Opportunities
Consolidation thesis
The interactive network graph of Calvino’s “Archipelago of Names”
A recent digital humanities project employed data visualisation in support of literary inquiry on Italo Calvino. Among the different outcomes, there is the “Archipelago of Names”: a network visualization that shows Calvino’s mentions of important personalities within his non-fictional writing (essays). The visualization is currently static, but the available material calls for the production of an interactive version (additional features). The student following this thesis proposal will demonstrate competencies in selecting and applying methodologies for the design of interactive data-driven artifacts and will interact with the researcher(s) in the field of literary studies. The student pursuing this thesis fluently speaks Italian, and coding skills are nice to have.
for more information write to tommaso.elli (at) polimi.it
Consolidation thesis – rawgraphs in the academy
RAWGraphs is used in many academic resources. In many of them it is directly cited, in others just mentioned. This allows us to check who used the software, in which field, with what purpose, and using which visual model.
The thesis aim is to assess the current adoption of the tool, by analysing the areas, usages, and visual models. The expected outcome is a curated dataset of cases and its representation as a digital or static collection of visualisations.
For more information write to michele.mauri@polimi.it
Research thesis
Critical studies on data visualisation
With data and visualization becoming ubiquitous in many disciplinary fields, we realize how it is important to reflect on their role in perpetrating unbalances and discriminations. Or in contrasting them. Thesis in this area reflects on alternative ways to employ data and visualization, by (1) formulating a review of the most relevant scientific literature and designerly experience, and (2) conducting a project proposed by the student pursuing this thesis theme. Examples include visualization of data with a strong qualitative nature, visualizations fostering pro-social behavior, methodologies for data collection, and visualization in support of minority groups.
To know more about the theme you can have a look at the following:
Dörk et al. 2013 – Critical InfoVis: Exploring the politics of visualization
D’Ignazio & Klein 2016. Feminist Data Visualization
D’Ignazio & Klein 2020. Data Feminism
Correll 2019. Ethical Dimensions of Visualization Research
Viégas & Wattenberg 2007. Artistic Data Visualization: Beyond Visual Analytics
For more information write to tommaso.elli (at) polimi.it
A digital interface for artistic analysis
Art historians have to deal with a high level of uncertainty when studying sketches and preparatory drawings of masterpieces: they are often not signed, nor have clear inception. Art historians leverage their knowledge to visually associate such drawings.
The thesis will have the goal of producing a web artifact able to show the result of this kind of analysis, in collaboration with an art historian working on masterpieces of 1700.
Coding and quick prototyping skills are required. Proficiency in Italian is required.
For more information write to michele.mauri (at) polimi.it
Thesis research tracks
Alternative narratives for data activism and data literacy
This track investigates and explores ways to make visible the systems, infrastructures, and power relations that exist around the actors and entities that control and use personal data, in order to design communication artifacts that inform a broad public. Based on data and research, this track experiments with data visualization and narratives for engaging and informing diverse publics.
Rather than giving specific topics, this line of research is open to students with like-minded interests and motivations.
Some example of previous thesis are:
research thesis
- Anna Gazza — Invisible Trails: Progettare narrative alternative per comunicare un’infrastruttura digitale complessa usando come caso studio le game app
- Francesca Granzotto — Crumbs: guida digitale alla petizione online. Laurea Magistrale Design della Communicazione. Politecnico di Milano, Design School.
- Andrea Elena Febres Medina — Interconnected : interrogating the Internet of Things and personal data opaque communication.
- Rebeca Karina Vittorazo Medeiros — The Language of Bolsonarism on Twitter. How to Find and Communicate the Populist Language of Bolsonarism on Twitter.
- María Cristina Pita — An atlas of gentrification : data-driven narratives across five European cities.
- Guilherme Appolinário — Unveiling Platforms: Investigating and visualising lack of transparency and inequality in lean platforms.
- Lea Mara Fabiano — Nuova Propaganda. Narrative alternative per la digital literacy nell’ambito italiano della data–based propaganda.
consolidation thesis
- Tim Olbrich — Public Privacy: A counter archive to expose privacy through visual AI manipulation
- Federica Laurencio — What might the school of 2030 be like? Un esercizio di traduzione intersemiotica e rimediazione
For more information write to mariade.briones (at) polimi.it
