Best Student Paper Award ASONAM 2023

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Last Updated: Nov 13, 2025, 02:35 PM

SIU Celebrates Bhargav Krishna Thota's Best Student Paper Award ASONAM 2023

CARBONDALE, Ill. — November 8, 2023

asonam award
Bhargav Krishna Thota, PhD student in Computer Science, receives Best Student Paper Award ASONAM 2023.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, proudly celebrates the achievement of Bhargav Krishna Thota a doctoral graduate student in the School of Computing, who has been honored with the Best Student Paper Award as the prestigious ASONAM 2023 conference. This recognition underscores SIU’s commitment to fostering excellence in computer science research and supporting student innovation on a global stage.

ASONAM 2023 , the International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining, is one of the leading venues for research in social network analysis, data mining, and computational social science. Held annually, the conference attracts top researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world to present cutting-edge work in the field. Winning the Best Student Paper Award at ASONAM is a significant accomplishment, reflecting both the quality and impact of the research presented.

“Congratulations for receiving the best student paper award of the 2023 IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining (ASONAM)! ASONAM is one of the top conferences in social networking."
— Dr. Xiaoqing "Frank" Liu
    Dean and Professor, College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics

Mr. Thota’s award-winning paper, titled “Assessing the Impact of Social Networks on the Formation of Opinions in Integrated Intelligent Argumentation with Social Networks,” introduces novel measures to evaluate how social networks influence the formation and evolution of collective opinions in cyber-argumentation. These measures help quantify what a individual's social group thinks about his or her opinions and their impacts on their arguments.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Xiaoqing "Frank" Liu, Mr. Thota developed three types of impact measures—directional impact, mutual impact, and social group impact—each representing the contribution of an individual user or group to the formation of a collective opinion on a specific issue within an intelligent cyber-argumentation system. His work advances the broader effort to make social network analysis in cyber-argumentation more interpretable by revealing the patterns, shifts, and genuine relationships among users in a discourse that shape collective decision-making processes.

“Mr.Thota’s achievement is a testament to the caliber of research being conducted at SIU. His dedication, creativity, and technical skill have earned him well-deserved recognition at one of the most competitive conferences in our field.”
— Dr. Chun-Hsi Huang
    Director, School of Computing

The award not only highlights Mr. Thota’s individual excellence but also reflects the supportive and research-driven environment cultivated within SIU’s School of Computing. Graduate students are encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary projects, publish in top-tier venues, and engage with the global research community.

During his time at SIU, Mr. Thota has actively contributed to research seminars, collaborative projects, and mentoring initiatives. His work exemplifies the university’s mission to prepare students for leadership in technology and innovation.

The Best Student Paper Award includes formal recognition at the ASONAM 2023 awards ceremony, publication in the conference proceedings, and opportunities for further collaboration with international researchers. Mr. Thota’s success adds to SIU’s growing reputation as a hub for impactful research in computer science and data analytics.

This recognition will be featured in the upcoming School of Computing newsletter, which celebrates student accomplishments and promotes the visibility of SIU’s research contributions. The newsletter serves as a platform to highlight the achievements of students and faculty, reinforcing the School’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation.

About ASONAM: The International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining (ASONAM) focuses on theoretical and practical advances in social network analysis, data mining, and computational social science, showcasing research that spans online platforms, organizations, and societal systems.

Media Contact: School of Computing Communications • socinfo@siu.edu