Bio
Michael Szell is currently postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University, Center for Complex Network Research. His interdisciplinary background of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics is well reflected in his research goals: To quantitatively understand collective behavior and the underlying patterns of our interlinked actions and decisions in a computational social science, involving mining and modeling large-scale data sets of human activity following a complex networks/systems approach. Michael previously held a research position at MIT's Senseable City Lab, studying urban mobility and sustainability. His special focus is on online environments and media, in particular he is known for his work on multiplex networks, social dynamics and mobility from the players in his massive multiplayer online game "Pardus", www.pardus.at. Michael received his academic degrees in Vienna, Austria (Vienna University of Technology and University of Vienna), studying social networks and dynamics at the Section for Science of Complex Systems, Medical University of Vienna.
Research interests
- Computational social science, in particular of human behavior online and in cities
- Social networks: Analysis and modeling of structure, evolution, and processes
- Complex systems, human mobility, evolutionary game theory
Research highlights
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Education
| 2012 / 03 |  | Ph.D. in Physics, University of Vienna Ph.D. Thesis
Advisors: Stefan Thurner, Christoph Dellago |
| 2007 / 10 |  | M.Sc. in Technical Mathematics with focus on computer science, Vienna University of Technology M.Sc. Thesis |
Employment
| present 2014 / 07 |  | Postdoctoral research associate, Center for Complex Network Research, Northeastern University |
| 2014 / 07 2012 / 04 |  | Postdoctoral research fellow, Senseable City Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 2011 / 12 2009 / 01 |  | Research assistant, Section for Science of Complex Systems, Medical University of Vienna |
| present 2006 / 09 | Founder and manager of Bayer & Szell OG | |
| present 2004 / 07 |  | Developer and administrator of the Massive Multiplayer Online Game Pardus |