# Moritz Stefaner — Truth & Beauty > Moritz Stefaner is an independent data visualization designer, consultant and researcher ("Truth & Beauty Operator") based in Lilienthal, Germany. With a background in cognitive science and interface design, he creates analytically rigorous and aesthetically refined visualizations of complex data. Clients include the WHO, OECD, Google News Initiative, Salesforce, the World Economic Forum, Deutsche Bahn and the Max Planck Society. He is the record winner of the Information is Beautiful Awards and co-hosted the Data Stories podcast. This file indexes Moritz Stefaner's work for AI agents and search engines. Links are canonical pages on https://truth-and-beauty.net unless marked "Live" (the running project) or otherwise noted. Contact: moritz@truth-and-beauty.net. ## Selected projects - [State of Neuroscience](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/state-of-neuroscience): Mapping ~350,000 neuroscience publications into a semantic concept landscape (2025). Live: https://stateofneuroscience.thetransmitter.org/ - [Climate—Conflict—Vulnerability Index](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/ccvi): Mapping the overlap of climate and conflict risks; launched by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at BCSC 2024 (2022). Live: https://climate-conflict.org - [WHO Data Design Language](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/who): Data design language for data.who.int — building blocks for rich, accessible, equitable public-health data experiences (2021). Live: https://data.who.int - [Impfdashboard](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/impfdashboard): The official German COVID-19 vaccination dashboard; a mobile-first benchmark for governmental data communication (2021). Live: https://impfdashboard.de - [The Rhythm of Food](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/the-rhythm-of-food): Food seasonality from twelve years of Google search data (2016). Live: http://rhythm-of-food.net - [Perpetual Plastic](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/perpetual-plastic): A 14m/46ft data sculpture made from beach debris showing the fate of all plastic ever produced (2019). Live: https://perpetual-plastic.net - [Peak Spotting](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/peakspotting): Visual analytics and machine learning to manage passenger loads in the German rail network (2017). - [Project Ukko](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/ukko): Seasonal wind-speed predictions for the wind-energy sector; the climate-services data-visualization strand of the EU EUPORIAS project, with FutureEverything as design lead (2015). Live: http://project-ukko.net - [ON BROADWAY](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/on-broadway): Interactive installation portraying life along the 13 miles of Broadway, Manhattan (2014). Live: http://on-broadway.nyc - [Selfiecity](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/selfiecity): Interdisciplinary study of the selfie phenomenon; creative lead for design, visualization and analysis (2014). Live: http://selfiecity.net - [OECD Better Life Index](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/oecd-better-life-index): Comparing well-being beyond GDP; launched for the OECD's 50th anniversary and widely regarded as seminal (2010). Live: http://oecdbetterlifeindex.org ## More projects - [Data Stories](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/data-stories): Project page for the long-running Data Stories data-visualization podcast (2023). - [Climate & Conflict Analysis](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/climate-and-conflict-2022): Visual explanation of the relationship between climate change and violent conflict (2022). - [Lilienthal Solargraphy](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/solargraphy): Autographic, data-less solargraphy images recorded with pinhole cameras over six months (2022). - [The Language of Science](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/sciam-175-word-trends): Language shifts across 175 years (5,107 issues) of Scientific American (2020). - [Einstein Designer / Deep Learning UX](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/sf-dlux): Generative, personalized design at scale: analysis, visualization and synthesis of design features (2020). - [Waves of Interest](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/waves-of-interest): Google Search interest across U.S. election years (2020). - [Multiplicity](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/multiplicity): A collective photographic portrait of Paris using machine learning (2018). - [Under the Sun](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/under-the-sun): A 24-hour trip around the world following the sun's zenith (2018). - [GROW Soil Moisture Maps](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/grow): Soil-moisture models combining sensor and satellite data for agriculture and climate forecasting (2018). - [Wahl 2Q17](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/wahl-2q17): Google Trends search interest in the German federal election 2017 (2017). - [EPFL Data Monolith](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/epfl-data-monolith): Immersive data perspective on university life (2016). - [-ach, -ingen, -zell](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/achingenzell): Visual exploration of spatial patterns in German place-name endings (2016). - [Max Planck Research magazine](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/mpg-graphics): Recurring double-spread data graphics explaining cutting-edge research (2015). - [Excellence Networks](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/mpg-excellence-networks): How successful research institutions collaborate; based on research with Bornmann, Mutz, de Moya Anegón (2015). - [Open Systems Wall Display](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/open-systems-wall-display): Real-time, large-scale