whilst navigating the unspoken codes and customs of a so similar, yet different society, with its own realities and challenges. Antonin's main academic interests lay in quantitative data analysis and the epistemology and ethics of scientific research. Currently, he is involved as a researcher in the 4P-CAN project, which investigates cancer and cardiovascular risk factors through personal network analysis.