Dr Athen Ma

Senior Lecturer
School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Complex networks, Network science, Machine learning and ecology, Ecological networks, Ecosystem responses, Global environmental change
Interests
My research transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries and develops innovative analytics to examine the structure and dynamics of ecosystems across different domains. I have developed novel analytics that revealed the assembly principles which underpin the organisation of collaborative science in the UK over the past three decades (featured in PNAS issue highlight and commentary, Physics World and Phys.org). My experience in profiling large-scale networks enables me to perform robust analysis and modelling, tailored to undertaking important questions in ecology. I have a strong interest on the community organisation in ecological systems, and have developed multi-disciplinary techniques that uncovered how components of ecological networks rewired under drought (formed the front cover of Nature Climate Change) and how community structures in streams across the UK recovered from acidification. My publication in Nature Ecology and Evolution has revealed that agricultural ecosystems from farm sites across the UK are remarkably resilient to genetically modified, herbicide tolerant management. My multi-disciplinary approach to better understand networked ecosystems has been recognised as key to ecoinformatics and ecological big data research as it provides a platform to explore complex ecological systems and interlink the services (e.g. production of food) they bring.For latest news, visit https://sites.google.com/view/athenma/home
Publications
2021

Sun Y, Livan G, Ma A and Latora V
Communications Physics, Springer Nature vol. 4 (1)
10-12-2021

GRAY C, Ma A, McLaughlin O, Petit S, Woodward G and Bohan D
Communications Biology, Nature Research (Part of Springer Nature)
18-01-2021
2018

Ma A
Nature Ecology and Evolution, Nature Research
31-12-2018

Ma A, Bohan DA, Canard E, Derocles SAP, Gray C, Lu X, Macfadyen S, Romero GQ and Kratina P
Advances in Ecological Research
20-06-2018
2017

Xu X, Zhang H-Y, Luo J, Zhang D-J and Ma A
Journal of Mountain Science, Springer Nature vol. 14 (4), 694-704.
30-03-2017

Xu X, Zhang H, Zhang D, Tian W, Huang H and Ma A
Pakistan Journal of Botany vol. 49 (3), 1039-1048.
01-01-2017
2016

Zhao L, Zhang H, O'Gorman EJ, Tian W, Ma A, Moore JC, Borrett SR and Woodward G
Ecology Letters, Wiley vol. 19 (9), 1032-1040.
27-06-2016

Lu X, Gray C, Brown LE, Ledger ME, Milner AM, Mondragón RJ, Woodward G and Ma A
Nature Climate Change, Nature Publishing Group vol. 6, 875-878.
09-05-2016

Consortium TQ
Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Elsevier vol. 31 (2), 105-115.
09-01-2016

Gray C, Hildrew AG, Lu X, Ma A, McElroy D, Monteith D, O Gorman E, Shilland E and Woodward G
In Advances in Ecological Research Large-Scale Ecology: Model Systems to Global Perspectives, Academic Press, Editors: Alex JD. 475-534.
01-01-2016
2015

Gray C, Figueroa DH, Hudson LN, Ma A, Perkins D and Woodward G
Food Webs, Elsevier vol. 5, 11-20.
01-12-2015

Ma A, Mondragón RJ and Latora V
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 112 (48), 14760-14765.
26-10-2015

Poslad S, Ma A, Wang Z and Mei H
Sensors, Mdpi vol. 15 (6), 13069-13096.
04-06-2015

Mulder C, Bennett EM, Bohan DA, Bonkowski M, Carpenter SR, Chalmers R, Cramer W, Durance I, Eisenhauer N, Fontaine C, Haughton AJ, Hettelingh JP, Hines J, Ibanez S, Jeppesen E, Krumins JA, Ma A, Mancinelli G, Massol F, McLaughlin Ó, et al.
In Advances in Ecological Research 1-53.
01-01-2015

Mulder C, Bennett EM, Bohan DA, Bonkowski M, Carpenter SR, Chalmers R, Cramer W, Durance I, Eisenhauer N, Fontaine C, Haughton AJ, Hettelingh J-P, Hines J, Ibanez S, Jeppesen E, Krumins JA, Ma A, Mancinelli G, Massol F, McLaughlin Ó, et al.
In Ecosystem Services - From Biodiversity to Society, Part 1, Elsevier 1-53.
01-01-2015
2014

Gray C, Baird DJ, Baumgartner S, Jacob U, Jenkins GB, O'Gorman EJ, Lu X, Ma A, Pocock MJO, Schuwirth N, Thompson M and Woodward G
Journal of Applied Ecology, Wiley vol. 51 (5), 1444-1449.
28-07-2014
2013

Mei H, Ma A, Poslad S and Oshin TO
Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers
19-04-2013

