About

Welcome to the Human-Centered Data Science Lab! We are a group of researchers at the University of Washington led by Dr. Cecilia R. Aragon. Our research interests are focused on understanding and enabling humans to explore and gain insight from vast data sets. Our work includes:

  • Visual analytics (visualization and machine learning)
  • Data science and big data
  • Emotion in text communication
  • Games for good (collaborative educational games)
  • Data-intensive scientific collaborations

HDS Lab members use both quantitative (statistical and computational) and qualitative (ethnography, human-centered design) methods to study how people make sense out of very large data sets. We then build visualizations, games, and other software to enable these interactions. We are based in the department of Human Centered Design and Engineering. In 2008, Aragon won the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for her work.

Current Research

Visual Analytics for Chat and Social Media

Visual analytics tools and techniques for rich understanding of social media data sets.

Affect in distributed collaboration

Text-based expression of emotion and affect in cooperative work.

Data Science Ethnography

A study of the institutions, programs, and communities that support data-intensive research.

Usable Data Abstractions for Next-Generation Scientific Workflows

A study of current practices in the use of high performance computing.