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Alexander T. J. Barron

Academic page

Biography

I smash data analysis together with text and music to measure cultural innovation.

I am a PhD at NYU Abu Dhabi, previously at the Center for Complex Networks and Systems. I have researched language use with respect to social movements, politics, and group formation. Currently I am researching cultural change in the presence of new AI technologies, particularly in amateur music production.

  • Previous mentors:
    • Johan Bollen
    • Simon DeDeo
    • Doug Fields

I have reviewed for Cognitive Science, PLOS One, and ICWSM.

In the past, I helped smash particles together.

I enjoy making music and music videos.

Publications

  • Alexander T. J. Barron, Johan Bollen. (2022). Quantifying collective identity online from self-defining hashtags. Scientific Reports, 12, 15044.
  • Johan Bollen, Marijn Ten Thij, Fritz Breithaupt, Alexander T. J. Barron, Lauren A Rutter, Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, Marten Scheffer. (2021). Reply to Schmidt et al.: A robust surge of cognitive distortions in historical language. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118 (30).
  • Johan Bollen, Marijn Ten Thij, Fritz Breithaupt, Alexander T. J. Barron, Lauren A Rutter, Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, Marten Scheffer. (2021). Historical language records reveal a surge of cognitive distortions in recent decades. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118 (30).
  • Alexander T. J. Barron, Jenny Huang, Rebecca L. Spang, Simon DeDeo. (2018). Individuals, institutions, and innovation in the debates of the French Revolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115 (18).
  • Rui Fan, Ali Varamesh, Onur Varol, Alexander T. J. Barron, Ingrid A. van de Leemput, Marten Scheffer, Johan Bollen. (2018). The minute-scale dynamics of online emotions reveal the effects of affect labeling. Nature Human Behaviour, 20 (1).
    • Available on arXiv.

Education

  • PhD in Informatics, Indiana University, 2022
  • BS Double Major in Physics and Applied Mathematics, University of New Mexico, 2011

Interest: Cultural innovation

In particular: developing measurements of innovation and the effectiveness of new content’s innovation in context.

  • See the fruit of this work in our group’s PNAS paper in the case of political speeches during the French Revolution, winner of the 2018 Cozzarelli Prize in Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Interest: Identity and social group formation

Does identity inspire group formation, or vice versa? Measurement of these interrelated concepts using language as data.

Awards

  • 2019-2020: Summer Affiliate of the NSF Research Traineeship award in Complex Networks and Systems. Total amount: $10,000.
  • 2019: CNetS PhD Award. School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering. Indiana University, Indiana, USA. Amount: $500.
    • “In recognition of leadership and service to the welfare of the Center for Complex Networks and Systems Research and the School at large and of excellence in academic achievement.”
  • 2019: Winner of the Cozzarelli Prize in Behavioral and Social Sciences for 2018, one of six such yearly prizes reflecting “scientific excellence and originality” from the National Academy of Sciences, USA.
  • 2015: Poster Honorable Mention in Language, Linguistics, Cognition and Social Ecology Track at CCS’15. Amount: $200.
  • 2006-2010: UNM Regents’ Scholarship awardee: a competitive award that includes leadership within the school and a renewable scholarship covering tuition, expenses, and stipend. Amount: more than $10,000 combined over four years.