Dynamic Network Analysis of Nuclear Science Literature for Research Influence Assessment

Volume: 65, December 2023, pages 19-33

Authors: Samrat Chatterjee, Dennis Thomas, Daniel Fortin, Karl Pazdernik, Benjamin Wilson, and Lisa Newburn

_{Pacific Northwest National Laboratory}

Abstract: Analyzing nuclear science literature via data-driven methods is key for assessing research influence and technology advancements. Indicators of scholarly activities may be buried in publications and collaboration networks over time. Mining for relevant scholarly influence trends in large volumes of text can be computationally challenging; however, open-source information over time can offer opportunities to extract meaningful insights. While network centrality analysis of scholarly research provides topologybased insights, additional emphasis on dynamics associated with information diffusion through these networks is important. This paper represents a step in that direction through the development of a novel dynamic network analysis framework and computational engine to identify key entities and capabilities over time within global scholarly nuclear science collaboration networks. Network theoretic, stochastic simulation, and optimization methods are used to analyze variability in scholarly interactions, influence propagation, and collaboration patterns. A topicaware influence maximization algorithm is developed to identify key influential authors over time, along with an ef f icient paralle l ized implementation to reduce computational costs. A case study using open-source Scopus data with 33,517 published nuclear research papers from 2000-2019 is presented and representative analytic insights are generated. Broad implications of these insights are discussed, and future research directions are also identified.

Keywords: nuclear; collaboration; network; topic; influence

Reference guideline:

Chatterjee, S., Thomas, D., Fortin, D., Pazdernik, K., Wilson, B., & Newburn, L. (2023, December). Dynamic Network Analysis of Nuclear Science Literature for Research Influence Assessment, ESARDA Bulletin - The International Journal of Nuclear Safeguards and Non-proliferation, 65, 19-33. https://doi.org/10.3011/ESARDA.IJNSNP.2023.3