Collaborative Research Center

SFB-TRR 161

Quantitative Methods for Visual Computing

We are living in a data society in which data is generated at amazing speed; individuals, companies, organizations, and governments are on the brink of being drawn into a massive deluge of data. The great challenge is to extract the relevant information from vast amounts of data and communicate it effectively.

Typical scenarios include decision and policy making for urban and environmental planning or understanding relationships and dependencies in complex networks, e.g., social networks or networks from the field of bioinformatics. These scenarios are not only of interest to specialized experts; in fact, there is a trend toward including the broad public, which requires the information to be presented in a reliable, faithful, and easy-to-understand fashion.

Visual computing can play a key role in extracting and presenting the relevant information.

In visual computing research the aspect of quantification is often neglected. The SFB-TRR 161 seeks to close this gap.

The long-term goal is to strengthen the research field by establishing the paradigm of quantitative science in visual computing.

About the SFB-TRR 161

News

All SFB-TRR 161 News

SFB-TRR 161 Events

May 22nd, 2026, 11 am - 12 pm

University of Stuttgart

Talk| Tba

Held by:

Michaël Aupetit, QCRI, Qatar

Abstract:

tba

Bio:

Michaël Aupetit works at the at the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) since 2014. He is a Senior Scientist with the Social Computing group. Before joining QCRI, Michaël worked for 10 years as a research scientist and senior expert in data mining and visual analytics at CEA LIST in Paris Saclay, where he designed decision support systems to solve complex industrial problems in health and security domains.

Michaël initiated and co-organized 5 international workshops. He has been PC member of IEEE VAST, PacificVis, ESANN, and ICANN conferences, and has reviewed hundreds of papers for top journals and conferences, has 100 publications, and holds 3 WO , 2 US and 1 EP patents. He obtained the Habilitation for Research Supervision (HDR) in Computer Science from Paris 11 Orsay University in 2012, and the Ph. D degree in Industrial Engineering from Grenoble National Polytechnic Institute (INPG) in 2001.

Location:

University of Stuttgart, Visualization Research Center (VISUS), Room: 00.012

The talk will be available via WebEx.

Meeting-ID (access code): 2780 607 5384
Meeting password: B7i9dYZGMZ2

For participants via WebEx: The transmission will kindly be managed by Patrick Gralka. He will be on site and monitor/manage the WebEx-Session incl. Q&A during and after the talk as well. Please don´t hesitate to get in touch with Patrick in case of questions or problems regarding the transmission/your online participation: Patrick.Gralka@visus.uni-stuttgart.de

Jun 1st, 2026, 10.30 - 11.30 am
ETVIS 2026

Keynote | Thinking with the Eye, the Hand, and the Page
                               --- supported by SFB-TRR 161 ---

Held by:

Barbara Tversky, Stanford University and Columbia University

Abstract:

As many have noted, thought does not happen just between the ears. We use the space around us and our actions in it to think, communicate, and create. Artists, architects, mathematicians, in fact, all of us, put thought on a page because the mind cannot hold all our thoughts. When artists and architects sketch, words get in the way. When they reexamine their sketches, they get new ideas, ideas they had not intended. Sketches are messy, meant to be ambiguous and stimulate new interpretations. Visualizations like maps and diagrams also use lines, to convey information unambiguously. Hands draw lines, the eye is biased to see lines, lines link ideas in the mind and neurons in the brain. The thinking is in the loop, the eye, the hand, and the mind, presenting challenges to GenAI.

More information about ETVIS 2026

Jun 16th - 17th, 2026, full days

Berghotel Jägerhof, Isny

Internal Status Seminar of the SFB-TRR 161

Past Events