Tyler Horan

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Working Together

If you're a student or trainee eager to collaborate with me on research, this page is tailored for you. Its purpose is to provide insight into my research interests, my most effective work approaches, and what I offer as an advisor. While primarily geared towards those pursuing a PhD within my team, the principles outlined here are equally relevant for both undergraduate and master's students.

Research Interests

I conduct research at the intersection of sociology & computer science interaction. I am currently interested in understanding inequalities resulting from sociotechnical systems, impacts of machine learning and artificial intelligence on social life. That being said, I am always open to chatting about ideas about sociology or computational social science broadly and I would be happy to discuss those with you.

I identify as an empiricist, emphasizing the importance of observing, inferring, and testing to understand issues. In practical terms, within my team, we focus on creating systems to observe Internet-related events. Our approach involves thoughtful study design, gathering and scrutinizing data (from surveys and interviews to large-scale Internet measurements), and articulating our discoveries in a concise and engaging manner.

Various terms describe our line of work, such as Internet measurement, Data science, Social computing, and Computational social science. Essentially, our team marries profound systems knowledge with a drive to investigate tangible issues concerning human interactions. If your inclination leans towards theory, I might not be the suitable mentor for you.

I have a strong inclination towards selecting issues that I believe will make a difference. While the term "impact" can be vague, in my context, it implies that entities beyond our research team and those reviewing our papers will deem our work beneficial, captivating, and perhaps even influential in shaping their perspectives. These entities can span a broad spectrum, from members of online communities to governmental bodies and policy makers.

Advising Philosophy

I love engaging with passionate students who come with opinions on the work we are conducting together. To that end, I care deeply about fostering a respectful and collaborative advisor/advisee relationship and lab environment. This manifests in a few ways:

  1. I have a hands-on approach, delving deep into the intricacies of research. I relish the process of meticulously planning a study, devising innovative measurement methods, and, above all, immersing myself in the latest research techniques. I genuinely appreciate when you introduce me to novel technical ideas, and I wholeheartedly support such discussions. In our interactions, our topics will range from designing specific studies, the progress of our coding or system construction, results (with a particular appreciation for illustrative graphs), to the structuring of our academic papers. While I might not always be directly involved in the coding process (even though I enjoy coding, so there might be exceptions), I'll be actively involved when it's time to draft our paper, contributing significantly to its composition.
  2. I am fully committed to championing my advisees. Individuals have myriad valid motivations to engage in research or seek advanced education. Instead of trying to fit you into a predefined archetype as your advisor, my aim is to magnify your zeal and ambitions, collaboratively determining the best path forward.
  3. I value work-life balance. It's essential to remember that life is fleeting, and consistently working exhaustive hours is not sustainable. Whether it's taking a leisurely stroll, enjoying a coffee, dining out, indulging in your favorite series, resting, or any other activity, I believe in the significance of downtime. I advise my students to ensure they have at least one day off during the weekend, and if feasible, the entire weekend—especially once academic coursework is complete. Undoubtedly, the scientific realm can sometimes demand intensive periods of work. However, with meticulous planning and dedication, you can maintain autonomy over your schedule and well-being. Furthermore, research needn't be your sole endeavor. Beyond essential daily activities, you might pursue other dreams and passions. I'm an advocate for your pursuits outside of the academic realm and am always open to conversations about achieving an optimal balance.
  4. I try to be available and consistent. While I may not always be physically present, I am digitally reachable during the day. That means, you can always Slack for quick questions, email for longer answers, and otherwise connect with my on other channels for different types of academic and professional engagement.
  5. I give regular feedback. It can be a complex task to gauge one's advancement toward both graduation and professional aspirations. Our interactions will be frequent, with at least two scheduled meetings weekly: one dedicated to updates on research and another for lab discussions. For all my doctoral students, I have established a practice of conducting individual quarterly reviews, which focus on your research progression, overall program standing, and broader aspirations both in academia and life at large. Furthermore, I am always open to offering insights upon request, and you'll naturally receive a plethora of my perspectives given my hands-on research approach (as referenced in the first point).
  6. I am open to feedback. I continually strive for growth in my roles as an advisor, educator, mentor, collaborator, and individual. I've set up an anonymous feedback mechanism accessible to all my doctoral students, which I review approximately every two weeks. Additionally, should you believe a direct conversation is more appropriate for your feedback, I am always receptive and available for face-to-face discussions.

Summary

Research can at times be intimidating, challenging, and immense. However, it also holds the potential for immense joy and excitement! I'm deeply dedicated to fostering an atmosphere and culture rooted in teamwork and community.