Sebastian Meier

Data-driven Innovation


„Creating meaningful user-experiences by combining data-driven approaches with user-centric perspectives. As the founder of VISLAB.io, i am helping organizations transform their data vaults into engaging interactive experiences. As a professor for the design of knowledge transfer at Potsdam University of Applied Sciences, I am running research projects at the Interaction Design Lab on urban data-driven innovation. I am the co-founder of the data-visualization tool SVIFT, co-founder of the Maptime Meetup Berlin and founder of the CityVis initiative. I am chair of the commission of cartography and research, and co-chair of the Berlin chapter of the German Society of Cartography (DGfK).“

Note: The teaching section on this site is not updated anymore, please visit the university's teaching portal. For my ongoing research visit the IDL's website.

VISLAB.io

Explore my recent work, experiments and research on VISLAB.io

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Curriculum Vitae

Work Work: 2005 - Now

1.Work

  • 2021 - NowPotsdam, Germany

    Professor for the design of Knowledge Transfer

    ,
    University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

    Design Department, Interface- and Productdesign

  • 2008 - NowBerlin, Germany

    Visualization Research & Development

    ,
    VISLAB

    Clients: Technology Foundation Berlin, Urban Complexity Lab, Interaction Design Lab, Postbank, Brandenburg State Police, …

  • 2019 - 2021Hamburg, Germany

    Guest Professor Geovisualization

    ,
    HCU Hamburg

    Teaching and collaborating with the teams at the CityScienceLab and the g2Lab

  • 2019 - 2020Berlin, Germany

    Scientific Director

    ,
    CityLAB Berlin

    Research & development, Scientific collaborations and events at Berlin's CityLAB.

  • 2017 - 2020Berlin, Germany

    Lead Data Scientist

    ,
    Technologiestiftung Berlin

    Founding of the Ideation & Prototyping Lab, driving data-driven innovation to support citizens, local government and companies in Berlin …

  • 2016 - 2017Potsdam, Germany

    HCI & Visualization Research

    ,
    Interaction Design Lab

    Clients: Federal Environmental Agency, German Emissions Trading Authority, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, …

  • 2012 - 2014Potsdam, Germany

    HCI & Visualization Research

    ,
    Interaction Design Lab

    Research Project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) on data-driven innovation for Berlin's tourism industry.

  • 2011 - 2012Berlin, Germany

    Project- & Design-Lead

    ,
    IxDS

    Service- & User-Experience Design for Deutsche Bahn, Fachhochschule Köln, Nokia Simens Networks, Deutsche Telekom, …

  • 2007London, UK

    Web-Design & -Development

    ,
    Tonic Vision Ltd.

    Designing digital user experiences and interfaces for clients like Coca-Cola, Sony, FIFA, PricewaterhouseCoopers, …

  • 2005 - 2007Krefeld, Germany

    Web-Design & -Development

    ,
    Three - 2 - One

    Design and development of interactive web-based experiences from games to microsites, for clients like Microsoft, Blaupunkt, Alberto, …

Education Education: 2005 - 2017

2.Education

  • 2014 - 2017Potsdam, Germany

    PhD

    ,
    Geoinformatics, Potsdam University

    Personal Big Data - A privacy-centred selective cloud computing approach to progressive user modelling on mobile devices. Read more »

  • 2015 - 2015London, UK

    Visiting PhD

    ,
    Computer Science, GiCentre, City University

    Working on Origin-Destination data, air pollution's impact on London's citizens and user studies for visualization prototypes. Read more »

  • 2009 - 2011Potsdam, Germany

    Master

    ,
    Interface Design, Potsdam University of Applied Sciences

    The Future of News: exploring digital distribution systems, infrastructures, interactions and business models. Read more »

  • 2005 - 2009Düsseldorf, Germany

    Diploma

    ,
    Communication Design, Düsseldorf UoAS

    Analysis of digital communication strategies of design universities on the web. Read more »

