Boris Müller

Boris Müller is Professor for Interaction Design at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, where he has been employed since May 2004. He currently serves as Vice Dean and head of the Interface Design graduate programme. Müller is also co-director of the Urban Complexity Lab, a research group focusing on data visualisation and information design, which he established together with Prof. Dr. Marian Dörk.

Born in 1972 in Berlin, Müller studied design at the University of the Arts Bremen before pursuing a Master of Arts in Computer Related Design at the Royal College of Art in London. His professional career has spanned multiple prestigious institutions including MetaDesign San Francisco, the Institute for Media Communication of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, and the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea in Italy, where he worked as a researcher and visiting professor.

Müller's research focuses on the intersection of design, data, and technology, with particular emphasis on Data Visualisation, Interaction Design, and Generative Design. His work explores how visual representations can make complex information accessible and engaging, while also investigating the philosophical and cultural implications of digital interfaces. He has published extensively on these topics, with a particular interest in how design can facilitate understanding of scientific data, especially related to climate change and urban environments.

Over the past decade, Müller's publications have evolved to address increasingly complex challenges at the intersection of design, data science, and societal issues. His recent work shows a growing emphasis on speculative design approaches, critical examinations of AI in creative practice, and innovative methods for visualizing climate data. Müller has also been increasingly focused on the pedagogical aspects of design education, exploring how to prepare the next generation of designers for a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Scientific Awards

• Special Distinction at the Lucky Strike Junior Designer Award (2000)
• 1st prize in the student category of the EuroPrix (2001)
• Excellence Award of the 4th ACA Media Arts Festival in Tokyo (2000)
• Honourable Mention of the rhizome.org Net Art Commission (2002)
• Certificate of Typographic Excellence from the Type Directors Club New York (2003)
• 100 best posters (100 Beste Plakate) (2003)
• iF design award (2005)
• Information is Beautiful Silver Award (2013)
• German Infographics Award, category Science (2014)

Müller has supervised numerous students through the Interface Design graduate programme at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, though specific names of advisees are not publicly listed. His work at the Urban Complexity Lab has attracted various research grants focused on data visualization and urban futures. Müller frequently collaborates with international institutions, as evidenced by his lectures at venues including Kyushu University in Japan and Aalto University in Finland.

As co-director of the Urban Complexity Lab, Müller leads a research group dedicated to exploring how data visualization can help understand complex urban systems. The lab's work combines design practice with scientific research, creating innovative approaches to representing urban data. Müller's team has developed several notable projects, including the SENSES project which translates complex scientific climate scenario information into relevant knowledge for different user groups.