By Rowena Lindsay, inside editor
Data visualization is just what it sounds like: presenting content in a visually appealing way to more powerfully and effectively communicate.
Rania Masri a graduate student in the College of Arts, Media and Design, is working toward a masters in fine arts (MFA) in information design and visualization. She makes data beautiful.
Data visualization is just what it sounds like: presenting content in a visually appealing way to more powerfully and effectively communicate.
“It’s kind of looking at design in a different way.There are so many ways of visualizing information for people and incorporating the visual aesthetic of data,” Masri said.
As an undergraduate, Masri studied computer science, but realized that her interests lay in communication and marketing. While in school, she helped establish a design consulting firm calls Strategic Inspirations. Her role was to run the marketing and design sector of the company for which her responsibilities included for graphics, web design, marketing and IT services for nonprofit clients.
She decided to get a masters degree after working as the chief graphic designer for her clients because she wanted the chance to work with other designers and receive formal training. When researching graduate schools, Masri was drawn to Northeastern by its practical approach to the MFA program.
“When I looked at programs for grad school, a lot of graphic design programs just dealt with the fine art and my interests have always been more in communications,” Masri said.
Northeastern is the first school in the country to have an entire MFA program dedicated to information design and visualization.
“Rania is a perfect example of our interdisciplinary group, where people come from very diverse backgrounds to think about how to support discovery and communication through visual languages,” Dietmar Offenhuber, assistant professor of information design and visualization, said.
This semester, her last in the program, Masri is working on her thesis project, which blends several of her interests.
“My thesis is a visual data exploration of non-profit sector in Detroit, where I grew up,” Masri said. “I am exploring the impact it has had in the area after the crash of the auto industry. Nonprofits fulfill a lot of the needs for people in the area, like shelter, healthcare and food.”
The goal of Masri’s thesis is to reveal the areas which are not covered by any nonprofit or government services to allow for better cooperation and effectiveness of programing in the city.
“She is very detailed about her work and very focused on her topic, that seems well chosen,” Thomas Starr, professor of information design and visualization said. “She has a background in graphic design which helps in the visual component and she is very analytical.”
Through her experience working at the design consulting firm, Masri has a lot of experience working with nonprofits.
“For me, I think there are so many different directions I could take it in, I can apply all these skills to clients, but I am particularly interested in nonprofits, visualizing the achievements of organizations is really beneficial,” Masri said. “Data can really cause social change and I’d like to use data to make a difference.”
In addition to working on her thesis, Masri is also working in a team on a project called Viv (Visual Information Vases) with three colleagues, Janos Stone, Gillian Smith and Britton Horn. The projects involves the use of a computer program that analyzes colors.
“It allows people to upload images and have the colors analyzed by an algorithm, which then converts it into a vase that can be 3D printed,” Masri said.
The combination of art and algorithms plays to her strengths in design and computer science. In the future she would like to work for an information design agency or work with nonprofits.
“In general I really enjoy working with other designers –being in an environment with other information designers is really positive,” said Masri.
Photo by Rania Masri.
Correction: A previous version of this article referred to Janos Stone, Gillian Smith and Britton Horn as classmates of Rania Masri.
