Computational methods for Governance Processes in Social Media

Are you passionate about understanding and improving the digital world? Our research project on the Governance of Social Media and Online Communities (e.g., Reddit) is tackling some of the most pressing issues of our time.

Cyberbullying and trolling are major threats to the social and emotional well-being of individuals as our lives increasingly move online. Shockingly, 15% to 41% of adolescents have engaged in cyberbullying at some point, leading to severe consequences like depression, self-harm, and even suicide. Additionally, the rise of AI-based bots is disrupting collective decision-making processes on social media platforms, creating new challenges for online communities.

Our study seeks to understand the underlying causes and mechanisms of these disruptive phenomena. By analysing large-scale archival data from the internet, we employ advanced AI and computational methods to develop models that explain how such behaviours evolve over time.

Join us to be at the forefront of applying AI to real-world problems in social media governance, contribute to solutions that can enhance the well-being of online communities globally, and work with a team of dedicated researchers and experts in the field. If you’re ready to make a difference and advance your academic career, we invite you to join our dynamic research team. 

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:

1. Contact the supervisor by email or phone to discuss your interest and find out if you would be suitable. Supervisor details can be found on this topic page. The supervisor will guide you in developing the topic-specific research proposal, which will form part of your application.
2. Click on the 'Apply here' button on this page and you will be taken to the relevant PhD course page, where you can apply using an online application.
3. Complete the online application indicating your selected supervisor and include the research proposal for the topic you have selected.

Good luck!

This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Habin Lee - I am Chair in Digital Business Analytics at Brunel Business School and have received a PhD in Management Engineering and MEng in Management Science from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). I am a Divisional Lead, Innovation & Sustainability that offers MSc in AI & Strategy, MSc in Busines Intelligence & Digital Marketing, MSc in Global Supply Chain Management, and BSc in Business and Management programmes. I am sitting at the Executive Board as the representative of Divisional Leads within the school. Previously, I gained industrial experience from BT Group CTO for 6 years before joining Brunel. I secured more than £3 millions of research grants from MRC, ESRC, EU FP7, H2020 and other international funding bodies to Brunel . I coordinated international research consortia including UbiPOL, CEES, MINI-CHIP, and GREENDC. My research interests include governance mechanisms in online communities and supply chain networks in public and private sectors applying computational big data analytics and process theories. The excellence of my research has been awarded by international institutes such as  AIS (Association for Information Systems), WfMC (Workflow Management Coalition) and IET (The Institutes of Engineering and Technology) as well as BT Group. I published articles on international journals including Management Science, Journal of AIS, European Journal of Operational Research, IEEE Tr Mobile Computing, IEEE Pervasive Computing, Information Systems Management, and Government Information Quarterly among others. I have strong connections within the industry, providing paid consulting services to several companies including BT Group. 

Related Research Group(s)

Operations and Information Systems Management - We specialize in responsible and sustainable operation management exploring information systems, operations research, management science, and general management and strategic management knowledge and approaches across public and private industry sectors