Inequality, Health Beliefs, Networks and Inference: Exploring the Links Between Social Co-ordinates and Network Structure

PhD Project: Imperial College Mathematics
Student Background: Theoretical Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Electrical Engineering (BioMedical knowledge not required)

The student will join a unit investigating links between social network structure, social variables and health beliefs/outcomes. In particular we explore the links between social co-ordinates (geographic co-ordinates, age, education etc) and social network structure. We investigate tools to infer possible network structures given diverse types of observed data: from small surveys to large-scale network data. We are interested in constructing new, geometric, metrics of social inequality and using inferred values of these metrics to account for inequalities in health outcomes. We are further developing approaches to optimally influence health sentiment processes on partially observed networks including continuum theories. One of our specific application areas is vaccine trust and how it is constrained by social co-ordinates and social network structure -- we work with partners both in the UK and India. We draw on, and develop, tools pertaining to Bayesian Inference, Statistical Physics and Dynamical Systems/ Control Theory. We are looking for passion, scientific intuition and a willingness to join our community. We specifically welcome students from underrepresented groups and value a supportive environment prioritising purposeful happiness.

You can learn about the research of the systems and signals group on our site:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/nick.jones/research.html
and from our blog:
http://systems-signals.blogspot.co.uk/

Our group is a member of Imperial’s EPSRC Centre for the Mathematics of Precision Healthcare:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/mathematics-precision-healthcare

Further enquiries - contact with a CV detailing academic performance (i.e. including as detailed as possible information about grades/marks or equivalent):
Nick Jones (Imperial Mathematics) https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/nick.jones

We have a linked project on stochastic models of mitochondrial ageing https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=60764