Dr. Isabel Meirelles named 2015/16 OCAD University Award Winner

 

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Dr. Isabel Meirelles wins the 2015/16 OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity

The Office of Research and Innovation is pleased to announce that the 2015/2016 recipient of the OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity is Professor Isabel Meirelles from the Faculty of Design.

Photo of Isabel Meirelles

Prof. Meirelles joined OCAD University (OCAD U) in 2015 bringing her significant expertise and prestige to the University. She is a designer and educator whose intellectual curiosity lies in the relationships between visual thinking and visual representation. Her research focuses on the theoretical and experimental examination of the fundamentals underlying how information is structured, represented, and communicated in different media.

Prof. Meirelles is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences dealing with information design and visualization, motion graphics, and design education. Her next speaking engagement will be at the 25th Malofiej Infographics World Summit in Pamplona, Spain, in March 26-31, 2017. She co-chairs the Arts Humanities and Complex Networks Leonardo symposium, and was co-organizer of the Information+ conference supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), held at Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECUAD) in June 2016. She is also an Editorial Advisor for Leonardo Journal, a prestigious, peer-reviewed academic journal published by the MIT Press covering the application of contemporary science and technology to the arts and music.  

Prof. Meirelles has published numerous articles in the field of information design and visualization covering technical problems as well as the role of visualization in society, culture, and education. Her book “Design for Information: An introduction to the histories, theories, and best practices behind effective information visualizations” has received outstanding reviews. In a review by Choice, Prof. Meirelles was compared to the venerable Prof. Edward Tufte— a comparison of the highest esteem. She has also published articles in a variety of publications, including Science Communication, Visible Language Journal, InfoDesign Journal, and several international conference proceedings, like ACM-SIGGRAPH and the International Information Design Conferences in Brazil and in the UK.

An introduction to the histories, theories, and best practices behind effective information visualizations” (Rockport, 2013).

Through her professional and scholarly activities, she has made a significant impact on the local community. Since joining OCAD U, Prof. Meirelles has collaborated with other faculty members on new research initiatives. For example, Prof. Meirelles and Prof. Dávila have partnered with the City of Toronto to examine data from Parks & Recreation. This project is the starting point of a long-term engagement to develop an urban data observatory that will help place OCAD U graduates in the emerging visualization field, provide new research opportunities for faculty, and increase the perceived value of art and design practice within civic life, governance and policy making.

In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Toronto Parks & Recreation, Isabel Meirelles and Dr. Patricio Davila started analyzing Recreation data with a team of four graphic design undergraduate students. In this photo, taken during the launching event with Mayor John Tory at the Visual Analytics Lab, the team is standing in front of one of the visualizations with Dr. Sara Diamond, President and ViceChancellor of OCAD U. From left to right: Isabel Meirelles, Siena DeBartolo, Shaheer Tarar, Dr. Sara Diamond, Jessica Yao, Dr. Patricio Davila, and Nathan Pilla. (Photo by Martin Iskander)

Prof. Meirelles also volunteers her time and expertise as the OCAD U faculty representative for the StudentMoveTO —an initiative by the four universities in Toronto to understand the nature of student transportation and how it affects their studies. She is also the University’s representative on the Southern Ontario Smart Computing Innovation Platform’s (SOSCIP) Science Advisory Committee.

In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Toronto Parks & Recreation, Isabel Meirelles and Dr. Patricio Davila started analyzing Recreation data with a team of four graphic design undergraduate students. In this photo, taken during the launching event with Mayor John Tory at the Visual Analytics Lab, the team is standing in front of one of the visualizations with Dr. Sara Diamond, President and ViceChancellor of OCAD U. From left to right: Isabel Meirelles, Siena DeBartolo, Shaheer Tarar, Dr. Sara Diamond, Jessica Yao, Dr. Patricio Davila, and Nathan Pilla. (Photo by Martin Iskander)

In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Toronto Parks & Recreation, Isabel Meirelles and Dr. Patricio Davila started analyzing Recreation data with a team of four graphic design undergraduate students. In this photo, taken during the launching event with Mayor John Tory at the Visual Analytics Lab, the team is standing in front of one of the visualizations with Dr. Sara Diamond, President and ViceChancellor of OCAD U. From left to right: Isabel Meirelles, Siena DeBartolo, Shaheer Tarar, Dr. Sara Diamond, Jessica Yao, Dr. Patricio Davila, and Nathan Pilla. (Photo by Martin Iskander)

***

The OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity recognizes faculty members for their outstanding portfolio of research, scholarship and creative activity, and the impact that activity has had on the broad spectrum of art and design research and practice internationally. The award also recognizes contributions toward undergraduate and graduate research and scholarly training.

