Sebastian Meier

Overview

Prof. Sebastian Meier holds a professorship for Knowledge Transfer Design at Potsdam University of Applied Sciences' School of Design. His work bridges human-centered design with technological innovation, focusing on urban data visualization, sustainability communication, and open data initiatives. Co-founder of the CityVis Initiative promoting global urban visualization exchanges, he also chairs the German Society for Cartography's research commission.

Education

PhD in Geoinformatics (2017, Potsdam University), Master in Interface Design (2011, Potsdam), and Diploma in Communication Design (2009, Düsseldorf). Conducted visiting PhD research at City University London (2015).

Research Focus

Urban data visualization, climate change communication, digital participation, open geospatial data, and smart city interfaces. Projects include SVIFT visualization tool, MyAppMyData privacy framework, and Open Data Cloud Services analysis.

Awards & Funding

• DAAD travel grants for international conferences
• Volkswagenstiftung Mixed Methods Research Programme
• Core77 Student Award (Winner)
• Prototype Fund (BMVI) innovation funding

Professional Roles

Former Scientific Director of CityLAB Berlin, Lead Data Scientist at Berlin Technology Foundation, and Guest Professor at HafenCity University Hamburg. Served as co-chair of Berlin's German Society for Cartography chapter.

Labs & Collaborations

Runs the Interaction Design Lab (IDL) at Potsdam, collaborating with institutions like MIT Senseable City Lab, Federal Environmental Agency, and Brandenburg Police on UX/UI design and participatory tools.