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Visualization

Making the Unseen Real.
From dancing black holes to colliding neutron stars, NCSA transforms data that’s hard to imagine into visuals that are impossible to forget.

Visualization closes the gap between what we learn and how, turning raw data into powerful visual displays that resonate with meaning. From the inner workings of the human cell to complex events unfolding at the outer edge of space, visualizations help researchers gain new insights on their work and share them with the world. 

Our award-winning visualization team simulates data from large, complex computer models to enhance scientific research. Using a breadth of technologies, including custom software, machine learning and much more, NCSA brings science to life across a wide range of domains from astronomy to earth sciences to genomics.

NCSA Spotlight

Kalina Borkiewicz headshot

Kalina Borkiewicz
Director, Visualization Program Office

Kalina is a programmer who uses filmmaking techniques to turn scientific datasets into beautiful imagery.

My work is so rewarding, from multiple angles. On the one hand, I’m solving challenging technical problems using cutting-edge supercomputing technology. On the other hand, I’m getting kids excited about science and fighting science denial. On the third hand, I get to create beautiful imagery, and see my name in the credits on the big screen. It’s all so great, I need to count my blessings on three hands!

Project Highlights

Artistic representation of the Earth as a globe with an overlaying compass and lines in cyan and green

Atlas of a Changing Earth

With stunning visuals created by AVL, this fascinating documentary explains how a revolution in map making is shedding new light on global warming and its impact on the planet.

Dark blue gloves hold a blue-green to purple gradient strip with a barcode sticker on the bottom. Various clear boxes in the background contain more strips.

Tumor Phylogeny

Find out how visualizing the progression of tumors can help clinicians provide more targeted treatment for patients with cancer.

Purple, green, yellow, and orange star shaped diffractions a black background

Reciprocal Space X-ray Diffraction

This project integrated automatic generation of imagery using VisIt into the GridChem Computational Chemistry Grid to simulate diffraction in alumina.

Collage of photographs of abstract imagery and visualization in technology, health sciences, and visualization

CADENS

CADENS (The Centrality of Advanced Digitally ENabled Science) is a National Science Foundation-supported project to increase digital literacy and inform the general public about computational and data-enabled scientific discovery.

News

NCSA RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND POST DOC OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE

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