Powerful IEEE Computer Graphics Applications Article Promotes "Apply or Die," Encouraging Visualization Researchers to Address Real-world Problems

Los Alamitos, Calif., 15 June 2017 – Published by the IEEE Computer Society, the May/June 2017 issue of IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications (CG&A) features the special article "Apply of Die: On the Role and Assessment of Application Papers in Visualization.”  This article from the Visualization Viewpoints column discusses how to strengthen industry and research collaboration to benefit the advancement of technology. Authors Sheelagh Carpendale, David Ebert, Brian Fisher, Hans Hagen, Gunther H. Weber, Ben Shneiderman and Anders Ynnerman share a list of guidelines for evaluating and reviewing application oriented papers to help research teams partner with practitioners. Too much research has drifted from close connection with practitioners and real problems, and much of the research depends on toy or synthetic data, with studies only in an academic setting, using controlled laboratory testing, while applying only reductionist thinking. When theory-driven academics work with problem-solving practitioners, the theory and practice both benefit  The goal is the twin-win of published breakthrough papers offering generalizable theories AND validated solutions that are ready for dissemination (scaling up to larger size and scaling out to fit varied contexts). Major national organizations are recognizing this path to higher impact research, such as the National Academies Govern-University-Industry Research Roundtable and the Association for Public and Land-grant Universities. See more at www.APLU.org/HIBAR. Read the entire CG&A special article, "Apply or Die: On the Role and Assessment of Application Papers in Visualization."