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Christian Tominski
apl. Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil.
Visual Analytics Group
Institute for Visual & Analytic Computing
Computer Science • University of Rostock
christian.tominski [ät] uni-rostock.de

About

Christian is a scientist at the Institute for Visual & Analytic Computing at the University of Rostock, Germany. He received doctoral (Dr.-Ing.) and post-doctoral (Dr.-Ing. habil.) degrees in 2006 and 2015, respectively. In 2021, he was granted the title of professor (apl. Prof.) for human-data interaction. His main research interests are in visualization of and interaction with data. He is particularly interested in effective and efficient techniques for interactively exploring and editing complex data. Christian has published numerous papers on new visualization and interaction techniques for multivariate data, temporal data, geo-spatial data, and graphs. He co-authored three books, including a book on the visualization of time-oriented data in 2011, a book focusing on interaction for visualization in 2015, and a more general book about interactive visual data analysis in 2020. Christian has developed several visual analytics systems and tools, including the LandVis system for spatio-temporal health data, the VisAxes tool for time-oriented data, and the CGV system for coordinated graph visualization.

Awards

Recent talks

Research Interests

Visualization
  • Multi-variate data visualization, time-series visualization, geo-visualization, visualization of movement data, graph visualization
  • Coordinated multiple-views visualization
  • Visualization on interactive displays and large high-resolution displays
Interaction
  • Interaction for visual data analysis
  • Interactive lenses
  • Interactive visual comparison
  • Navigation and exploration techniques
  • Guidance for visual analytics
Computation
  • Analytic support for interactive exploration
  • Efficient algorithms and data structures for visualization
  • Asynchronous progressive computation

Books

Book Interactive Visual Data Analysis
Interactive Visual Data Analysis
C. Tominski and H. Schumann, A K Peters Visualization Series, CRC Press, 2020
In the age of big data, being able to make sense of data is an important key to success. Interactive Visual Data Analysis advocates the synthesis of visualization, interaction, and automatic computation to facilitate insight generation and knowledge crystallization from large and complex data.
More
Book Interaction for Visualization
Interaction for Visualization
C. Tominski, Synthesis Lectures on Visualization, No. 3, Morgan & Claypool, 2015
The goal of Interaction for Visualization is to strengthen the interaction side of visualization. Based on a review of general aspects of interaction, the book develops an interaction-oriented view on visualization. This view comprises five key aspects: the data, the tasks, the technology, the human, and the implementation.
More
Book Visualization of Time-Oriented Data
Visualization of Time-Oriented Data
W. Aigner, S. Miksch, H. Schumann, C. Tominski, Springer, 2011
Time is an exceptional dimension. Understanding time-oriented data enables us to learn from the past in order to predict, plan, and build the future. Visualization of Time-Oriented Data addresses the distinct characteristics of time and presents appropriate visual and analytical methods to explore and analyze time-oriented data.
More

Professional Service

University
  • Interim head of the chair of Visual Analytics
  • Elected member of the faculty council
Editor, Chair, and Organizer
  • Symposium HS.2020, 2020
  • Guest-Editor Special Section on Visual Analytics in The Visual Computer, 2018
  • Workshop Co-Chair EuroVis Workshop on Visual Analytics (EuroVA), 2017, 2018
  • Organizer Special Track Interactive Visualization in Novel and Heterogeneous Display Environments at the International Symposium on Visual Computing (ISVC), 2011
Committees
  • Eurographics Conference on Visualization (EuroVis)
  • EuroVis Workshop on Visual Analytics (EuroVA)
  • IEEE Information Visualization (InfoVis)
  • IEEE Visual Analytics Science and Technology (VAST)
  • IEEE Working Conference on Software Visualization (VISSOFT)
  • International Symposium on Vision, Modeling and Visualization (VMV)
  • International Symposium on Graph Drawing (GD)
  • International Conference on Information Visualization Theory and Applications (IVAPP)
  • International Workshop on Big Data Visual Exploration and Analytics (BigVis)
  • ITS Workshop on Visual Data Exploration on Interactive Surfaces (DEXIS)
Reviewing
  • Journals: Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, Computer Graphics Forum, Information Visualization, Computers & Graphics, Computer Graphics and Applications, Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, International Journal on Geographical Information Science, Cartographic Journal, Software: Practice and Experience, Information Systems, Interacting with Computers, Journal of Imaging Sciences and Technology, Informatics, Behavior & Information Technology
  • Conferences and workshops: VIS, EuroVis, CHI, EuroVA, PacificVis, UIST, IV, BigVis, SIGRAD, VAKD, GeoVA(t), GeoViz
  • Research foundations: DFG (Germany), BW Stiftung (Germany), NWO (Netherlands), NSERC (Canada), ANR (France)
  • Publishers: CRC Press, Morgan & Claypool

