Speaker: Richard Southwell CUHK
Time: 2011-06-21 16:00-2011-06-21 17:00
Venue: FIT 1-222
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Abstract:

How does the strategic behavior of individuals depend upon the structure of the network connecting them? This is a question of great importance in computer science, biology, sociology and economics. In this talk we shall explore how game theory and graph theory can be combined to study this issue. We shall begin by examining a simple model where vertices update to employ the best responses to the strategies of their neighbors. These games can produce remarkably complex dynamics. We shall discuss how convex geometry can be used to understand their rule spaces. Next we shall discuss graphical congestion games -where vertices try to minimize the congestion they incur from neighbors that are using the same strategy. These games are useful for modeling spectrum sharing in wireless networks, and we shall discuss how various analytic methods can be applied to understand their behavior.

Short Bio:

Richard Southwell obtained his Bsc in theoretical physics and an Msc in mathematics, from the University of York, UK. He obtained his PhD in mathematics from Sheffield University, UK, in 2009. After this, he worked as a Postdoc in Sheffield for one year, in the amorphous computing project. After this, he moved to the Chinese University of Hong Kong where he is currently working as a Postdoc in the Network Communications and Economics Lab, within the Information Engineering department.

Dr. Southwell’s main publications are in the areas of game theory, graph theory and wireless networks. He was the first author of a best paper finalist at the International Conference on Game Theory in Networks (GameNets) 2011. His research interests include adaptive graph models, games on graphs, complex systems, and wireless networks.