visualization of network-security situations (2015). - [False Positive](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/false-positive): Surveillance-themed street intervention and data visualization (2015). - [OECD Data Portal](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/oecd-data-portal): Data visualization strategy and design for the OECD data portal (2014). - [OECD Regional Well-Being](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/oecd-regional-wellbeing): Well-being across 300+ regions worldwide (2014). - [Visual Funding Portfolios](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/visual-funding-portfolios): Comparison of science-funding profiles of funders and institutions (2014). - [Global trade flows](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/citi-trade-flows): Mid-term economic trends in global trade (2013). - [Wahlland](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/wahlland): A new kind of election map ('Electionland') for the 2013 German Bundestag elections (2013). - [Stadtbilder](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/stadtbilder): Mapping the digital shape of cities (2013). - [Where the wild bees are](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/wild-bees): Bee-population change over 120 years (2013). - [Max Planck Research Networks](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/max-planck-research-networks): Multi-touch installation on Max Planck institutes' collaborations, at the Max Planck Science Gallery, Berlin (2012). - [RESONET](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/resonet): Mapping the Twitter community around the resonate festival (2012). - [Data Cuisine](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/data-cuisine): Food as a medium for data expression ('edible diagrams'); ongoing workshops since 2012 (2012). - [FIFA Development Globe](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/fifa-development-globe): Geometric globe presenting FIFA's worldwide development activities (2012). - [Müsli Ingredient Network](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/muesli-ingredient-network): Analysis of custom muesli mixtures (2012). - [emoto](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/emoto): Emotional online response to London 2012 on Twitter: interactive visualization plus physical data sculpture (2012). - [Remixing Rosling](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/remixing-rosling): Gapminder-style remixes for an interview with Hans Rosling (2012). - [WEF Global Risks Report & Transformation Maps](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/WEF): Long-running information-graphics and data-visualization work for the WEF — the annual Global Risks Report (2015–2021), Transformation Maps, the Inclusive Growth Report and the Global Competitiveness Index (2011). - [revisit](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/revisit): Real-time visualization of Twitter conversations around a topic (2011). - [Notabilia](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/notabilia): Visualizing the longest deletion discussions on Wikipedia (2011). - [Map your moves](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/map-your-moves): 4,000+ moves by 1,700 New Yorkers from a WNYC survey (2010). - [Well-formed Eigenfactor](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/well-formed-eigenfactor): Visualizing information flow between scientific journals; exhibited at SIGGRAPH 2009 (2009). - [MACE](https://truth-and-beauty.net/projects/mace): Pan-European initiative interconnecting digital information about architecture; UI and data visualization design (as research assistant at FH Potsdam) (2007). ## Talks and keynotes 50+ talks including eyeo, OpenVisConf, VIZBI, Eurovis, IEEE VIS, FutureEverything, KIKK and the European Communication Summit. Full list: https://truth-and-beauty.net/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… (2025). - [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). - [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). - [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 (2021). - [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). - ["It's a process"](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/datavis-lisboa): Hear me talk about my design process at Datavis Lisboa (2020). - [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 (2019). - [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 (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 (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? (2016). - [Visualized NY](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/visualized) (2014). - [European Communication Summit 2013](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/talks/ecs) (2013). ## Awards Record winner of the Information is Beautiful Awards (11+ across a seven-year streak), plus Malofiej, Fast Company Innovation by Design and a National Geographic Ocean Plastic Gold. Full list: https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/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" (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 (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 (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 (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 (2016). - [Information is Beautiful Award 2015](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/iib-2015) (2015). - [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 2014](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/iib-2014) (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). - [Designpreis 2010: Nominee](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/awards/designpreis-deutschland) (2010). ## Exhibitions Exhibited at the Venice Biennale of Architecture, SIGGRAPH, Ars Electronica, Somerset House (Big Bang Data), Fondation EDF (123 data), the Max