Teaching

Student Information

I provide advice for students on how to engage in student projects and theses in the "Student How To" guide. Reading it is highly recommended.

Courses
  • Bachelor Computer Science
    • Visualization Project
    • Interactive Systems
Topics for Projects and Theses

MA = Master thesis, BA = Bachelor thesis, SP = Software project, LP = Literature project

  • MA: VR Interaction for 3D Axes-Based Visualization
  • MA: Smooth Transitions between Visualizations of Multivariate Graphs, in progress
  • MA: Multi-layer Network Visualization
  • MA: Automatic Labeling for SVG Visualizations
  • MA: WebGL Framework for Axes-based Visualization
  • MA: Visualization of JSON Schema Evaluation
  • MA: Visualization of Distributed Algorithms
  • MA: Sub-space Statistics for Guiding Data Navigation
  • MA, BA, or SP: Touch and pen interaction for Responsive Matrix Cells
  • BA or SP: Labeling nodes in iGraph.js
  • BA or LP: Animated Transistions
  • SP: A Testbed for Off-screen Visualization
  • SP: 3D Wormplots for Immersive Analytics
  • LP: Natural Language Interaction for Visual Data Analysis
  • LP: Coping with Overplotting in Scatter Plots

Publications

Statistics
  • Books: 3
  • Chapters: 11
  • Journal articles: 24
  • Conference papers: 35
  • Technical reports: 10
  • Abstracts, posters, etc.: 21
  • Theses: 2
  • Edited works: 2
Search:

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

  • G. Andrienko, N. Andrienko, U. Demšar, D. Dransch, J. Dykes, S. I. Fabrikant, M. Jern, M.-J. Kraak, H. Schumann, and C. Tominski. Space and Time. In: D. Keim, J. Kohlhammer, G. Ellis, and F. Mansmann (ed.) Mastering the Information Age – Solving Problems with Visual Analytics, Eurographics Association, 2010. (ISBN: 9783905673777)
  • M. Spindler, C. Tominski, H. Schumann, and R. Dachselt. Tangible Views for Information Visualization. Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces (ITS), Saarbrücken, Germany, ACM, 2010.
  • M. Spindler, C. Tominski, M. Hauschild, H. Schumann, and R. Dachselt. Novel Fields of Application for Tangible Displays above the Tabletop. Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces (ITS), Saarbrücken, Germany, ACM, 2010.
  • M. Spindler, C. Tominski, H. Schumann, and R. Dachselt. Poster: Towards Making InfoVis Views Tangible. Poster at IEEE Conference on Information Visualization (InfoVis), Salt Lake City, USA, 2010.
  • G. Andrienko, N. Andrienko, U. Demšar, D. Dransch, J. Dykes, S. I. Fabrikant, M. Jern, M.-J. Kraak, H. Schumann, and C. Tominski. Space, Time and Visual Analytics. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, Vol. 24, No. 10, 2010.
  • S. Hadlak, C. Tominski, H.-J. Schulz, and H. Schumann. Visualization of Attributed Hierarchical Structures in a Spatio-Temporal Context. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, Vol. 24, No. 10, 2010.
  • S. Hadlak, C. Tominski, H.-J. Schulz, and H. Schumann. Visualization of Hierarchies in Space and Time. Workshop GeoVA(t) - Geospatial Visual Analytics: Focus on Time at the AGILE International Conference on Geographic Information Science, Guimarães, Portugal, 2010.

