A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend “Bibliometrics & Research Assessment: A Symposium for Librarians and Information Professionals”, held at the National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

One of the keynote speakers was Katy Börner, Distinguished Professor of Information Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, whose intriguing talk focused on the world of big data and translating this data into information visualizations. She shared several examples of where enormous data sets were transformed into visual pictures that tell the story of the data in a way that is more easily digestible by the viewer.Professor Börner is also the curator of the international Places & Spaces: Mapping Science exhibit.  This exhibit is a collection of information visualizations “designed to introduce science mapping techniques to the general public and to experts across diverse disciplines for educational, scientific and practical purposes.”

Browse the maps currently available on the site to gain a sense of the myriad of ways in which data can be visualized.  It is not unlike taking a virtual tour of a modern art gallery, except that these images have all been composed as a result of data computation, and not from the stroke of a paint brush.  Could you ever imagine what a map of the Internet would look like?  Or perhaps a visual that forecasts large trends in science?  Data visualization is a powerful approach that can help to inform and perhaps lead researchers to better showcase their data.

Professor Katy Börner’s talk was recorded and is available to watch when you have the time.  From my perspective, it is worth watching to learn more about this format of scholarly output. Better yet, perhaps you will be inspired to explore the possibilities of visualizing your data!

Donna Gibson
Director of Library Services