Teaching Teaching: 2009 - Now

3.Teaching

  • 2021Full time

    Ongoing Teaching Program,

    University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
  • 2021Seminar

    Open GIS,

    HafenCity University Hamburg
  • 2021Seminar

    GIS Projects,

    HafenCity University Hamburg
  • 2020Workshop

    Urban data-driven innovation,

    Daffodil International University, Bangladesh
  • 2020Seminar

    Zeit & Raum,

    HafenCity University Hamburg
  • 2020Seminar

    Open GIS,

    HafenCity University Hamburg
  • 2019Seminar

    Summer School - Data-driven Innovation,

    CityLAB Berlin
  • 2019Seminar

    Think like a Machine — Data-Driven Design,

    HafenCity University Hamburg
  • 2019Seminar

    Geodatenmanagement,

    HafenCity University Hamburg
  • 2019Workshop

    Introduction to Spatial Data Vis,

    Office for Statistics Berlin-Brandenburg
  • 2018Seminar

    Think like a Machine — Data-Driven Design,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2018Workshop

    Prototyping Voice Interfaces,

    Retune Festival
  • 2018Seminar

    Digital Literacy,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2018Workshop

    Introduction to Spatial Data Vis,

    Office for Statistics Berlin-Brandenburg
  • 2018Seminar

    Smart City Interfaces,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2017Workshop

    Intoduction to spatial data visualization,

    Taipei Tech, University, Taiwan
  • 2016Workshop

    Introduction to Data-Analysis and Visualization,

    DIGIS, Berlin
  • 2016Workshop

    Introduction to web-mapping,

    EULER - Switch on Mehringplatz, Berlin
  • 2016Seminar

    Smart Citizens / Citizen Science,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences & Technical University Berlin
  • 2016Workshop

    Empowering through mapping,

    HKW, Civil Society 4.0, Berlin
  • 2016Seminar

    Web-based data visualization,

    Potsdam University
  • 2015Workshop

    Data-driven Visualization,

    Visible Cities Prototyping Lab, Berlin
  • 2015Seminar

    Exploring new interaction Paradigms. Interactive Tabletops & Multi-Surface Environments,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2015Workshop

    Introduction to web-mapping,

    Potsdam University
  • 2014Workshop

    Data Visualization for Journalists,

    M100, Potsdam
  • 2014Seminar

    Google Maps and beyond: Karten für Desktop,

    Mobile and Print
  • 2014Seminar

    Data Visualization - Communicating Scientific Insights,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2013Seminar

    Data Vis Challenges,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2013Seminar

    Visual Information Exploration,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2012Seminar

    Map Interfaces,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2011Seminar

    Data Visualization (Processing),

    Trier University of Applied Sciences
  • 2010Workshop

    Beyond Processing: Into Space,

    Potsdam University of Applied Sciences
  • 2010Seminar

    Light & Social Media,

    Trier University of Applied Sciences
  • 2010Seminar

    Generative Design (Processing),

    Trier University of Applied Sciences
  • 2010Seminar

    Introduction to Processing,

    Trier University of Applied Sciences
  • 2009Workshop

    Interactive Systems (Flash),

    Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences
Talks Talks (selection): 2009 - Now

4.Talks (selection)

  • 2022Potsdam, Germany

    Open Data Germany,

    GIS Application Workshop
  • 2022Virtual, Germany

    Reality Check: Open Data Deutschland,

    FOSSGIS 2022
  • 2022Berlin, Germany

    11 Jahre Open Data Portal Berlin,

    CityLAB Berlin
  • 2020Virtual, Germany

    AI for Good,

    Beyond Festival
  • 2019Luxembourg

    CityVis - Urban Data Visualisation,

    EU DataViz
  • 2019Berlin, Germany

    Chancen-Hackathon,

    Innovationsbüro BMFSJ
  • 2019Münster, Germany

    Digitale Innovationen und Klimaanpassung in Städten,

    Konferenz Zukunftsstadt
  • 2019Leipzig, Germany

    Mehrwert für Bürger*innen durch Geodaten schaffen,

    FOSSGIS 2019
  • 2018Milan, Italy

    Alternative perspectives through artistic interpretations,

    State of the Map
  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    Ethics & AI,

    Machine Intelligence Summit
  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    AI, ML and Design,

    Weißensee University
  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    Data Science & Civil Services,

    Office for Statistics Berlin-Brandenburg
  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    Privacy & ML,

    AI IN DATA SCIENCE
  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    Real-time data panel,