2009

2008

  • C. Tominski and H. Schumann. Enhanced Interactive Spiral Display. Proceedings of the Annual SIGRAD Conference, Special Theme: Interactivity, Stockholm, Sweden, Linköping University Electronic Press, 2008.
  • C. Tominski and H. Schumann. Visualization of Gene Combinations. Proceedings of the International Conference Information Visualisation (IV), London, UK, IEEE Computer Society, 2008.
  • C. Tominski, G. Fuchs, and H. Schumann. Task-Driven Color Coding. Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Visualisation (IV), London, UK, IEEE Computer Society, 2008.
  • C. Tominski, P. Schulze-Wollgast, and H. Schumann. Visual Methods for Analyzing Human Health Data. In: N. Wickramasinghe and E. Geisler (ed.) Encyclopedia of Healthcare Information Systems, Information Science Reference, 2008. (ISBN: 9781599048895)
  • M. John, C. Tominski, and H. Schumann. Visual and Analytical Extensions for the Table Lens. Proceedings of Visualization and Data Analysis (VDA), San Jose, USA, SPIE/IS&T, 2008.
  • W. Aigner, S. Miksch, W. Müller, H. Schumann, and C. Tominski. Visual Methods for Analyzing Time-Oriented Data. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, Vol. 14, No. 1, 2008.

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

Mentored Students

Statistics
  • Master's theses: 31
  • Bachelor's theses: 20
  • Student projects: 23

2021

  • Joshua L.: Visuelle Hervorhebung in Netzwerkdiagrammen, Bachelor's thesis
  • Antonia D.: Neuronale Netze verstehen durch Visualisierung, Literature project

2020

  • Antonia G.: Visualisierung von Krankheitsausbreitungen, Bachelor's thesis
  • Paul L.: Guiding the Interactive Exploration of Large Ship Models, Bachelor's thesis

2018

  • Hannes H.: Flexible Layouts für Bring & Go, Bachelor's thesis

2017

  • Albrecht R.: Darstellung und Editierung von Transferfunktionen für die visuelle Exploration von 3D Retinadaten, Masters's thesis
  • Arne N.: Multi-touch Interaktion für die visuelle Exploration von Bewegungstrajektorien, Masters's thesis
  • Tim K.: An Interface for the Stereoscopic Visualization of Trajectories, Software project

2016

  • Albrecht R.: Guidance für Visualisierung, Literature project
  • Arne N.: Direkte Manipulation in Visualisierungstechniken, Literature project
  • Philipp A.: Interaktive Anfragen für Bewegungstrajektorien, Masters's thesis
  • Alexander B.: Offscreen Visualisierung, Software project

2015

  • Philipp A.: Extended Dynamic Temporal Queries, Software project
  • Xing W.: Gestures for Exploring and Querying Time-Oriented Data, Masters's thesis
  • Philipp A.: Spatio-Temporal Dynamic Queries, Literature project

2014

  • Geghetsik D.: Task-based Design of Axes-based Visualizations, Masters's thesis
  • Katja D.: Visualisierung der Eigenschaften von Gruppen, Masters's thesis
  • Anja G.: Erweiterte Farbkodierung für die Visualisierung, Studienarbeit

2013

  • Martin P.: Gestaltung und Implementierung der Nutzerschnittstelle von ScatterVis, Software project
  • Sven D.: Voronoi Diagram Editing and Visualization, Software project
  • Diana M.: Data Management for ScatterVis, Software project
  • Florian H.: Visualization with Scattered Data Interpolation, Software project
  • Geghetsik D.: Interaction Techniques for Navigating and Manipulating Visual Representations of Data, Literature project
  • Katja D.: Visualisierung von Mortalitätsdaten, Software project
  • Mikayel E.: Interactive Steering of Analytic Clustering, Masters's thesis
  • Benjamin S.: Text in der Visualisierung, Literature project
  • Benno W.: Touchinteraktion für die Exploration und Manipulation von Graphen, Masters's thesis
  • Benno W.: Multitouch Brushing in a Combined Parallel Coordinates and Scatter Plot, Software project

2012

  • Haykush A.: Interaction Models in Information Visualization, Literature project
  • Shushan B.: Optimized Sequence Queries, Software project
  • Christian E.: Feature-basierte Visualisierung der Next-Subvolume Methode, Masters's thesis
  • Stefan G.: Handlungsempfehlungen für die visuelle Exploration von Graphen, Masters's thesis
  • Benjamin S.: Multitouch Graph Editor, Software project
  • Benno W.: Visualisierung mit neuaritgen Anzeige- und Interaktionsgeräten, Literature project