Planck Science Gallery and the touring Places & Spaces exhibition. Full list: https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions - [Rhythm of Food in Breda](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/rhythm-of-food-at-breda) (2019). - [Data Cuisine exhibited in Zürich](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/data-cuisine-zurich) (2019). - [123 data at Fondation EDF, Paris](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/123-data) (2018). - [Rhythm of Food at Places & Spaces](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/rhythm-of-food-at-places-spaces) (2018). - [Project Ukko exhibitions](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/ukko) (2016). - [Stadtbilder @ Data Drift, Riga](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/stadtbilder-riga) (2015). - [Selfiecity London](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/big-bang-data) (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). - [Selfie São Paulo](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/sao-paulo) (2014). - [Places and Spaces 2014](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/places-spaces-visual-funding) (2014). - [Future Everything 2012](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/FE) (2012). - [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). - [Places and Spaces exhibition](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/places-spaces) (2011). - [Siggraph 09](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/siggraph-09) (2009). - [Powerdome Potsdam](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/powerdome) (2009). - [mæve at the Venice Biennale of Architecture](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/exhibitions/maeve-venice-biennale) (2008). ## Writing - [There be dragons: dataviz in the industry](https://truth-and-beauty.net/texts/there-be-dragons). - [Worlds, not stories](https://truth-and-beauty.net/texts/worlds-not-stories). - [Little boxes](https://truth-and-beauty.net/texts/little-boxes). - [A Practitioner’s Perspective on the How, What and Why of Data Visualization](https://truth-and-beauty.net/texts/new-challenges-for-data-design). - [Propositional density in visualization](https://truth-and-beauty.net/texts/propositional-density). - [Crisis? What crisis?](https://truth-and-beauty.net/texts/crisis-what-crisis): Why 2024 was a dead year for indie dataviz — and how we’ll do much better in 2025. - [The Process](https://truth-and-beauty.net/texts/the-process): There's a method to the madness. ## Selected media coverage Selected interviews and press. Full list: https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media - [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. - [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. - [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". - ["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.". - [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. - [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. - [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. - [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. - [La Lettura](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/la-lettura). - [The functional art](https://truth-and-beauty.net/appearances/in-the-media/functional-art). ## Selected academic publications Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=JkhZL8QAAAAJ (h-index 14, 1100+ citations). - [Information visualisation for science and policy: engaging users and avoiding bias (2014)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2014.01.003): Trends in Ecology & Evolution 29(3), 148–157. - [Narrative design patterns for data-driven storytelling (2018)](https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315281575-5): Data-Driven Storytelling, 107–133. - [Ranking and mapping of universities and research-focused institutions worldwide based on highly-cited papers: A visualisation of results from multi-level models (2014)](https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-12-2012-0214): Online Information Review 38(1), 43–58. - [MACE — enriching architectural learning objects for experience multiplication (2007)](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-75195-3_23): EC-TEL 2007, 322–336, Springer. - [Introducing design in the development of effective climate services (2018)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2017.06.002): Climate Services 9, 111–121. - [What is the effect of country-specific characteristics on the research performance of scientific institutions? Using multi-level statistical models to rank and map universities and research-focused institutions worldwide (2014)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2014.04.008): Journal of Informetrics 8(3), 581–593. - Elastic lists for facet browsers (2007): 18th International Workshop on Database and Expert Systems Applications (DEXA), 217–221. - [Ranking and mapping of universities and research-focused institutions worldwide: The third release of excellencemapping.net (2015)](https://doi.org/10.1080/09737766.2015.1027090): COLLNET Journal of Scientometrics and Information Management 9(1), 65–72. ## Podcast - [Data Stories](https://datastori.es): Self-produced, independent data-visualization podcast with over 2.7 million episode downloads. Initiator & co-host (with Enrico Bertini), 2012–2023. ## About and contact - [About Moritz Stefaner](https://truth-and-beauty.net/about): background, bio, photos and downloads. - [The process](https://truth-and-beauty.net/the-process): how Truth & Beauty approaches data visualization projects. - Email: moritz@truth-and-beauty.net - Location: Lilienthal, Germany ## Optional - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/moritzstefaner/) - [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=JkhZL8QAAAAJ) - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moritz_Stefaner) - [Project archive (older work)](http://archive.stefaner.eu)