    11th RDA plenary
  • 2018Munich, Germany

    The future of digital cartography,

    PFGK 2018
  • 2018Halle, Germany

    Visualisation & Trust in Online News,

    DGfK & DGPF Halle
  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    Conversational UIs for Datavis,

    re:publica 2018
  • 2018Dresden, Germany

    The individual in space,

    DGfK Dresden
  • 2017Taipei, Taiwan

    Spatial Data Visualization,

    Taipei Tech
  • 2017Berlin, Germany

    Data visualisation for Journalists,

    re:publica 2017
  • 2017Boston, USA

    Machine Learning & LBS,

    MIT Senseable City Lab
  • 2017Leipzig, Germany

    Data-driven psychogeography,

    Neogeographie Symposium
  • 2017Berlin, Germany

    Artificial Intelligence in my Pocket,

    World Usability Day
  • 2016Quito, Ecuador

    A human perspective on Human-Computer Interaction,

    Atlas Ambiental y aplicaciones GIS
  • 2016Berlin, Germany

    Visualizing Air Pollution,

    Data Vis Meetup
  • 2016Bochum, Germany

    Clustering in spatial Visualizations,

    DGfK Rheinland
  • 2016Berlin, Germany

    Novel Map Applications,

    GeoMonday
  • 2016Quito, Ecuador

    CityVis Awards,

    UN Press Conference
  • 2015Potsdam, Germany

    GeoVis: Beyond the Flatscreen,

    German Planetarium Conference
  • 2015Potsdam, Germany

    Knowledge Networks,

    GIS Day
  • 2015London, UK

    Science Communication,

    Tansley Workshop
  • 2015Zurich, Switzerland

    Visualization Literacy,

    Brown Bag Talks - UZH
  • 2015Berlin, Germany

    Maptime Berlin - Looking back,

    WhereCamp
  • 2014Potsdam, Germany

    GIS meets Design Education (New Applications for GIS),

    GIS Day
  • 2014Lake Como, Italy

    Visualization & Science Communication,

    Future Economy
  • 2014Hamburg, Germany

    Qualitative Methods & GIS,

    Geomatik
  • 2014Boston, USA

    DataVis at FH Potsdam,

    MIT Senseable City Lab
  • 2013Berlin, Germany

    Design Universities - FH Potsdam,

    Typo Conference
  • 2013Hamburg, Germany

    Paper Prototyping - A Tool for Early-Stage Evaluation of Software-Interfaces,

    DGfK - Young Geo Scientists Workshop
  • 2013Berlin, Germany

    Every Visualization tells a story,

    Visualized.io
  • 2012Düsseldorf, Germany

    The history of Webtypography,

    The Future of Typography
  • 2012Bogota, Columbia

    Beautiful and engaging visualizations with spatial data in risk related environments,

    XIB Congreso Colombiano de Geologia
  • 2012Hildesheim, Germany

    Innovation Diffusion Models,

    DGTF - Design Promoviert
  • 2011Berlin, Germany

    The future of News,

    Typo Conference
Publications Publications: 2009 - Now

5.Publications

  • 2022Journal, Peer-review
    Bruhn, T., Meier, S., Lawrence, M. G.,

    Interactive network visualization on the integration of mindsets and sustainability–creating conditions for emergence through a relational narrative

    Innovation: the European journal of social science research

  • 2021Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S., Dinklage, F., Glinka, K.,

    Personalisation of data-driven storytelling

    ICC 2021

  • 2021Conference, Peer-review
    Goodwin, S., Meier, S., Bartram, L., Godwin, A., Nagel, T., Dörk, M.,

    Unravelling the Human Perspective and Considerations for Urban Data Visualization

    IEEE PacificVis 2021

  • 2021Journal, Peer-review
    Mihaljevic, H., Larsen, C. J., Meier, S., Nekoto, W., Morón Zirfas, F.,

    Privacy-centred data-driven innovation in the smart city. Exemplary use case of traffic counting

    Journal on Urban, Planning and Transport Research (9:1)

  • 2020Editor, Journal
    Meier, S., Kröger, J.,

    Urban Mobility Symposium: Karten, Daten, Geovisualisierung

    Kartographische Nachrichten (70/1-2)