2011

  • Anne-Katrin B.: Integration von Techniken der Informationsvisualisierung in freie Geobrowser, Diplomarbeit
  • Felix B.: Visualisierung in der Cloud, Literature project
  • Felix B.: Mehrfestervisualisierung im Browser, Software project
  • Christian E.: Effiziente Motivdetektion für die interaktive Analyse von Graphen, Bachelor's thesis
  • Thomas G.: Interaktive Exploration von Graphen in einer hochauflösenden Displayumgebung, Diplomarbeit
  • Stefan G.: Kantenbündelung in interaktiven und zoombaren Visualisierungsumgebungen, Bachelor's thesis
  • Inga W.: Unterstützung von Visualisierungszielen durch verschiedene Arten der Abbildung von Daten auf Farbe, Studienarbeit

2010

  • Anne-Katrin B.: Temporal Tag Clouds, Studienarbeit
  • Christian E.: Algorithmen zur Erkennung von Graphisomorphismen und deren Anwendung zur Motivdetektion, Literature recherche
  • Stefan G.: Verbesserung der Kantendarstellung in der Graphvisualisierung, Literature recherche
  • Martin H.: Analytische Datenabstraktion in mehreren Dimensionen, Diplomarbeit
  • Mike V.: Neue Interaktions- und Visualisierungskonzepte für Daten mit Raum- und Zeitbezug, Diplomarbeit

2009

  • Ulrike E.: Visualisierung von Sensordaten, Diplomarbeit
  • Daniel F.: Multidimensionale Zugriffsmethoden für interaktive Informationsvisualisierung, Studienarbeit
  • Martin H.: Integration von 2D und 3D Visualisierungen für Raum-Zeit-Daten, Studienarbeit
  • Anja K.: Rekursives Graphlayout, Diplomarbeit
  • Alexander S.: Web-basiertes visuelles Monitoring von JAMES II Simulationen, Diplomarbeit
  • Erik V.: Motivanalyse in Graphen, Diplomarbeit
  • Mike V.: Kantenbündelung für geclusterte Graphen im System CGV, Studienarbeit

2008

  • Géraldine H.: Konzeption und Implementierung eines Applets zur Illustration der Schritte des Contouring & Connecting Verfahrens, Studienarbeit
  • Tobias H.: Visuelle Techniken für Reguläre Ausdrücke, Diplomarbeit
  • Daniel S.: Visualisierung von zeitveränderlichen Graphen, Diplomarbeit

2007

  • Anne H.: Analyse und vergleichende Bewertung von Visualisierungstoolkits, Diplomarbeit
  • Christian S.: Entwurf einer nutzer- und aufgabenbezogenen visuellen Oberfläche zur Analyse des Gesichtschädelwachstums, Diplomarbeit
  • Frank S.: Ein allgemeiner Ansatz zur Durchführung von Nutzerstudien in der Visualisierung multivariater Daten, Diplomarbeit
  • Kishore V.: Intuitive Interactive Tools for Enhanced Color Spaces, Masters's thesis
  • Michael Z.: Arc Diagrams zur Visualisierung von Mustern in multivariaten Zeitreihen, Diplomarbeit

2006

  • Clemens H.: Visuelle Techniken zur Analyse von Microarraydaten, Diplomarbeit
  • Mathias J.: Two-Tone Pseudo Coloring für Multiparameterdaten, Diplomarbeit
  • Falko L.: Koordinierte Visualisierung zur Vergleichsunterstützung bei der visuellen Analyse zeitabhängiger Multiparameterdaten, Diplomarbeit
  • Falko L.: Einsatzmöglichkeiten visueller Anfragesprachen zur Spezifikation von Ereignissen sowie Konzeption und Realisierung eines visuellen Editors, Studienarbeit
  • Andreas R.: Analyse von Verkaufsdaten in der Umgebung von ticket-web, Diplomarbeit
  • Raphael S.: Ein Modell zur Beschreibung von Visualisierungszielen beim Einsatz von Farbkodierung zur Darstellung multivariater Daten, Diplomarbeit
  • Michael S.: Visuell gestützte Mustererkennung zur Identifikation und Klassifikation von Ozonlöchern, Diplomarbeit
  • Malte W.: Einsatzmöglichkeiten visueller Anfragesprachen zur Spezifikation von Ereignissen sowie Konzeption und Realisierung eines visuellen Editors, Studienarbeit
  • Michael Z.: Einsatzmöglichkeiten von SVG zur Informationsvisualisierung auf mobilen Endgeräten, Studienarbeit

