Samuel Arbesman

I study computational approaches to the social sciences. I am currently a Research Fellow in the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School, working in the group of Nicholas Christakis. I completed a PhD in computational biology at Cornell University in 2008, where I worked on a variety of projects related to computational approaches to human activity. My advisor was Steve Strogatz. From 2004 to 2006, I was an IGERT Fellow in Nonlinear Systems. Here's my CV.

In addition, I write for popular audiences. My work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times and The Boston Globe.

Research

My research interests lie within the field of computational social science. I am interested in applying computational and mathematical models to examining social interactions within all types of social structures, such as cities, governments, and corporations. More specifically, I am interested in the formation and behavior of communities and organizations, both planned and spontaneous. My research within this area includes the examination of the nature of productivity and innovation within cities, and the interplay between collaboration and innovation in academia. In addition, I have explored the connections between the structure of linguistic networks and how language is processed in the brain. I have also studied a bit about hitting streaks in baseball.

Publications

Scientific Publications

Arbesman, S, S. Strogatz and M. Vitevitch. The Structure of Phonological Networks Across Multiple Languages. arXiv: 0903.0872 [Physics and Society]. Submitted.

Vitevitch, M. and S. Arbesman. The mental lexicon: An example of a growing network. Submitted.

Arbesman, S, J. Kleinberg and S. Strogatz. Superlinear Scaling for Innovation in Cities. Phys. Rev. E 79 (1). 2009. Available on the arXiv: 0809.4994 [Physics and Society]. Reprinted in Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research 17 (3). 2009.

Arbesman, S, and S. Strogatz. A Monte Carlo Approach to Joe DiMaggio and Streaks in Baseball. arXiv: 0807.5082 [Popular Physics].

Arbesman, S, L Enthoven, A Monteiro. Ancient Wings: animating the evolution of butterfly wings patterns. BioSystems 71: 289-295. 2003.

Popular Writing

What to do if your child has superpowers: A FAQ for concerned parents. Boston Globe, June 21, 2009: C2, Ideas.

A brief inquiry into the nature of sports fandom: Why the home team doesn't deserve your loyalty. Boston Globe, March 22, 2009: K10, Ideas. (this is tongue-in-cheek)

The Arbesman Limit: How to be famous in a few easy steps. Boston Globe, February 8, 2009: L10, Ideas.

Anatomy of a Spring Break. Boston Globe, January 25, 2009: C10, Ideas.

A Journey to Baseball's Alternate Universe. New York Times, March 30, 2008: WK12 (with S. Strogatz).

How to Get Your Own Scientific Eponym, and Introducing the Arbesman Limit, Science Creative Quarterly, Issue 3.

Human Anatomy Terms That Sound Like Things You Would Go See on a Vacation, Science Creative Quarterly, Issue 3.

Press

The Count: Joe Mauer’s Pursuit of Ted Williams (The Wall Street Journal: June 19, 2009)

Fremde Freunde (Foreign Friends) (aspekte: a German cultural news show: April 17, 2009) [for viewing instructions, click here]

Social Studies (Globe and Mail: March 25, 2009) [behind paywall]

The Galaxy at the End of the Universe (Discovery Channel online blog: March 4, 2009)

How to Name Your Own Number (The Wall Street Journal: February 17, 2009)

Immortality: Getting theories named after you (The Point | CBC Radio: February 13, 2009)

An Easier Way To Get Around (Discover Magazine online blog: January 9, 2009)

Social melting pots foster technological innovation (New Scientist: 2677; October 8, 2008)

Collaboration: Group theory (Nature: 455, 720 - 723; October 8, 2008)

Why Chipper Jones Is Such a Long Shot for .400 (The Wall Street Journal: June 11, 2008)

In Defense of Joe DiMaggio (The Wall Street Journal: April 3, 2008)

Every Old Meme is New Again (Wired News: December 1, 2006)

How the Word Gets Around (Wired News: May 7, 2004)

Ancient wings unfurled (Nature Science Update: October 27, 2003) [archived at this site]

Projects

I have a blog. It highlights things that I find of interest and is updated infrequently. It used to be called The Biourbanist.

The Milky Way Transit Authority: a map of our galaxy in the style of a subway map.

Previously, I created something called the Memespread Project.

I also worked on a project called Ancient Wings, that examined the evolution of butterfly wingspot patterns.

How to Contact Me

Email:	arbesman at hcp dot med dot harvard dot edu arbesman at gmail dot com
Phone:	617-432-7421
Office:	Harvard Medical School Department of Health Care Policy 180 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 map