Networks are everywhere – technological, social, biological, and economic systems. The interconnectedness of everything is suddenly the "hot topic" in most sciences. In particular, the infrastructures that give stability to our operating lives are mostly invisible (or transparent). Our awareness of how these structures fit together (or often, don't) impacts the flow of information and resources, and our ability to enact our goals.
While I don't have any specific research projects going right now that center on network theory, I find that the concepts and techniques heavily influence the way I look at phenomena.
Infrastructure is another story. Much of my research addresses the way systems fit together, and how technologies can bridge the information transfer needs between systems. The cyberinfrastructure (CI) movement, largely headed by Professor Daniel E. Atkins, former and founding Dean of the School of Information, holds particular interest. The effects of this research are far-reaching and represent significant lines of emerging scholarship.