My research combines tools from statistical physics, applied mathematics, and data science to study complex networked systems. A central thread is understanding how dynamical processes — epidemics, opinions, information — spread and evolve on networks with realistic structural and temporal properties. A major focus is opinion dynamics and polarization: how individuals form and radicalize opinions under social influence, algorithmic amplification, and echo chambers. I also work on the mathematical foundations of spreading processes on temporal and higher-order networks, where group interactions and time-varying connectivity fundamentally alter collective behavior. My work is highly interdisciplinary, with applications in computational social science, epidemiology, and the physics of social systems.

 

Research Group

Social and Responsible Computing Research Group 

 

Current PhD Students

  • Kaloyan Danovski (expected defence: 2027)
  • Mattia Tarchini (expected defence: 2027)
  • Roger González (expected defence: 2028)
  • Aleix Nicolás (expected defence: 2028)

Current Postdoctoral Researcher

  • Alberto Ceria (2025–2029)

Past PhD Students

  • Leonardo Di Gaetano — Central European University, defended January 2025
  • Jaume Ojer — Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, defended July 2025

Selected Publications

  1. M Starnini et al. Opinion dynamics: Statistical physics and beyond. Accepted by Review of Modern Physics (2026)
  2. J Ojer, D Cárcamo, R Pastor-Satorras, M Starnini. Charting multidimensional ideological polarization across demographic groups in the USA. Nature Human Behaviour, 1–11 (2025)
  3. LAN Fard, A Bisin, M Starnini, M Tizzoni. Modeling adaptive forward-looking behavior in epidemics on networks. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 232, 106914 (2025)
  4. L Di Gaetano, F Battiston, M Starnini. Percolation and topological properties of temporal higher-order networks. Physical Review Letters 132, 037401 (2024)
  5. M Cinelli, GDF Morales, A Galeazzi, W Quattrociocchi, M Starnini. The echo chamber effect on social media. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118 (9) (2021)
  6. F Baumann, P Lorenz-Spreen, IM Sokolov, M Starnini. Emergence of polarized ideological opinions in multidimensional topic spaces. Physical Review X 11, 011012 (2021)
  7. F Baumann, P Lorenz-Spreen, IM Sokolov, M Starnini. Modeling echo chambers and polarization dynamics in social networks. Physical Review Letters 124, 048301 (2020)
  8. W Cota, S Ferreira, R Pastor-Satorras, M Starnini. Quantifying echo chamber effects in information spreading over political communication networks. EPJ Data Science 8, 35 (2019)
  9. M Starnini, JP Gleeson, M Bogуñá. Equivalence between non-Markovian and Markovian dynamics in epidemic spreading processes. Physical Review Letters 118, 128301 (2017)
  10. M Starnini, A Baronchelli, R Pastor-Satorras. Modeling human dynamics of face-to-face interaction networks. Physical Review Letters 110, 168701 (2013)