You can reach Stan at stanislaw_nowak@sfu.ca.

Stan first became interested in data visualization and visual analytics (the science of analytical reasoning using interactive computer interfaces) when studying visual perception and cognitive science in my undergraduate degree. This interest led him to pursue a PhD at SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology studying how visual analytic tools help people make sense of data. He also loves spending time outdoors and in the backcountry. This led him to SFU’s Avalanche Research Program where he has been able to apply his research in the real world. He feels very lucky to be able to blend these two passions in his research where he develops and studys interactive visualizations for avalanche hazard assessment. 

The objective of Stan’s research is to develop and evaluate interactive visualization tools that best support the ways avalanche forecasters make sense of incredibly complex phenomena (avalanches) using ambiguous, messy, incomplete, and sparse data. In collaboration with Avalanche Canada, he has developed visualization prototypes and studied how they are used operationally. He hopes his research contributions can inform the design of hazard assessment tools in the avalanche industry and, perhaps, in other risk prediction and mitigation domains that face similar challenges.

• Jump to Stan’s publications at SARP
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