  • 2019Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S., Tost, J.,

    On the relevance of cartography — An interaction design perspective

    Proceedings of the ICC 2019

  • 2018Journal, Peer-review
    Meier, S., Glinka, K.,

    Data-driven personal cartographic perspectives

    Kartographische Nachrichten, (13/8)

  • 2018Magazine
    Meier, S., Seibel, B.,

    Zivilgesellschaftlichen Mehrwert schaffen - Daten für Bürger*innen aufbereiten

    Magazine by the Office for statistics Berlin-Brandenburg

  • 2017PhD Dissertation
    Meier, S.,

    Personal Big Data

    Potsdam University

  • 2017Journal, Peer-review
    Meier, S., Glinka, K.,

    The Individual in the Data — the Aspect of Personal Relevance

    i-com 2017; 16(3): pp. 247-265

  • 2017Book / Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S., Glinka, K.,

    Psychogeography in the Age of the Quantified Self-Mental Map Modelling with Georeferenced Personal Activity Data

    LNG&C - Advances in Cartography and GIScience Best exhibit award

  • 2017Journal, Peer-review
    Meier, S.,

    Visualizations in Online News — and Their Effect on Perceived Credibility

    Kartographische Nachrichten, Sonderheft 02/2017

  • 2016Book / Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S.,

    Enhancing Location Recommendation Through Proximity Indicators, Areal Descriptors, and Similarity Clusters

    LNG&C - Progress in Location-Based Services 2016, Springer

  • 2016Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S., Nagel, T., Heidmann, F.,

    Open Geo Tools — A State of the Art Report. The democratization of geo-tools and data continues.

    Proceedings of the 64th German Cartography conference

  • 2016Journal, Peer-review
    Meier, S.,

    The Marker Cluster: A Critical Analysis and a New Approach to a Common Web-based Cartographic Interface Pattern

    International Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Information Systems (IJAEIS), Volume 7, Issue 1, January - March 2016

  • 2016Conference, Peer-review
    Beecham, R., Rooney, C., Meier, S., Dykes, J., Slingsby, A., Turkay, C., Wood, J. and Wong, B.,

    Faceted Views of Varying Emphasis (FaVVEs): a framework for visualising multi-perspective small multiples

    Computer Graphics Forum: the international journal of the Eurographics Association, 35(3) pp.241-249

  • 2015Conference, Peer-review
    Thom, A.; Meier, S.; Heidmann, F.,

    Anforderungsanalyse bei IT-Experten mittels Experience-Sample-Methode.

    In: Endmann, A., Fischer, H. & Krökel, M. (Hrsg.), Mensch und Computer 2015 – Usability Professionals. Berlin: De Gruyter Oldenbourg. (S. 133-143).

  • 2015Book / Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S,

    Visualizing Large Spatial Time Series Data on Mobile Devices: Combining the HeatTile System with a Progressive Loading Approach

    LNG&C - Cartography - Maps Connecting the World, 27th ICC (Springer)

  • 2015Conference, Peer-review
    Glinka, K.; Meier, S.; Dörk, M.,

    Visualising the» Un-seen «: Towards Critical Approaches and Strategies of Inclusion in Digital Cultural Heritage Interfaces

    in: KuI (Kultur und Informatik) Cross Media. Busch et al. (Hrsg.) Berlin 2015

  • 2014Conference Workshop, Peer-review
    Meier, S.,

    The Micro Smart Grid Tabletop — A real world case study for tangible multitouch technologies for communicating complex concepts

    Published in the Workshop Proceedings of the workshop Tactile/Haptic User Interfaces for Tabletops and Tablets (TacTT) 2014 during the ITS conference 2014 in Dresden.

