# Appearances ## Talks - [VISCOMM keynote 2025](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/ieee-vis-keynote) — As invited keynote speaker for the VISCOMM workshop at IEEE VIS conference, I talked about current trends in data visualization, my design approach, and how our profession is changing in the recent wave of AI tools. (2025) - [Truth & Beauty for the German administration](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/oeffentliches-gestalten) — At the 11th Öffentliches Gestalten meetup on "Visualising data", hosted by CityLAB Berlin and DigitalService des Bundes, I shared more recent work for and with the German Federal government — including the Climate—Conflict—Vulnerability Index (CCVI) for the Federal Foreign Office and the official COVID-19 vaccination dashboard for the Federal Ministry of Health. (2025) - [Kiel Life Science New Year's Reception](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/kiel-life-science) — I was invited by Kiel Life Science to speak at their New Year's Reception at the Zoological Museum Kiel, where around 75 guests gathered to gain insights into visualizing scientific data. (2025) - [Eurovis keynote 2022](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/eurovis) — As invited keynote speaker for the EUROVIS conference, I talked about the iconic power of data visualization, the role of emotions, culture, symbols and how we read "between the lines" of data visualizations. (2022) - [Visual Rhetorics / Data Art for Climate Action](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/daca) — In my keynote at DACA 2022, I presented my perspective on climate visualization — from data sculptures over dashboards for beehives to Ed Hawkins' warming stripes. (2022) - [Designing the official German COVID-19 vaccination dashboard](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/encore) — A concise, remote presentation on the design rationale and process behind the Impfdashboard — the official German COVID-19 vaccination dashboard. (2021) - [The dataviz mindset](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/solutions) — This (German language) talk from the Solutions conference summarizes my thoughts on what constitutes the unique dataviz mindset. Enjoy! (2021) - ["It's a process"](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/datavis-lisboa) — Hear me talk about my design process at Datavis Lisboa. (2020) - [dataviz : ecologies](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/eyeo-2019) — At this year’s eyeo festival, I talked about visual strategies for data visualization in the realm of ecology and climate change. Contents may include data sculptures, bee data dashboards, hyperobjects. (2019) - [Keynote at VIZBI 2019](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/keynote-at-vizbi-2019) — I was invited to give a keynote at VIZBI, the scientific conference for visualizing biological data. I talked about "The art and science of data visualization" — reaching from data legibility to data art, and bigger questions in the relation of the arts and the sciences. Watch it on youtube. (2019) - [Keynote at OpenVisConf 2018](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/openvisconf-2018) — It was a huge honor for me to keynote the first European edition of one of my favorite conferences: OpenVisConf in Paris, May 14-16, 2018. I talked about the projects Peak Spotting and Multiplicity. → Watch the video on youtube (2018) - [Data Cuisine talk at eyeo 2016](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/eyeo-2016) — Can we use food as a medium for information? This talk from eyeo 2016 presents the Data Cuisine project, which turns abstract data into delicious experiences. (2016) - [Data with a cause](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/vis-panel) — I moderated a panel on visualization for policy change at VIS 2014, featuring Tariq Khokhar , Scott David , Matteo Maggiore , and Greg McInerny . We tried to shed some light on what it’s like to work with and publish data in the NGO context, and how we can improve! (2014) - [Keynote: Search is Over](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/search-is-over) (2014) - [Keynote at Gurus of BI](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/gurus-bi) — I presented some of my the off-the-beaten-track work at Gurus of BI 2014, a leading conference in Business Intelligence. (2014) - [Visualized NY](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/visualized) (2014) - [European Communication Summit 2013](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/ecs) (2013) - [Eyeo 2012](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/eyeo-2012) — "OMG — it's all connected": I presented my experiences with network visualizations at eyeo festival 2012. (2012) - [Eyeo 2011](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/eyeo-2011) — I presented my work at eyeo festival 2011. (2011) - [decoded 2010](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/decoded) (2010) ## Teaching - [Beyond heatmaps — Data visualization for a warming planet](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/teaching/beyond-heatmaps) — As it seems, we have hit a wall in the visual rhetorics surrounding climate change. How can data visualization help to make global warming more graspable? We investigated this question in the course "Beyond heatmaps" at HfK Bremen. (2019) - [Truth & Beauty for Science!](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/teaching/dataviz-science-workshop) — I taught a training course for data visualization for scientists in Utrecht, Netherlands, August 2018. For more information, check out this interview I did with the organizers from Graphic Hunters. (2018) - [Truth & Beauty at resonate](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/teaching/resonate) — Together with Dominikus Baur, I taught a 3-day workshop on data visualization at resonate. (2014) - [Weltbilder](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/teaching/Weltbilder) — As part of the master's program at Digital Media program in Bremen, I taught a full-semester course on Information visualization under the title of "Weltbilder" ("World Images"). (2013) - [Insect Smarts Workshop](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/teaching/insect-smarts) — I taught a workshop at eyeo festival on how complex patterns can emerge from networked interactions in ensembles of simple agents. (2012) - [Workshops for scientists](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/teaching/science-workshops) — I have taught one to two day workshops at various universities and research institutions, among others at HU Berlin, University of Osnabrück, and Bernstein Center Berlin. (2010) - [Workshops for designers](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/teaching/workshops-for-designers) — I have taught one to two day workshops at various universities and research institutions, among others at resonate festival, HfK Bremen, Haute Ecole Albert Jacquard, Namur, and Hochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd. (2010) ## Exhibitions - [Data Cuisine exhibited in Zürich](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/data-cuisine-zurich) — Happy to announce that photo and video material from the Data Cuisine workshops will be on display at "Wissen in Bildern – Informationsdesign heute" in Zürich! Opening: Sep 20, 2019. (2019) - [Rhythm of Food in Breda](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/rhythm-of-food-at-breda) — The Rhythm of Food project was selected to be part of the Graphic Matters: Information Superpower exhibition, Sep 20 to Oct 27, 2019. (2019) - [Rhythm of Food at Places & Spaces](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/rhythm-of-food-at-places-spaces) — I am very happy to announce that the Rhythm of Food project was selected to be part of the Places and Spaces exhibition, curated by the Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center at Indiana University. I am very excited to bring our work to many young people around the world — so far the exhibit has been shown at over 375 venues in 28 countries on 6 continents! (2018) - [123 data at Fondation EDF, Paris](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/123-data) — 1 2 3 data at Fondation EDF Paris (open May to September 2018) features five of my projects: from Projekt Ukko, On Broadway, Selfiecity to a first-ever physical exhibit of Data Cuisine and finally, a brand new commission specifically for the exhibition: Multiplicity — a collective photographic portrait of the city of Paris, with the help of machine learning techniques. (2018) - [Project Ukko exhibitions](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/ukko) — Project Ukko was exhibited at Future Everything, Manchester, 2016 (Multitouch installation and ambient loop) as well as Information+ exhibition, Vancouver, 2016. (2016) - [Selfiecity London](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/big-bang-data) — We created a special London version of the Selfiecity project for the Big Bang Data exhibition at Somerset House, London. The installation is up 03 Dec 2015 — 28 Feb 2016. (2015) - [False Positive exhibitions](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/false-positive-exhibitions) (2015) - [ON BROADWAY exhibited](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/on-broadway-exhibited) (2015) - [Stadtbilder @ Data Drift, Riga](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/stadtbilder-riga) (2015) - [Places and Spaces 2014](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/places-spaces-visual-funding) (2014) - [Selfie São Paulo](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/sao-paulo) (2014) - [GeoCity SmartCity](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/beijing) (2012) - [Max Planck Science Gallery](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/mpg-science-gallery) (2012) - [Future Everything 2012](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/FE) (2012) - [Places and Spaces exhibition](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/places-spaces) (2011) - [Powerdome Potsdam](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/powerdome) (2009) - [Siggraph 09](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/siggraph-09) (2009) - [mæve at the Venice Biennale of Architecture](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/maeve-venice-biennale) — The mæve installation — an interactive tabletop connecting the EveryVille architecture competition with MACE learning content — was shown at the 11th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, 2008. (2008) ## Awards - [Silver at Malofiej 2021](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/malofiej-2021) — The Language of Science won a silver medal at the Malofiej awards, the (self-proclaimed) "Pulitzers of infographics". This project visualizes word usage trends over the 175 year history of the Scientific American magazine. (2021) - [Fast Company’s 2020 Innovation by Design Awards](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/fastco-design) — Einstein Designer — Powered by Deep Learning UX was a finalist in the Data Design category and received an honorable mention in the General Excellence category in Fast Company’s 2020 Innovation by Design Awards. (2020) - [Winner at National Geographic Innovation Challenge](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/national-geographic-ocean-plastic-innovation-challenge) — Perpetual