The Evolution and Dynamics of Research Networks

Existing collaboration and innovation in scientic commu- nities can be enhanced by understanding the underlying patterns and hidden relations. Social network analysis is an appropriate method to reveal such patterns. Nevertheless, research in this area is mainly fo- cused on social networks. One promising approach is to use homophily networks as well. Furthermore, extending the static to a dynamic net- work model enables to understand existing interdependencies in these networks. A mathematical description of possible analyses is given. Fi- nally, resulting research questions are illustrated and the necessity of an interdisciplinary research approach is pointed out.