Network Science

The military is currently attempting to develop itself into a force capable of networkcentric operations.

While this effort has highlighted the military's dependence on interacting networks, it has also shown that there is a huge gap between what we need to know about networks and our fundamental knowledge about network behavior.

This gap makes the military vision of NCO problematic.

To help address this problem, the Army asked the NRC to find out whether identifying and funding a new field of "network science" could help close this gap.

This report presents an examination of networks andthe military, an analysis of the promise, content, and challenges of network science, and an assessment of approaches to creating value from network science. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1 Introduction2 Networks and Network Research in the 21st Century3 Networks and the Military4 The Definition and Promise of Network Science5 The Content of Network Science6 Status and Challenges of Network Science7 Creating Value from Network Science: Scope of the Opportunity8 Conclusions and RecommendationsAppendix A Biographical Sketches of Committee MembersAppendix B Committee Meetings and Other ActivitiesAppendix C Content of Network Science CoursesAppendix D Questionnaire DataAppendix E Opportunities for Creating Value from Network ScienceAppendix F Recommended Reading List