 

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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Dr. Isabel Meirelles wins the 2015/16 OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity

The Office of Research and Innovation is pleased to announce that the 2015/2016 recipient of the OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity is Professor Isabel Meirelles from the Faculty of Design.

Photo of Isabel Meirelles

Prof. Meirelles joined OCAD University (OCAD U) in 2015 bringing her significant expertise and prestige to the University. She is a designer and educator whose intellectual curiosity lies in the relationships between visual thinking and visual representation. Her research focuses on the theoretical and experimental examination of the fundamentals underlying how information is structured, represented, and communicated in different media.

Prof. Meirelles is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences dealing with information design and visualization, motion graphics, and design education. Her next speaking engagement will be at the 25th Malofiej Infographics World Summit in Pamplona, Spain, in March 26-31, 2017. She co-chairs the Arts Humanities and Complex Networks Leonardo symposium, and was co-organizer of the Information+ conference supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), held at Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECUAD) in June 2016. She is also an Editorial Advisor for Leonardo Journal, a prestigious, peer-reviewed academic journal published by the MIT Press covering the application of contemporary science and technology to the arts and music.  

Prof. Meirelles has published numerous articles in the field of information design and visualization covering technical problems as well as the role of visualization in society, culture, and education. Her book “Design for Information: An introduction to the histories, theories, and best practices behind effective information visualizations” has received outstanding reviews. In a review by Choice, Prof. Meirelles was compared to the venerable Prof. Edward Tufte— a comparison of the highest esteem. She has also published articles in a variety of publications, including Science Communication, Visible Language Journal, InfoDesign Journal, and several international conference proceedings, like ACM-SIGGRAPH and the International Information Design Conferences in Brazil and in the UK.

An introduction to the histories, theories, and best practices behind effective information visualizations” (Rockport, 2013).

Through her professional and scholarly activities, she has made a significant impact on the local community. Since joining OCAD U, Prof. Meirelles has collaborated with other faculty members on new research initiatives. For example, Prof. Meirelles and Prof. Dávila have partnered with the City of Toronto to examine data from Parks & Recreation. This project is the starting point of a long-term engagement to develop an urban data observatory that will help place OCAD U graduates in the emerging visualization field, provide new research opportunities for faculty, and increase the perceived value of art and design practice within civic life, governance and policy making.

In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Toronto Parks & Recreation, Isabel Meirelles and Dr. Patricio Davila started analyzing Recreation data with a team of four graphic design undergraduate students. In this photo, taken during the launching event with Mayor John Tory at the Visual Analytics Lab, the team is standing in front of one of the visualizations with Dr. Sara Diamond, President and ViceChancellor of OCAD U. From left to right: Isabel Meirelles, Siena DeBartolo, Shaheer Tarar, Dr. Sara Diamond, Jessica Yao, Dr. Patricio Davila, and Nathan Pilla. (Photo by Martin Iskander)

Prof. Meirelles also volunteers her time and expertise as the OCAD U faculty representative for the StudentMoveTO —an initiative by the four universities in Toronto to understand the nature of student transportation and how it affects their studies. She is also the University’s representative on the Southern Ontario Smart Computing Innovation Platform’s (SOSCIP) Science Advisory Committee.

In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Toronto Parks & Recreation, Isabel Meirelles and Dr. Patricio Davila started analyzing Recreation data with a team of four graphic design undergraduate students. In this photo, taken during the launching event with Mayor John Tory at the Visual Analytics Lab, the team is standing in front of one of the visualizations with Dr. Sara Diamond, President and ViceChancellor of OCAD U. From left to right: Isabel Meirelles, Siena DeBartolo, Shaheer Tarar, Dr. Sara Diamond, Jessica Yao, Dr. Patricio Davila, and Nathan Pilla. (Photo by Martin Iskander)

In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Toronto Parks & Recreation, Isabel Meirelles and Dr. Patricio Davila started analyzing Recreation data with a team of four graphic design undergraduate students. In this photo, taken during the launching event with Mayor John Tory at the Visual Analytics Lab, the team is standing in front of one of the visualizations with Dr. Sara Diamond, President and ViceChancellor of OCAD U. From left to right: Isabel Meirelles, Siena DeBartolo, Shaheer Tarar, Dr. Sara Diamond, Jessica Yao, Dr. Patricio Davila, and Nathan Pilla. (Photo by Martin Iskander)

***

The OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity recognizes faculty members for their outstanding portfolio of research, scholarship and creative activity, and the impact that activity has had on the broad spectrum of art and design research and practice internationally. The award also recognizes contributions toward undergraduate and graduate research and scholarly training.

 

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