Plastic — a 46ft data sculpture made from beach debris, showing the fate of all plastic ever produced — won Gold at the National Geographic Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge 2019. Thanks to my art activist Liina Klauss and marine scientist and designer Skye Morét for the great collaboration! (2019) - [Information is Beautiful Awards 2018](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/information-is-beautiful-awards-2018) — M U L T I P L I C I T Y won Gold in the "Unusual" category at the Information is Beautiful Awards 2018. For me, this marks award number eleven in a winning streak of seven consecutive years. Wow! (2018) - [Information is Beautiful Awards 2017](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/information-is-beautiful-awards-2017) — I won Gold for Rhythm of Food and Bronze for Peak Spotting at the Information is Beautiful Awards 2017. This marks awards number 9 and 10 from a winning streak of 6 consecutive years(!). It's an incredible honor to receive such amazing ongoing support and recognition. Huge thanks and hi-fives also to my numerous collaborators on these projects! (2017) - [Information is Beautiful Awards 2016](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/information-is-beautiful-awards-2016) — I am thrilled to have been awarded three Information is Beautiful Awards 2016. Dataviz Project Gold for Data Cuisine Data Visualization Silver for Projekt Ukko Special price for Outstanding Individual (2016) - [Information is Beautiful Award 2015](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/iib-2015) (2015) - [Information is Beautiful Award 2014](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/iib-2014) (2014) - [Malofiej 2014](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/malofiej-2014) — The Wahlland project won a bronze medal at the prestigious Malofiej awards. (2014) - [Information is Beautiful Award 2013](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/iib-2013-data-visualization) (2013) - [Information is Beautiful Award 2012](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/iib-2012-interactive-visualisation) (2012) ## Media coverage - [Explore Explain S6E8 with Enrico Bertini](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/explore-explain-2026) — Together with Enrico Bertini, I appeared in a special two-part episode of Andy Kirk's Explore Explain series. We each shared five significant visualization-related works by others that have most influenced our thinking about data visualization, plus a selection from our own work that has been significant to our careers. Watch part 1 and part 2. (2026) - [INGRAPHICS contribution](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/ingraphics) — INGRAPHICS is a „magazine for visual thinkers“ — and I was kindly invited to contribute a double spread. I created a visual overview of the long history of Elon Musk‘s not-quite-materialized predictions on autonomous cars. The magazine is full of stunning visuals, and completely self financed. Grab a copy — it’s worth it! (2025) - [PolicyViz Podcast Episode #278](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/policyviz) — Jon Schwabish and I chat about my work and I reflect on my journey in the field — the Data Stories podcast, my shift from bespoke data visualization projects to scalable design systems, and collaborations with organizations like the World Health Organization. (2025) - [Design und Künstliche Intelligenz](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/design-und-ki) — My work on Einstein Designer was featured in a full book chapter for the German language book "Design und Künstliche Intelligenz", covering the relationship of design and artificial intelligence. (2023) - [Svelte Origins Documentary](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/svelte-origins) — The Svelte Origins documentary, tracing the history and community behind the Svelte framework, features a short interview with me about how and why I use Svelte in my data visualization work. (2022) - [The Data Wranglers: Data with a Purpose](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/data-wranglers) — I joined Jeffrey Heer and Adam Wilson on The Data Wranglers podcast to discuss how I create a character from a dataset to give it emotional meaning. We talked about my work on the German Covid-19 vaccine dashboard, visualizing train traffic for Deutsche Bahn, and 175 years of text from Scientific American. (2021) - [The rise of the pandemic dashboard](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/bloomberg-pandemic-dashboard) — Bloomberg features the official German COVID-19 vaccination dashboard in a feature on why every government needs a pandemic dashboard. (2021) - [HeadsOfData / d:u Podcast](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/headsofdata) — German-language podcast episode on becoming an independent "Truth & Beauty Operator", the importance of data visualization in data value creation, and the relationship between data literacy and data visualization. (2020) - [Interview on Andy Kirk's Explore Explain](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/explore-explain) — It was an honour to be featured in Andy Kirk's series "Explore Explain". Together with Scientific American's art director Jen Christiansen, we tell the story how our visualization project of word trends in the rich 175 year history of the magazine came about. (2020) - [Zukunftsfragen Interview](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/zukunftsfragen) — Goethe Institute Italy invited me to contribute to their German / Italian Zukunftsfragen" interview series. (2020) - [Humanities, Arts and Society