Description du sujet de thèse

The interdisciplinary project is part of an ANR funding grant (PEPR ENSEMBLE: https://www.pepr-ensemble.fr/) and will use an experimental and theoretical approach to understand the influence of algorithms (e.g., recommendations, bots) in promoting collaboration in social networks. It will involve developing an experimental platform, conducting (web-based) experiments with human subjects, analysing behavioural data, and contributing to theoretical and empirical insights into the economics of human networks. Topics of interest include understanding the role of social networks in the spread of information, and how algorithmic interventions can help promote cooperation in networks.

The PhD student will contribute to the design and execution of economic experiments with human subjects that aim to mimic the formation of real social networks and well-known phenomena (e.g., misinformation, polarization, collaboration).

Contexte de travail

The PhD student will be based at the GATE (Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique) Lyon Saint-Étienne Institute (https://www.gate.cnrs.fr) and enrolled in the doctoral school in economics and management in Lyon (https://edseg.universite-lyon.fr), France. The GATE is a prestigious research center affiliated with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). The GATE is renowned for its interdisciplinary approach, combining economics, social sciences, and computational methods to address complex societal challenges. The institute has a strong reputation for experimental economics, with extensive expertise in designing and conducting controlled economic experiments to understand decision-making, cooperation, and strategic interactions. GATE offers a collaborative and dynamic research environment, providing access to cutting-edge resources and opportunities for interaction with leading experts in economics.

The PhD student will be jointly supervised by Astrid Hopfensitz (Emlyon, GATE), Frederic Moisan (Emlyon, GATE), and Jean-Claude Dreher (ISC, CNRS).

Qualifications and Skills:

- Master's degree (MSc) or equivalent in Economics, Computational Social Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or related fields.
- Experience and/or interest in designing and conducting experiments with human subjects.
- Some knowledge of Behavioural Economics, Game Theory, Network Science, and Agent-Based Modelling.
- Strong programming skills including proficiency in data analysis and simulations (e.g., Python, MATLAB, R, Stata) as well as web development (e.g., SQL, JavaScript, PHP, HTML). Familiarity with machine learning techniques for analysing large and complex datasets is highly desirable.
- The research institute's working language is English. English proficiency is required. Knowledge of French is not required.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit:

- Motivation letter concerning the research project and topic.
- CV detailing relevant research experience and technical skills.
- Academic transcripts (including provisional grades for ongoing studies, where applicable).
- Master's thesis if available, or any relevant research done up until now.
- Two reference letters.

Applications should be submitted in pdf format.