Visualization for Teaching and Research (A Conference Report)

The 2013 Gordon Research Conference on Visualization in Science & Education brought together a diverse group of researchers and practitioners to survey and problematize the use of visualizations for educational and research purposes. Gordon Conferences are notable for having a unique format and approach; they are single track and restricted to a small group of attendees in the hopes of encouraging interdisciplinary discussions and collaborations. In this talk, I will summarize some of the most exciting approaches presented at the conference and suggest how theoretical and technical advances can improve our design and use of visualizations. The conference also inspired a new collaborative initiative that I am excited to present and discuss with the group.