Matt Ryan (CSIRO)

Speaker: Matt Ryan (CSIRO)
Talk Title: Sometimes BaD modelling is a good idea
Abstract: Human behaviour is a key driver in the spread of infectious diseases, yet the recent COVID-19 pandemic illustrated a lack of modelling tools capable of capturing adaptive changes in behaviour.  This sparked a renewed interest in developing behavioural-epidemiological models to capture the co-evolution of behaviour and infection spread.  In this talk, I will present our approach to incorporating behavioural science theories - socio-psychological models used to determine why people engage in health behaviours - into infectious disease transmission models.  These behaviour and disease (BaD) models allow for adaptive human response, with behavioural uptake and abandonment governed by key psychological factors including the perception of illness threat and social cues to action.  I will then present an extension of this modelling framework to testing and isolation behaviours, inspired by data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This talk is supported by the upcoming Isaac Newton Institute programme “The Maths of Human Behaviour” in Nottingham,  July 2026.