⬩ CartoVis242024 ICA Workshop on AI, Geovisualization, and Analytical Reasoning

Date: Saturday 7 September 2024

Location: University of Warsaw, Poland

It has been 20 years since visual analytics was first established as the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive maps and visualizations. Since then, new models have been proposed to understand cognitive reasoning processes, new technologies have been released to support interactive, mobile, and immersive mapping, and new methods have been developed to examine and evaluate user experiences with analytical support systems. Given these rapid developments in the recent years, we call for research papers in cartography, visualization, geoAI, and allied design fields to capture the state-of-science on visuospatial analytical reasoning and its various contexts, including geovisualization and the role of artificial intelligence (AI).

Creating the conditions in which users are able to reason about spatial information is a difficult task, and there are many challenges to overcome. Analytical reasoning goes beyond simply noticing a pattern, and invokes a complex set of processes that aim to explain what has been seen, or to predict what will happen next. On the other hand, geovisualization makes geographic data actionable, transforming it to become visually-accessible and supporting iterative processes of exploration and analysis. 

In the scope of this workshop, we invite short submissions (300-word abstracts or 2-page short papers). These submissions are expected to report on ongoing and emergent work that aims to tackle one of the many dimensions of cartography: specifically, we welcome those that relate to supporting geovisualization and analytical reasoning, including approaches that leverage AI methods applied at various stages: data processing, analysis, visualization generation and interpretation, as well as support in user perception interpretation. Broadly speaking, we are seeking work that focuses on understanding users, their cognitive processes, and/or their interactions with visual representations and computational methods via maps or geographic visualization. We welcome research that tackles these and related problem areas through computational, representational, artificial intelligence (AI), ethical, or contextual methodological lenses. This workshop will provide a forum in which new approaches and ideas can be discussed and where new research collaborations can be formed. 

Early stage work is explicitly encouraged, especially by junior scholars or those who might be new to cartography.

This workshop represents the joint efforts of the University of Warsaw Department of Geoinformatics, Cartography, and Remote Sensing in collaboration with the International Cartographic Association Commissions on Cognitive Issues in Geographic Information Visualization, Geovisualization, and User Experience (UX), as well as the ICA Next Generation Cartographers Working Group.

Submission Guidelines

The following paper categories are welcome:

• Short papers (2 pages) short papers should be prepared using the ICA Abstracts Format. 2-page short paper submissions, if accepted, will have 10 minute slots for presentation and discussion.

• Abstracts (300 words) abstracts on work in progress are welcome. Abstracts will receive 5 minutes for a lightning talk presentation with group discussion following all lightning talks. 

ICA Early Career Scientists and Professionals Scholarship

This scholarship has a maximum of €500 (or €750 when the applicant is from a non-developed member nation).

We anticipate making multiple awards for this opportunity – between 5-7 in total.

You do not have to have submitted your abstract for the workshop or received acceptance yet to apply for the award. Acceptance is not required to receive a scholarship.

The award encourages participation of all kinds. We do hope that each awardee does submit a talk to present at the workshop, but it is not a requirement and the main aim of this opportunity is to increase participation by as many young scholars as possible.

To be eligible, all applicants need to provide:

• Applicant name, postal address, e-mail, CV, birth year, affiliated institution, publication list (where applicable);
• Form of participation: in-person or virtual (only in-person is planned for this workshop)
• A short 150-word statement explaining how they meet the criteria, why ICA should award the applicant and what benefit they expect to gain from the scholarship
• Proof of the applicant’s most recent year’s education or degree
• Letter of support from the ICA National Delegate of the respective current country of residence and/or the current affiliate institution of the applicant, information on contacts for National Delegates can be found here: https://icaci.org/national-members/

All applications are due with complete materials to Professor Robert Roth by May 6, 2024. Please email your materials to him at reroth@wisc.edu. Completed applications will receive a letter of support from our workshop commission chairs and be forwarded onwards then to the ICA Executive Committee who will make the final determination for awards.

Important Dates

• ICA Young Scientist and Professional Scholarship deadline: 6 May 2024

• Short paper (2 pages) deadline: 15 May 2024 extended deadline to 28 May 2024

• Abstract (300 words) deadline: 1 June 2024

• Notification of acceptance: 15 June 2024

• Registration deadline: 31 July 2024

List of Topics

• Geovisualization and visual analytics

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches in cartography and geovisualization

• Storytelling for improved comprehension of geographic processes

• Computational methods and algorithms in spatial analysis

• User-centered design

• Ethics, trust, and equity in cartography and geovisualization

• Visuospatial cognition, reasoning, and sensemaking

• Individual and group differences in spatial abilities

• Wayfinding and navigation

• Reasoning on the go with augmented and mixed realities

• Visual variables and visual semiotics

• Human-computer interaction 

• Immersive analytics

• Explainable AI in geovisualization

• Spatial decision support systems

Committees

Program Committee

• Arzu Çöltekin (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland)

• Izabela Gołębiowska (University of Warsaw)

• Amy Griffin (RMIT University)

• Pyry Kettunen (Finnish Geospatial Research Institute, FGI NLS)

• Jolanta Korycka-Skorupa (University of Warsaw)

• Florian Ledermann (TU Vienna)

• Anthony Robinson (Pennsylvania State University)

• Robert Roth (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

• Katarzyna Słomska-Przech (Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History, PAS)

Venue

The conference will be held at the University of Warsaw, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, Department of Geoinformatics, Cartography, and Remote Sensing.

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to carto-vis-workshop@uw.edu.pl.