June 2025
Arkansas Business visits COSMOS Research Center
Editors from Arkansas Business visited the COSMOS Research Center to learn about its work in social computing, cognitive security, AI, and digital behavior. Led by Director Prof. Nitin Agarwal, the tour highlighted COSMOS’s collaborations with federal agencies and global partners to combat cognitive threats and enhance community resilience. The visit underscored the importance of media-academic engagement in making complex research accessible and impactful.
Research Spotlight: Churn Analysis and Narrative Dynamics
This month’s research spotlight highlights a COSMOS study from the 13th International Conference on Complex Networks, titled “Tracking Narrative Dynamics Using Churn Management on Social Networks.” Using churn analysis, the study examined user engagement in pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian Telegram communities during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Results showed declining engagement in pro-Russian groups and more dynamic, faster-spreading narratives in pro-Ukrainian channels, showcasing churn analysis as a valuable tool for tracking narrative shifts in conflict zones.
Hot Off the Press: Modeling Toxicity Spread
Elsevier’s Journal of Online Social Networks and Media (OSNEM) recently published a COSMOS study titled “Modeling and simulation of interventions’ effect on the spread of toxicity in social media.” The research uses epidemiological modeling to simulate how interventions like user bans, content moderation, and warning messages affect toxic behavior online. Findings show that combining strategies is more effective than using them individually. The study offers a valuable tool for platform designers and policymakers to test moderation strategies virtually, helping build healthier online communities.
Cosmographer Corner: Dr. Recep Erol, HPC Admin and AI Facilitator for University of Arkansas
In this edition, we feature Dr. Recep Erol, former COSMOS researcher and now HPC Admin and AI Facilitator at the University of Arkansas. Starting at UA Little Rock in 2015, he earned his PhD in 2024. At COSMOS, he worked under Prof. Nitin Agarwal on projects involving social media analysis, emotion detection, and multimodal data fusion. His career spans roles at Walmart, startups tackling deepfakes and counterfeits, and computer vision consulting. Now in academia, he supports computational optimization. Dr. Erol encourages cosmographers to align their interests with career goals and leverage COSMOS’s dynamic, real-world research opportunities.
New Hire: Roshika Uprety, Graduate Research Assistant
Meet Roshika Uprety, the newest Graduate Research Assistant at COSMOS! A Master’s student in Business Information Systems and Analytics at UA Little Rock, Roshika brings experience in data analysis, project coordination, and social media management. Drawn to COSMOS for its collaborative culture and real-world impact, she looks forward to deepening her skills in social network analysis and computational modeling. Under Prof. Agarwal’s mentorship, she aims to become a well-rounded researcher. Her advice to new team members: stay curious, be proactive, and communicate openly.
From Graduation to Beyond: Graduation Stories
In this edition, we spotlight Tenzing Briggs, a recent graduate with a master’s in Professional and Technical Writing. As a Graduate Research Assistant at COSMOS, Tenzing gained hands-on experience in editing, design, and science communication. Inspired by COSMOS’s impactful research, he joined to strengthen his science writing skills. He credits Prof. Agarwal’s mentorship for pushing him beyond his comfort zone and deepening his understanding of complex topics. Tenzing plans to continue working with COSMOS while exploring publishing opportunities in Little Rock. His favorite memory: the 2023 COSMOS picnic. His advice to peers—“Spread your wings and embrace new challenges!”