Montoya LV, Ma A and Mondragon RJ
Complex Networks Iv, Springer vol. 276 (2013), 27-38.
01-01-2013
2012

Ma A and Mondragón RJ
Physica a: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications, Elsevier Bv vol. 391 (24), 6674-6681.
01-12-2012

Ma A, Poslad S and Oshin TO
2012 IEEE 11th International Conference on Trust, Security and Privacy in Computing and Communications (TrustCom) Liverpool, UK 25 Jun 2012 - 27 Jun 2012.
01-01-2012

Ma A and Mondragon RJ
NetSci Evanston, Il, USA 18 Jun 2012 - 22 Jun 2012.
01-01-2012

Oshin TO, Poslad S and Ma A
2012 IEEE 15th International Conference on Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Nicosia, Cyprus 5 Dec 2012 - 7 Dec 2012.
01-01-2012
2011

Pinto FC, Videira A, Ma A and Cuthbert L
IEEE EUROCOM Lisbon, Portugal 27 Apr 2011 - 29 Apr 2011.
01-01-2011
2010

Wang Y, Shi S, Yang X and Ma A
International Conference on Future Computer and Communication Shanghai, China 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2010

Yang X, Wu D, Wang Y and Ma A
Advanced Information Management and Service (IMS), 2010 6th International Conference on Seoul, Korea 30 Nov 2010 - 2 Dec 2010.
01-01-2010
2009

Ariffin SHS, Schormans JA and Ma AHI
Iet Commun vol. 3 (6), 933-944.
01-06-2009

Tokarchuk L, Shoop K and Ma A
01-01-2009

Wang Y, Yang X, Lu N, Ma A and Cuthbert L
Wireless Communications, Networking and Mobile Computing, 2009. WiCom '09. 5th International Conference on Beijing 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2009

Wang L, De Vial E, Tokarchuk L, Wang Y and Ma A
01-01-2009

Wang Y, Yang X, Ma A and Cuthbert LG
Communications Technology and Applications, 2009. ICCTA '09. IEEE International Conference on Beijing, China 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2009

DONG R, TOKARCHUK LN and MA A
Proceedings of Networking & Electronic Commerce Research Conference Lake Garda, Italy 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2009
2008

Chew B, Wang J, Ma A and Bigham J
NAEC Lake Garda, Italy 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2008
2006

Wang Y, Wu J, Bigham J, Ma A and Cuthbert L
01-12-2006

Wang Y, Ma A and Cuthbert L
IASTED International Conference on Networks and Communication Systems (NCS) Chiang Mai, Thailand 29 Mar 2006 - 31 Mar 2006.
01-01-2006

Wang Y, Ma A and Cuthbert L
IASTED Int’l Conference on Networks and Communication Systems (NCS) Chiang Mai, Thailand 29 Mar 2006 - 31 Mar 2006.
01-01-2006

Wang Y, Ma A, Cuthbert L and Shoop K
Networking and Electronic Commerce Research Conference (NAEC) Lake Garda, Italy 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2006

Wang Y, Ma A and Cuthbert L
IET International Conference on Wireless Mobile and Multimedia Networks Proceedings (ICWMMN 2006) Hanzhou, China 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2006

Wang Y, Ma A, Wu J, Bigham B and Cuthbert L
4th IASTED Int’l Conference on Communications, Internet, and Information Technology (CIIT) Virgin Islands, USA 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2006
2005

Ma AHI and Schormans JA
Iee P-Commun vol. 152 (4), 420-426.
01-08-2005
2004

Koutsouris N, Mitrou N, Wang Y and Ma A
CCCT'04 Austin, Texas, USA 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2004
2003

Ma A, Schormans J and Cuthbert L
Iee P-Commun vol. 150 (3), 177-183.
01-06-2003
2002

Leung CM, Schormans JA and Ma AHI
Electron Lett vol. 38 (24), 1608-1610.
21-11-2002

Ma AHI and Schormans JA
Electron Lett vol. 38 (6), 295-297.
14-03-2002

Ma AHI and Schormans JA
ICT02 Beijing, China 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2002

Ma AHI and Schormans JA
RESIM’02 Madrid, Spain 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2002
2001

Ma AHI and Schormans JA
17th UKTS Dublin, Ireland 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2001
2000

Schormans JA, Pitts JM, Ma AHI and Mondragon R
16th UKTS Harlow, Essex UK 1 Jan 1970.
01-01-2000

Ma AHI, Schormans JA, Pitts JM, Scharf EM, Pearmain AJ and Phillips CI
Elec Lett vol. 36 (15), 1274-1275.
01-01-2000
Grants


Athen Ma, Vito Latora and Pavel Kratina
£389,809 NERC Natural Environment Research Council
01-06-2024 - 31-05-2027