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From: eugene@nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: Out of the lab, into the classroom 2nd try
Message-ID: <1991Apr3.172156.3960@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 3 Apr 91 17:21:56 GMT
References: <1991Apr2.202227.13796@agate.berkeley.edu>
Sender: news@nas.nasa.gov
Reply-To: eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya)
Organization: NAS Program, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
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In article <1991Apr2.202227.13796@agate.berkeley.edu>
andyr@sag4.ssl.berkeley.edu (Andy Rose) writes:
>(I posted this once, but didn't see it so here it is again.)

Delivery of net-news should not be considered "reliable."
Consider this an ACK.

>I wonder if 'visualization' has coalesced (coagulated?) into an area
>which is academically approachable.  Does the study of computer
>graphics, statistic, or whatever make a reasonable course for a
>'visualizer'?  I would like your thoughts on what such a program
>looks like.  These could include:
>Is it timely or neccessary to pursue this question, given the current
>state of visualization?  It would help to define the current state 
>of visualization.
>What coursework is appropriate for this subject?

I suggest obtaining a document I was just handed:

%A Ed Ferguson
%A others
%T Computer Graphics Career Handbook
%I ACM SIGGRAPH
%D February 1991

Use the usual email SIGGRAPH email request addresses.  Oops! You are at SSL,
get a copy of any recent ACM/SIGGRAPH publication and check the back jacket
for SIGGRAPH email information.  I don't think any single course could
be said to cover this field.  Comments in some of the professional
interviews note you need some background in not only in computers and math
but also the physical sciences.

>Is anyone teaching or planning to teach a class in visualization? What
>text to use? What is the course called?  

SIGGRAPH of late has taught a summer tutorial at the conference.
See this years program when it comes out.

>Would such a class approach the variety of visualization possible or
>concentrate on a specific application and a specific hardware/software
>combination?

Choice.  Either is possible.  Variety has a time cost.  Specificity
implies a lack of generality.

>Is this art or science?  What is the place of perception psychology,
>virtual worlds, image processing, neural networks, statistics, and
>other such research in visualization?

Neither. Yet.  It is not a stand alone discipline by itself.
Perceptual psychology: has some use (human factors/engineering/cognition).
virtual worlds: only have value in this field when compared to a real world.
	otherwise it use is limited to simulation.  Current fad.
IP: billion$ are spent doing IP: medical imaging, remote sensing, 
NN: is this a trick question?  It's place is largely novel.  Curosity.
	Applications: future if many; and open.  Speculative.
Statistics: Yes, lots of use.  Visualization needs to get more quantitative.
	Bayesian statistics, clustering, other forms of non-parametric
	analysis are used in IP.

You asked for off the top of the head.

>Given the amount of activity at Champagne-Urbana, Cornell, Lowell, San 
>Diego, Ohio, Stardent, Silicon Graphics, in labs everywhere, and on
>the net, it seems that interpreting data using computer graphics is a
>widely varied and highly sought after technique.  Possibly, the many
>ways of visualizing data demand study.

Varied true.  Sought by those with funds to burn.  Does one study the
visualizing (e.g., non-linear dynamics) or does one study the data?
I hope you can see the value of both, but the distinction of the two.

>Scientific visualization in the global research community is virtually real.

That's a weird quote.

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov
  Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers
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