Sun 16 Aug 2015
I’ve been fairly quiet about it here on the blog, but this year has been a time of big changes for me. I left my tenure-track position at the end of June. After much soul-searching, I came to realize that the realities of faculty life are not for me. Much as I like teaching and research, the overall environment just didn’t work well for me.
I told my department chair back in January that I would be leaving at the end of the spring semester, and since then I’ve been doing some pretty intense thinking about what comes next. I applied for a bunch of things, did an interview or two, talked to a ton of people, and spent a lot of time writing and cogitating. I’ve seen a big drop in my crafting productivity, mostly because that energy and creativity was needed elsewhere.
After many months (years, depending on how you count) of consideration, I’ve decided that I’m going back to school. The irony of that decision is not lost on me – I certainly haven’t made it very far out of academia yet – but I think that this is the next step I need to take to get where I want to go.
I’ll be studying Information Design and Visualization at Northeastern University. That’s a big name, often shortened to “infovis,” and basically it’s about telling a story visually using data. It’s an interesting blend of the hard-nosed, data driven science world and the art world, and the storytelling part ties in the teaching as well. Â It feels like a much better fit than where I’ve been, and I am really excited about this new venture.
I’ve found that lots of people have a hard time figuring out what exactly infovis is (and it is many things), so it might help to have an example or two. I’m particularly smitten with the work done by Fathom Information Design, a design studio here in Boston. Their recent projects on global animal trade and gender equality are particularly good examples of the kind of complicated visual storytelling that they do.
I have a ways to go before I’m playing at that level, but I’m excited to take the first step. Classes start in just a couple of weeks, and it strikes me that I’ll need to come up with some train knitting soon!
It’s great to hear you did decide to go back to school! I think the Infovis program is so interesting. Enjoy being back on the other side of the lecture podium.
Hi Erika,
what exciting news. Hope you have fun with this challenge and it looks very interesting.You should always do what makes you happy.
Congratulations again!! I guess you have heard of VIS 2015 at the Palmer House here in Chicago. It’s in late October and there’s quite a lot of info about the programs.
Congratulations on your new endeavor! Infoviz looks fascinating!
Congrats on your return to school! I work at a large university in the SF Bay Area, and I take full advantage of our education perks. I earned my MS in Stats several years ago, and infoviz sounds like so much fun! I know – stats and fun in the same sentence. It’s like explaining the joy of knitting to a non-knitter.
You are one of the most mature people I know. Figuring out what you need (or at least making as good a stab at that as one can) and then actually taking steps toward it. Very good. Very, very good.
That is wonderful! Good luck!
Congratulations! So happy that you are following your dreams. It will be an exciting journey, I’m sure!
I hope in your studies, they have you using Tableau! 🙂
I had a feeling you might be tending in a new direction. I imagine you’ve started classes by now, but best wishes in your new endeavours! It sounds like just your thing.