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Visual computing is an exciting field and plays a key role in helping people to understand large, complex datasets, or exploits the human visual system to allow people to enjoy beautiful computer-generated pictures. Visual computing utilizes computer graphics, to help people create an overview of their data, and allows people to visually understand pictures of data, which would be normally difficult to understand. 

The 2023 conference was held at Aberystwyth University, hosted by Dr Helen Miles and the programme was organised by Dr David Hunter (Aberystwyth University) and Dr Peter Vangorp (Utrecht University). 

Researchers and students from the School of Computer Science and Engineering presented two short-papers and two poster papers, as follows: 

• Immersive WebXR Data Visualisation Tool. By E. G. Ogbonda  

• Interweaving Data and Stories: A Case �鶹��ý����� on Unveiling the Human Dimension of U.S. Refugee Movements through Narrative Visualisation. By E. G. Ogbonda, J. C. Roberts, and P. W. S. Butcher 

Poster papers: 

• Focused Design and Problem Framing in Visualisation – Developing the ColloCaid Collocation Editor. By J. C. Roberts, P. W. S. Butcher, G. Rees, R. Lew, N. Sharma, and A. Frankenberg-Garcia 

• Crafting Visual Narratives: A Case �鶹��ý����� on Developing an Engaging Visualisation Poster Using U.S. Immigration Data. By E. G. Ogbonda, P. W. S. Butcher, and J. C. Roberts

The conference had two keynote speakers. Dr. Rafał Mantiuk who is Cambridge University, but was previously at �鶹��ý�����, spoke on work in High Dynamic Range and how technology can be developed to allow people to capture and reproduce high quality computer graphics models and images. In the second keynote, Dr. Mai Elshehaly an academic from City University, spoke on data visualisation and how to work with policy makers use visualisations to help them make decisions. Her talk was titled “From Data to Policy and Back – The Hidden Role of Visualisation in Decision-Making". 

It is usual to have a conference dinner and social. This year, Aberystwyth University organised a trip up the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway. The cliff is located on the northern end of Aberystwyth promenade. The hill dramatically rises from the sea. People have the option to walk up the windy path, or travel by the cliff railway. Professor Roberts said “While the brochure expressed ‘spectacular and uninterrupted views of Aberystwyth, Cardigan Bay and on a sunny day, 26 Welsh mountain peaks’ we could not see much, as it had been raining hard. But the company, frivolity and food made up from the wetness outside”.  

Professor Jonathan Roberts went on to say:

“It was wonderful meeting up with old colleagues and making new friends, and brilliant that we could present our work on (our collocation text editor and visualisation tool), which has now over 10,000 users. Furthermore, it was excellent to have a set of demonstrations from the Aberystwyth team. I do congratulate them for getting the demos out and showing us their work. Seeing the robots, mock-up of the Mars rover, different cameras and Virtual Reality demonstrations really rounded off a fantastic event.”