[#46] Structurally Distorted Communication in a Population & Interdisciplinary Research Done Right

Many of today’s most pressing issues require a more robust understanding of how information spreads in populations. Current models of information spread can be thought of as falling into one of two varieties: epidemiologically-inspired rumor spreading models, which do not account for the noisy nature of communication, or information theory-inspired communication models, which do not account for spreading dynamics in populations. The viral proliferation of misinformation and harmful messages seen both online and offline, however, suggests the need for a model that accounts for both noise in the communication process, as well as disease-like spreading dynamics.

Since beginning my research career, I have been fortunate enough to be part of studies which fall in the realm of communication, epidemiology, psychology, microbiology, natural language processing, and beyond. As complex systems scholars, we are both afforded the luxury and condemned with the curse of interdisciplinarity. As a graduate student, this can be both liberating and terrifying. In out discussion, we will engage in a conversation about: how true interdisciplinary research begins with a question, how shiny new methods can easily distract us, and how a little bit of humility can unlock countless doors.