Tatiana Losev
Researcher
Data Visualization Designer
Ph.D. Student
Calgary & Vancouver, Canada
Research
Tatiana Losev
I'm a Ph.D. candidate supervised by Dr. Sheelagh Carpendale at the School of Interactive Arts & Technology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. I'm part of the ixLab, InnoVis, and a visitor at the iLab and the Pain Studies Lab.
I explore data visualization as a socially-oriented approach to research and design, and for reciprocal communication among people in the public, scientists, and technical experts. I am grateful for the many colleagues, mentors, and enthusiastic public community members who shape and inspire me to push the boundaries of liminal and transdisciplinary spaces in my work.
Addressing Health & Climate Crises With the Public
Scientific messages from experts to the public rely on data visualizations as a factual way to engage different people about COVID-19 or the ongoing climate crisis. I consider flipping the top-down science delivery model and exploring data visualization as a possible grassroots interactive social activity where data experts learn with and from people outside the lab.
I Use Data Visualization as a Qualitative Research and Design Approach
I facilitate cooperative research experiences in community involved data practices that foreground community agency, histories, strengths, and collective know-how. Merging qualitative design-oriented methodologies, I explore data visualization for social connection, sense-making, learning, and self-expression. For example, participants and collaborators use digital tools, pen-paper sketching, or familiar craft materials to build 3-D data representations called data physicalization.
Some of My Questions
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How can data visualization and its process activities be used to facilitate and support social interactions among researchers and people in the public?
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Can data visualizations be designed to promote a feeling of social connection among people?
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What would an alternative social and visual lexicon to promote social and affective experiences with data visualizations look like?