2005

  • Jörg F.: Untersuchung der zeitlichen und räumlichen Ausbreitung von Diagnosen anhand der Maximumanalyse, Studienarbeit
  • Clemens H.: Achsenbasierte 3D-Techniken zur Visualisierung zeitabhängiger Daten, Studienarbeit
  • Raphael S.: Effektive Abbildung nominaler Daten auf numerische Skalen, Studienarbeit

2004

  • Michael Z.: Entwicklung eines Konzeptes zur angemessenen Beschriftung von Informationsobjekten, Bachelor's thesis

Software

Statistics
  • Java: 232.492 lines
  • Javascript: 19.411
  • C++: 2.183
  • C-Sharp: 46.792
  • Perl: 5.301
  • PHP: 149

Projects

Research Travel

2021

  • VIS, New Orleans, USA (online)
  • VMV, Dresden, Germany (online)
  • ACM VINCI, Potsdam, Germany (online)
  • Invited talk at Information+Visualization talk series at FH Potsdam, Germany (online)
  • EuroVis, Zurich, Switzerland (online)
  • IEEE VR, Lisboa, Portugal (online)

2020

  • VIS, Salt Lake City, USA (online)
  • MuC, Magdeburg, Germany (online)
  • GD, Vancouver, Canada (online)
  • EuroVis, Norrköping, Sweden (online)
  • Invited researcher at Interactive Media Lab Dresden, TU Dresden, Germany
  • Invited talk at Visual Computing Colloquium, Otto-von-Guericke Universität Magdeburg, Germany

2019

  • VIS, Vancouver, Canada
  • Dagstuhl Seminar: Mobile Data Visualization, Dagstuhl, Germany
  • Dagstuhl Seminar: Visual Analytics for Sets over Time and Space, Dagstuhl, Germany
  • Dagstuhl Seminar: Visual Analytics of Multilayer Networks Across Disciplines, Dagstuhl, Germany

2018

  • VIS, Berlin, Germany
  • EuroVis, Brno, Czech Republic

2017

  • EuroVis, Barcelona, Spain

2016

  • EuroVis, Groningen, The Netherlands

2015

2014

  • ITS, Dresden, Germany
  • VIS, Paris, France
  • EuroVis, Swansea, UK

2013

  • Dagstuhl Seminar: Interaction with Information for Visual Reasoning, Dagstuhl, Germany
  • EuroVis, Leipzig, Germany

2012

  • VisWeek, Seattle, USA
  • EuroVis, Vienna, Austria

2011

  • VisWeek, Providence, USA
  • IV, London, UK

2010

2009

  • VisWeek, Atlantic City, USA
  • IV, Barcelona, Spain
  • EuroVis, Berlin, Germany

2008

  • SIGRAD Conference, Stockholm, Sweden
  • IV, London, UK

2007

  • InfoVis, Sacramento, USA
  • Invited Scholar at DIMACS, Rutgers University, Piscataway, USA
  • IS&T/SPIE Annual Symposium Electronic Imaging, San Jose, USA

2006

  • InfoVis, Baltimore, USA
  • Data Mining Workshop and Research Visit at DIMACS, Rutgers University, Piscataway, USA

2005

  • Invited Scholar at DIMACS, Rutgers University, Piscataway, USA
  • IV, London, UK

2004

  • Eurographics, Grenoble, France
  • IV, London, UK
  • IRMA International Conference, New Orleans, USA
  • SAC, Nicosia, Cyprus

2003

  • HCI International, Hersonissos, Crete
  • IRMA International Conference, Philadelphia, USA
  • GeoVis, Hannover, Germany