February 01, 2008 –
Carter Butts, sociology associate professor and ResCUE researcher with Calit2, is the recipient of the 2008 Freeman Award from the International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA). Named for Linton C. Freeman, UC Irvine sociology professor and renowned social network researcher, the biannual award recognizes Butts’ contributions as a young scholar to the scientific study of social structures.
Butts is one of a strong group of faculty experts at UC Irvine who perform cutting edge research in the field of quantitative network analysis and spatial mapping. With a recently awarded three-year grant from the National Science Foundation, he is currently leading the ResCUE component that examines the role of improvisation in emergency situations and the communication networks within which critical decisions are made. The study will ultimately be used to improve the ability of communities and organizations to plan for, adapt to and learn from large-scale disasters.
“This award recognizes Professor Butts’ outstanding achievement in social network analysis, especially his research contributions to the statistical modeling of networks and quantitative social science, and his commitment to mentoring and dissemination of analytical tools and ideas to the wider social science community,” writes Wang Feng, sociology department chair and professor.
Butts will officially receive the award at INSNA’s 2009 Sunbelt Conference, where he will also give an address reviewing his work.
INSNA is the international, interdisciplinary, professional association for researchers interested in social network analysis. Founded in 1977, the organization has more than 1,200 members.
— Heather Wuebker
