Beyond COVID-19: Network science and sustainable exit strategies

TL;DR

This paper summarizes a workshop that brought together experts in network science and epidemiology to discuss sustainable strategies for exiting the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting current research and future directions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive survey of the current state of network science in epidemiology and suggests promising areas for future research to inform public policy.

Findings

Network science offers valuable insights into epidemic dynamics.

Current research identifies key network structures affecting disease spread.

Future research directions include modeling complex social behaviors.

Abstract

On May $28^{th}$ and $29^{th}$, a two day workshop was held virtually, facilitated by the Beyond Center at ASU and Moogsoft Inc. The aim was to bring together leading scientists with an interest in Network Science and Epidemiology to attempt to inform public policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Epidemics are at their core a process that progresses dynamically upon a network, and are a key area of study in Network Science. In the course of the workshop a wide survey of the state of the subject was conducted. We summarize in this paper a series of perspectives of the subject, and where the authors believe fruitful areas for future research are to be found.