Fernanda Viégas

Fernanda Viégas is a prominent figure in the field of computer science, particularly known for her work in data visualization, social computing, and human-computer interaction. She has made significant contributions to the way complex data is represented visually, making it accessible and understandable to a broader audience. Viégas, along with her long-time collaborator Martin Wattenberg, has developed various innovative visualization techniques and tools that have had a profound impact on both academic research and the public's interaction with data.

Early Life and Education

Fernanda Viégas was born in Brazil and showed an early interest in both the arts and sciences. She pursued her undergraduate degree in Graphic Design at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. Her passion for combining art and technology led her to further her education in the United States, where she obtained a Master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab. At the Media Lab, Viégas focused on Information Visualization, a field that would become the cornerstone of her professional career.

Career

After completing her education, Viégas joined IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center as a researcher, where she worked on projects related to social computing and data visualization. It was during this time that she began collaborating with Martin Wattenberg, and together they created groundbreaking visualization projects such as Many Eyes, a platform that allowed users to upload datasets and create interactive visualizations.

In 2010, Viégas and Wattenberg co-founded FlowingMedia, Inc., a visualization studio that focused on creating visual tools and interfaces for exploring data. Their work attracted the attention of Google, and in 2011, they joined Google as part of the "Big Picture" data visualization group. At Google, Viégas has led several projects aimed at making data analytics more accessible and engaging for the general public and specialists alike.

Key Contributions and Projects

One of Viégas' most notable projects is Wind Map, an interactive visualization of wind patterns across the United States, which has been widely acclaimed for its beauty and educational value. Another significant project is the Public Data Explorer, which allows users to explore large datasets from various public sources through dynamic visualizations.

Viégas has also contributed to the development of machine learning visualization tools, such as TensorFlow Embedding Projector, which helps researchers and developers understand complex data models. Her work in this area aims to make machine learning more interpretable and accessible to non-experts.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout her career, Fernanda Viégas has received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to data visualization and computer science. Her innovative approach to visualizing information has not only advanced academic research but has also had a significant impact on public understanding of complex data.

Legacy and Future Directions

Fernanda Viégas continues to push the boundaries of data visualization, exploring new ways to represent and interact with data. Her work emphasizes the importance of design in technology and advocates for a more inclusive and understandable approach to complex information.