Balazs Vedres

Balazs Vedres is a **Professor** at the **Central European University (CEU)**, with a joint appointment in the **Department of Network and Data Science**. His research integrates network science, data science, and social theory to explore creativity, innovation, and historical processes in collaborative networks. He holds a **PhD in Sociology from Columbia University** and an **MA in Economics from Corvinus University**.

**Research Interests**: Focuses on structural dynamics in creative fields (e.g., jazz, video games, open-source software), gender inequality in collaborative platforms, historical network evolution, and the impact of social bots on human collaboration. He analyzes how network configurations like *structural folds* and *forbidden triads* drive innovation and creativity.

**Awards**: Elected **Member of the European Academy of Sociology (2017)**, recognizing his contributions to sociological research. His work bridges computational methods with sociological theory, as seen in his publications in *American Journal of Sociology* and interdisciplinary journals.

**Projects**: Leads initiatives like *Gendered Creative Teams: From Marginality to Success* and *Ceunet/Indra Mapping European Network Science*. His research often involves empirical studies of transnational activism, entrepreneurial networks, and digital platforms.

**Labs/Teams**: Active in CEU’s **Data and Network Dynamics Studies (DNDS)** group, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in computational social science. His work emphasizes the interplay between global economic integration and local developmental agency.