Jason Dykes

Professor Jason Dykes is a leading figure in the field of information and geovisualization at City, University of London, where he holds the position of Professor in the Department of Computer Science and co-directs the giCentre, a renowned research centre in visualization. He is affiliated with the School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering and maintains an active research and teaching profile. His academic journey includes a PhD in Geography from the University of Leicester and extensive leadership in both research and education.

Education:

• PhD in Geography, University of Leicester, 2000
• MSc in Geographic Information Systems, University of Leicester, 1991
• BA/MA in Geography, University of Oxford, 1989

Jason Dykes' research is centered on designing visual methods and tools for exploring, analyzing, and presenting information, with a strong emphasis on geographic data. His work integrates cartography, information visualization, GIScience, and human-computer interaction, leading to the development of innovative techniques such as geowigs, ODmaps, BallotMaps, and AttributeSignatures. He has published extensively in top-tier journals like IEEE Transactions on Visualization & Computer Graphics, with over 20 papers in the last decade, and co-authored the seminal book Exploring Geovisualization (2005). His research is supported by major funders including EPSRC and the EU, with projects like RAMP VIS (Covid-19 response) and VALCRI (criminal intelligence).

The most recent articles highlight a consistent trend in applied and human-centered visualization, focusing on responsive design, education, pandemic modeling, and novel visual metaphors for complex data. His work increasingly emphasizes methodological rigor, design exposition, and the role of visualization in interdisciplinary and emergency contexts.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• National Teaching Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2005)
• Best Paper Awards at GIS Research UK (consecutive years)
• Honorable Mentions, IEEE InfoVis (2009, 2010, 2016, 2018)
• Security Innovation Commercialisation Award (EU, 2022)
• Research Supervisor of the Year, City Student Union (2020)
• Innovations in Teaching Award and multiple teaching grants at City

Jason Dykes has supervised eight PhD students to completion and advised many others, including notable researchers like Roger Beecham, Sarah Goodwin, and Susanne Bleisch. His teaching includes modules such as Visualizing Society and Data Presentation. He has received significant grant funding from UK research councils and the EU for projects like DIVA, VALCRI, and RAMP VIS. His service to the community includes leadership roles in IEEE VIS, ICA Commission on GeoVisualization, and editorial positions at IEEE TVCG and the Journal of Visualization and Interaction.

He leads the giCentre, a dynamic research group that fosters innovation in visualization, and has been instrumental in establishing the field’s educational and methodological foundations through participation in Dagstuhl seminars and publications on visualization pedagogy.