John McAlister

John McAlister

he/him

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Research

My current research focuses on the interactions between relational structure and equilibria in dynamic multiplayer games. To learn more you can read my research statement here. You can also find my articles on my Google Scholar profile.

Preprints

Structured Coordination Games of Planar Graphs: a Dual Approach

Preprint, 2026

We show that Nash equilibria to the structured coordination game represent a local notion of the Min-cut partition by way of the potential function. Using the standard relationship between partitions and subgraphs in the planar dual, we define a quasimetric space for which Nash equilibria are local minimizers of a global objective. When the game is restricted to only two strategies, these results allow us to construct a dynamic subgraph process which recapitulates the Myopic Best Response dynamics of the coordination game.

Recommended citation: McAlister, J. S. (2026) Structured Coordination Games of Planar Graphs: a Dual Approach. preprint. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.22865
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Classification of dynamics for a two person model of planned behavior

Preprint, 2026

We study a dynamical system modeling the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in which each individual’s behavioral intention evolves continuously under an ODE driven by internal attitudes, perceived social norms, and perceived behavioral control.

Recommended citation: Dadlani R., McAlister J.S., Eissa T.L., Fefferman N.H (2026) Classification of dynamics for a two person model of planned behavior. preprint. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2506.13929
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A nonlinear nonlocal diffusion equation for the analysis of continuous coordination and anti-coordination type games

Preprint, 2025

I introduce a continuous model of a modified coordination game and examine the dynamic and equilibrium properties of the resulting nonlinear nonlocal diffusion equation.

Recommended citation: McAlister J.S., Fefferman, N.H. Mengesha, T.A. (2025) Nonlinear Nonlocal Diffusion Equation for the Analysis of Continuous Coordination and Anti-coordination Type Games. preprint. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2506.13929
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Journal Articles

A game theoretic treatment of contagion in trade networks

PLOS Computational Biology, 2025

In this paper we examine a game theoretic model of the wildlife trade network and investigate how network structure impacts spillover risk of disease.

Recommended citation: McAlister J. S., Brunner, J.L., Galvin, D. J., Fefferman, N.H. (2025) A Game Theoretic Treatment of Contagion in Trade Networks.PLOS computational Biology. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013845
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Edge addition and the change in kemeny’s constant

Discrete Applied Mathematics, 2025

This paper finds upper and lower bounds for the change in Kemeny’s constant under edge addition from a tree

Recommended citation: Kirkland, S., Li, C., McAlister, J.S., and Zhang, X. (2023) Edge Addition and the Change in Kemeny's Constant. Discrete Applied Mathematics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dam.2025.04.031
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An interdisciplinary perspective of the built-environment microbiome

FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2025

This paper discusses the challenges of studying the built environment microbiome because of the inherent interdisciplinary nature of the field.

Recommended citation: McAlister, J.S., M.J. Blum, Y. Bromberg, N.H. Fefferman, Q. He, E. Lofgren, D.L.Miller, C. Schreiner, K. Selcuk Candan, H. Szabo-Rogers, and J. M. Reed (2025) An Interdisciplinary Perspective of the Built-Environment Microbiome. FEMS Microbiology Ecology https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiae166
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A new paradigm for pandemic preparedness

Current Epidemiology Reports, 2023

This paper discusses the issues with the current state of pandemic science and a vision for the future.

Recommended citation: Fefferman, N.H., McAlister, J.S., Akpa, B.S., Akwataghibe, K., Azad F.T., BarkleyK., Bleichrodt, A., Blum M.J., Bourouiba, L., Bromberg, Y., Candan K.S., Chowell,G.,Clancey, E., Cathroan, F.A., DeWitte, S.N., Fernandez, P., Finnoff, D., Flaherty, D.T.,Gibson, N.L., Harris, N., He, Q., Lofgren, E.T., Miller, D.L., Moody, J., Muccio, K.,Nunn, C.L., Papes, M., Pachalidis, I.Ch., Pasquale, D.K., Reed, M.J., Rogers, M. B.,Schreiner, C. L., Strand E.B., Swanson C.S., Szabo-Rodgers, H. L., and Ryan, S. J. (2023) A New Paradigm for Pandemic Preparedness. Current Epidemiological Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40471-023-00336-w
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An adaptive dynamic model of a vigilance game among group foragers

Journal of Theoretical Biology, 2022

This paper discusses a game theoretic model of vigilance and offers theoretical support to the many eyes hypothesis of group foraging

Recommended citation: McAlister, J.S., Hamilton, I. (2022) An Adaptive Dynamic Model for the Vigilance Game in Group Foragers. Journal of Theoretical Biology. 538:111033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111030
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Dissertation

On Structured Models of Coordinating Systems

Dissertation for degree of PhD at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, 2026

Coordination is a fundamental game theoretic process in which is present in a wide variety of interactions. In this dissertation I formulate and analyze four different models of coordinating systems. Each model tells us something interesting about coordinating systems but no model is perfect. By considering each of the models in context with one another, we can gain a more complete understanding of coordinating systems as a whole

Recommended citation: McAlister J. S. (2026) On Structured Models of Coordinating Systems. Dissertation at the University of Tennesse - Knoxville
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