Daniel Torren wins prestigious award for research on low-carbon transitions
Daniel Torren, researcher at ICTA-UAB, has been recognized with the Best PhD Student Article Award by the Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation (JASSS) for his groundbreaking study “An Agent-Based Model of Cultural Change for a Low-Carbon Transition”, co-authored with ICTA-UAB researchers Ivan Savin and Jeroen van den Bergh.
The article explores how cultural dynamics can influence the shift toward low-carbon societies, using advanced agent-based modeling to simulate social behavior and policy impacts. The JASSS committee highlighted the study’s theoretical depth, methodological rigor, clear presentation, and reproducibility, noting the careful treatment of its limitations.
This award, the first of its kind, celebrates exceptional contributions by PhD students and includes a certificate and a monetary prize. Torren’s work, supported by his co-authors, not only reflects academic excellence but also demonstrates the growing importance of computational social science in addressing climate change and sustainability challenges.
Daniel Torren successfully defended his doctoral thesis "Modelling the Social, Cultural and Technological Evolution of Low-Carbon Lifestyles" earlier last month.
Article reference: Torren-Peraire, D., Savin, I. and van den Bergh, J. (2024) An Agent-Based Model of Cultural Change for a Low-Carbon Transition. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation 27 (1) 13 https://doi.org/10.18564/jasss.5291