  • 2014Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S.; Heidmann, F.; Thom, A.,

    A comparison of location search UI patterns on mobile devices

    Proceedings of the 16th international conference on Mobile HCI, 2014

  • 2014Conference, Peer-review
    Thom, A.; Heidmann, F.; Meier, S.,

    Interkulturelle Nutzeranforderungen erheben

    Mensch und Maschine, UP14

  • 2014Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S; Heidmann, F.,

    Too Many Markers, Revisited: An Empirical Analysis of Web-Based Methods for Overcoming the Problem of Too Many Markers in Zoomable Mapping Applications

    Computational Science and Its Applications (ICCSA), 2014, Best Paper

  • 2014Book / Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, S.; Heidmann, F; Thom, A.,

    Heattile, a New Method for Heatmap Implementations for Mobile Web-based Cartographic Applications

    Thematic Cartography for the Society (Springer), 2014

  • 2012Conference, Peer-review
    Meier, Sebastian; Landstorfer, Johannes; Werner, Julia; Wettach, Reto; Knörig, Andre; Cohen, Jonathan; Sommerwerk, Andreas,

    A Real-world Mobile Prototyping Framework for Location-and Context-based Services

    Published at the Wireless Communication and Information (WCI) – Berlin, 2012

  • 2011Journalistic
    Meier, S.,

    Facebook — The role of the user in terms of privacy

    Zeit-online

  • 2008Journal, Invited
    Meier, S.,

    Location based Applications (LBA)

    Interfaces, Journal (UK), Issue 77

Funding Funding & Awards: 2010 - Now

6.Funding & Awards

  • 2020Berlin, Germany

    BMWi

    IGP,

    1 year innovation funding

  • 2020Berlin, Germany

    BMBF

    Partizipationsformate,

    6-month development programme

  • 2020Berlin, Germany

    BMBF

    MobilitätsLabor2050,

    3-year research programme

  • 2019Berlin, Germany

    BMVI

    mFund,

    1 year prototyping programme

  • 2019Tokyo, Japan

    DAAD

    Travel Grants,

    Research Travel Grants, ICC2019

  • 2019Berlin, Germany

    Prototype Fund (BMVI)

    Innovation funding,

    Analysis and Visualisation of Filter-Bubbles

  • 2018Hamburg, Germany

    Zeit Stiftung

    Guest Researcher,

    Interdisciplinary urban-research at HafenCity University

  • 2018Milan, Italy

    OpenStreetMap Foundation

    Travel Grant,

    Invitation and grant for the State of the Map conference

  • 2017Potsdam, Germany

    Medieninnovationszentrum

    Innovation funding,

    6-month start-up programme for SVIFT

  • 2017Washington, USA

    DAAD

    Travel Grants,

    Research Travel Grants, ICC2017

  • 2017Hannover, Germany

    Volkswagenstiftung

    Mixed Methods,

    3-year research programme (for 2 PhD candidates)

  • 2015Rio, Brazil

    DAAD

    Travel Grants,

    Research Travel Grants, ICC2015

  • 2014-2017Potsdam, Germany

    DFG

    PhD Scholarship,

    3-year graduate programme scholarship

  • 2011Potsdam, Germany

    Land Brandenburg

    Young Scientist Award,Finalist, Master Thesis.,

  • 2010Potsdam, Germany

    Core77

    Student Award,

    Winner, Geo-data-driven literature search interface.

Work Other Activities: 2014 - 2018

7.Other Activities

  • 2020Berlin, Germany

    DGFK

    Commission chair,

    Berlin + research & cartography

  • 2020Melbourne, Australia

    CityVis 2020

    Chair,

    Workshop at ACM e-energy

  • 2019Vancouver, Canada

    CityVis 2019

    Organizer / Chair,

    Workshop at IEEE VIS

  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    Tech4Germany

    Mentor,

    HCI Mentoring for Tech4Germany Fellows

  • 2018Berlin, Germany

    CityVis 2018

    Organizer / Chair,

    Workshop at IEEE VIS & Exhibition in Berlin

  • 2018 - 2019Berlin, Germany

    Debating Matters

    Juror,

    International Debating Competition

  • 2017Potsdam, Germany

    Open Data & Tourism

    Local Organizer,

    Workshop on open data and Tourism

  • 2017Berlin, Germany

    Open Geo Data Research

    Local Organizer,

    Bringing together research on open geo data

  • 2016Potsdam, Germany

    CityVis Awards

    Co-Founder,

    Award on urban visualizations

  • 2015Potsdam, Germany

    Design Promoviert

    Local Organizer,

    Annual conference by the German design association

  • 2014 - NowBerlin, Germany

    Maptime

    Co-Founder,

    Monthly Berlin-based meetup on maps and mapping. Workshops, talks and discussions.