معرفی
Joshua M. Epstein is Professor of Epidemiology at New York University, with affiliations in the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and the Wolff Family Department of Politics. He is founding Director of the NYU Agent-Based Modeling Laboratory and External Faculty Fellow at the Santa Fe Institute. Since 2025, he has also been a member of the External Faculty at the Complexity Science Hub. His work bridges computational modeling, social science, and public health.
- BA, Amherst College
- Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Epstein is a pioneer in agent-based modeling, focusing on generative social science, complex systems, and nonlinear dynamics. His research explores how macro-level social phenomena emerge from micro-level individual behaviors. Key domains include infectious disease spread, financial contagion, obesity diffusion, and social innovation. He emphasizes computational approaches to understanding societal mechanisms and policy implications.
His recent publications reflect a consistent focus on generative modeling, complex adaptive systems, and interdisciplinary simulation. Themes across his work include emergence, contagion (biological and social), cognitive foundations of behavior, and the limits of prediction in social systems. His modeling spans epidemiology, economics, and cognitive science, demonstrating the versatility of agent-based methods.
Notable scientific awards include:
- NIH Director’s Pioneer Award
- Honorary Doctorate of Science from Amherst College
Epstein has led major research initiatives, including the Johns Hopkins Center for Advanced Modeling and the NYU Agent-Based Modeling Laboratory. He has advised numerous research projects and secured significant grants supporting computational social science. His books, such as Growing Artificial Societies and Agent_Zero, have shaped the field. Future work continues to explore neurocognitive agents and real-world policy applications.
He leads the NYU Agent-Based Modeling Laboratory, a hub for developing and applying agent-based models to pressing societal challenges. The lab fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across public health, political science, economics, and computer science.
