Dylan Wootton

Human Data Interaction Researcher @ MIT

Dylan Wootton is a Visualization Researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Science, focusing on human-computer interaction and data visualization. His research explores how data scientists utilize complex interactive visualizations to enhance decision-making processes. Wootton employs mixed-methods empirical research to model user interactions and develop systems that improve user engagement with digital interfaces.1 2

Educational Background

Bachelor's Degree: Bioengineering with a Computational Emphasis, Minor in Computer Science from the University of Utah (2014 - 2019).
Ph.D. Candidate: Computer Science at MIT (2021 - 2026) .2 6

Professional Experience

Visualization Researcher at MIT (July 2021 - Present): Engaged in research to create effective data visualizations for better decision-making.
Software Engineer at Microsoft (August 2019 - July 2021): Worked on data visualization for telemetry data within the Edge browser.
Data Visualization Researcher at the Visualization Design Lab (March 2018 - August 2019): Developed tools for exploratory data analysis and pollution detection, utilizing technologies like Python, d3.js, and Leaflet.2 3

Research Interests

Wootton's work is centered on understanding user interactions with digital tools and enhancing these interactions through improved visualization techniques. He aims to create computational models that can comprehend user behavior and facilitate more intuitive computer interactions.1 4

Contributions

Dylan has contributed to various academic conferences, focusing on topics such as multivariate network visualization techniques and interactive visualization studies. His work emphasizes the need for better cognitive tools to process the vast amounts of data generated daily.5 6

Overall, Dylan Wootton stands out as a significant figure in the field of data visualization, combining his engineering background with advanced research in human-computer interaction to address contemporary challenges in data analysis and interpretation.