Magazine features Multiplicity](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/has) — "Humanities, Arts and Society Magazine" features the Multiplicity project. (2020) - [Graphic Hunters interview](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/graphic-hunters) — A longer-form interview with Graphic Hunters about my work and philosophy — covering what makes data visualization easy to learn but hard to master, and why "good data visualizations tell a story, but really great ones tell a thousand stories — but not all at once." (2018) - [Food & Drink Infographics](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/food-drink-infographics) — "Food & Drink Infographics" (TASCHEN, Simone Klabin, ed. Julius Wiedemann) features my Muesli Ingredient Network. (2018) - ["The Data Viz That’s Helping Transform A $45 Billion Company"](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/fastco-peakspotting) — Fast Company features our work for Deutsche Bahn, describing it as "Not only is it pretty to look at, but it’s affecting change in ways that are easy to measure, but also profound." (2017) - [Google News Lab interview on Wahl 2Q17](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/google-news-lab) — Isa Sonnenfeld from Google News Lab interviewed me about our visualization of Google Trends data around the German federal election — how we turned search interest into a rich, explorable portrait of the campaign, and what we learned along the way. (2017) - [New culinary trend: Data Cuisine](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/deutsche-welle-data-cuisine) — Deutsche Welle reports on Data Cuisine, the edible approach to data visualization. (2016) - [The data visualisation artist playing with the future](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/huck-project-ukko) — Huck Magazine interviews me about my work, including Project Ukko. (2016) - [Landscape Architecture Frontiers](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/LAF) — On Broadway was featured in the leading Chinese journal Landscape Architecture Frontiers. (2015) - [New challenges for Data Design](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/new-challenges-for-data-design) — David Bihanic's "New challenges for Data Design" for Springer features a full-chapter interview with me on my work process and approach. Read the pre-print version here! (2014) - [Raw Data — Infographic Designers' Sketchbooks](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/raw-data) — The design sketches for the OECD Better Life Index are featured in Best Raw Data — Infographic Designers' Sketchbooks, a great collection of design sketches from a variety of information designers. (2014) - [Best American Infographics 2014](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/best-american) — Where the Wild Bees are is featured in Best American Infographics 2014. Thanks to Jen Christiansen and Jillian Walters for the great collaboration! (2014) - [NOVUM feature](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/novum) — Thanks to premiere graphic design magazine NOVUM for featuring me and my work! (2014) - [These Weird Meals Are Actually Clever Data Visualizations](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/wired-data-cuisine) — WIRED covers Data Cuisine, our project using food as a medium for data expression. (2014) - [La Lettura](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/la-lettura) (2013) - ["The city is alive" — interview with Sandra Rendgen](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/sandra-rendgen) — Sandra Rendgen interviewed me about my work at the intersection of data visualization and urban data — how I came to the field with a background in cognitive science and interface design, and my efforts to create a comprehensible visual vocabulary for mapping complex data. (2013) - [WEAVE magazine cover](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/weave) (2013) - [The functional art](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/functional-art) (2012) - [Substratum](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/substratum) — Thanks to the fine folks at Substratum for interviewing me. (2011) ## Texts - [The Process](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/texts/the-process) — There's a method to the madness. (2025) - [Crisis? What crisis?](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/texts/crisis-what-crisis) — Why 2024 was a dead year for indie dataviz — and how we’ll do much better in 2025 (2025) - [There be dragons: dataviz in the industry](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/texts/there-be-dragons) — Why don't we see more ambitious data visualization in corporate settings? (2017) - [Little boxes](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/texts/little-boxes) — Would the field of data vis benefit from a clear line between art and design? (2016) - [A Practitioner’s Perspective on the How, What and Why of Data Visualization](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/texts/new-challenges-for-data-design) — From David Bihanic's "New challenges for Data Design" for Springer: a full-chapter interview with me on my work process and approach. (2014) - [Worlds, not stories](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/texts/worlds-not-stories) — The greatest potential for data visualization: to provide us with new kinds of "glasses" to see the world. (2014) - [Propositional density in visualization](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/texts/propositional-density) — A short note on deep readings of data visualizations. (2010) --- [View on truth-and-beauty.net](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances)