Rate My Professor Naoki Masuda

Masuda's research centers on network science and mathematical biology. Key areas include temporal and multilayer networks, hypergraphs, random walks and diffusion, epidemic spreading, evolutionary game dynamics, and energy landscape analysis, with applications to genomics, neuroimaging (fMRI), behavioral biology, and social networks for public health. During his time at UB, he secured funding as PI for NSF grants on temporal network embedding (2022–2026) and multilayer network approaches to tandem repeat variation in genomes (2022–2026), among others. He received the JSPS Prize in 2020 for his pioneering work on theory and data-analysis methods for temporal networks. With over 220 publications, notable ones include “Random walks and diffusion on networks” (Physics Reports, 2017; 906 citations), “A guide to temporal networks” (2016; 443 citations), “Switch-like gene expression modulates disease risk” (Nature Communications, 2025), and “Applicability of spatial early warning signals to complex network dynamics” (Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 2025). Masuda contributed to UB through extensive service on hiring, executive, and graduate committees, and as faculty advisor to the AMS student chapter. He has served as editor or on editorial boards for journals such as PLoS ONE (Long Service Award, 2023), Journal of Complex Networks, and Journal of Computational Science, underscoring his influence in the field.