Following the discussion of static network models on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, the fourth meeting of the Simulation Track MIDSEA Summer School 2025 at the Bima Room, MICC Building, The Alana Yogyakarta Hotel and Convention Center focused on dynamic network models for the spread of infectious diseases. The track began with a discussion of the program code for the static network model problem provided the previous day by Prof. Alexander Richard Cook, Deputy Dean for Global Health at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore (NUS). Following that, as an introduction to the fourth meeting’s material, Prof. Cook explained that the fundamental difference between this model and the static network model is the change in the vertices or edges of the network graph.
In constructing a dynamic network that represents a disease spread model, the loss of graph edges occurs due to the breakdown or termination of a relationship, such as divorce, a child leaving the family home, or an employee getting a new job. The termination of a relationship is represented by a constant rate in a continuous-time model and by a probability in a discrete-time model. This can be viewed as an event on the graph edge, such as an individual’s transition from compartment E to compartment I in a disease transmission model. The formation of graph edges in the network is greatly influenced by the infectious disease being modeled. For respiratory pathogens, new graph edges must be formed based on individuals’ tendencies to interact with others who share similarities. Meanwhile, for socially transmitted pathogens, new graph edges must consider sexual preferences and risk tolerance.
After discussing how to form the graph sides of the network in the infectious disease model, each track participant was asked to study the program code provided by Prof. Cook and then explain certain parts of the program to the other participants. The track then continued with a discussion of algorithms for dynamic network models and Activity Sessions, which consisted of two problems. The problems presented in the Activity Session aim to enable track participants to perform dynamic network simulations suitable for modeling the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and to simulate the spread of a disease through a dynamic network.
Keywords: MIDSEA, Modelling, Infectious Diseases Modelling
Author: Citra Rizqin Sulistyaningsih
Photo: Lucetta Amarakamini