Personal profile
Overview
Jonathan C. Roberts is a professor in the School of Computer Science, Bangor University, UK., He was a lecturer (Kent 1999), Senior Lecturer (Kent 2004, Bangor 2007) and became a professor in 2015. His research is focused on data visualization, visual analytics, human computer interaction and computing pedagogy. He is interested in how to analyse, visualise and interact with data, and how to sketch designs and make appropriate designs. He is the creator of the Five Design-Sheet methodology, and author of the book Five Design-Sheets: Creative Design and Sketching for Computing and Visualisation, Springer Nature, June 2017. He focuses on heritage and archaeology, oceanography, pedagogy, and social networking domains, Prof Roberts’ hypothesis is that by displaying the data in several different ways, and allowing the user to highly interact with it, then the user gains a better understanding of their data.
He is the School Director for Impact and Engagement and in July 2019 started a weekly Research Engagement meetups (trebling the quantity of School news articles) and lead on Project Rainbow (continuity of learning activities, see http://csee.bangor.ac.uk/). Leads the Visualization, Data-Modelling and Graphics research group (VDMG). Is a member of the UK CPHC (Council of Professors and Heads of Computing), a member of Senate, sits on the CoESE Ethics and Governance Committee (2018-) and on the Research Degrees Committee (2018-20).
Research
Jonathan Roberts' research interests cover the areas of interactive data visualization and visual analytics. He is interested in investigating how humans interact with visual depictions, explore different scenarios, and present their results. This includes from making designs and sketching ideas, developing HCI applications, developing multi-sensory interfaces, to evaluating these interfaces.
Areas: Visual Analytics, data Visualization, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Creative Computing, Sketching designs, Computing Teaching (esp. visualization and creativity); Multi-sensory perception.
Basic research: Interaction techniques; sketching; multiple-view techniques; coordination; alternative representations; multi-sensory visualization; visualization theory; learning analytics; novel technologies; sensemaking; usability; education and learning strategies; history trails; uncertainty; parallel coordinate plots.
Applied domains: Heritage; Oceanography; Social Media data; Visualization theory; Learning and Education.
He is PI at Bangor for Supercomputing Wales, and Bangor lead for the UKRI doctoral training centre: AIMLAC (AI, Machine Learning and Advanced Computing), which provides 4-year, fully funded PhD opportunities across the broad areas of particle physics and astronomy, biological and health, and mathematical and computer sciences, and is a collaboration between the universities of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea (lead).
Contact Info
BSc, PhD, PGCHE, MIEEE, MACM, M-EG, SFHEA
School of Computer Science,
Teaching and Supervision
Experienced teacher, and experienced in leading others in their teaching. Demonstrated by
- Award of Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2015)
- Director of Teaching & Learning (2007-2016)
- Deputy head of School (2014-2016)
I have supervised to completion (advised) 7 PhD students through their PhD and 5 MSc-R. Am currently supervising a further 3 PhD students. External examiner for 16 PhD students and 5 MPhil/MScR (research masters). I have been internal examination for a further 8 PhD students. And have chaired 7 PhD student examinations at Bangor University.
Current teaching:
ICP-3036 Computer Graphics Rendering (20 credits), since 2015
ICE-4124 Information Visualisation (20 credits), since 2019 (updated from ICP4142 since 2007)
ICE-2902 Design, Art, Creativity and Storytelling, since 2020
Previously
ICP2036 Computer Graphics 2 – Algorithms (10 credits)
ICP4142 Information Visualization (15 credits) 2007-2018
ICP4123 Technologies for Internet Systems (15 credits), 2007- 2015
ICP3123 Web technologies (10 credits), 2007- 2015
ICP3099, IED3098, IED3099 Convenor of all 3rd year project modules: (30 credits), 2007- 2011
ICP4145 Fundamentals of Computer Graphics (15 credits), 2007- 2011,
Postgraduate Project Opportunities
I am willing to supervise projects in a wide range of topics that covers my interests in data visualisation, creativity, modelling and AI. For instance, projects could cover interactive data visualization and visual analytics, creative computing, heritage visualisation or some aspects of Natural Language processing applied to visualisation. I collaborate with oceanographers, archaeologists and lingustic lexicographers, and so could supervise visualisation projects in these application areas. I lead the Visualisation, data Modelling and Graphics group, and my research students all program code, are computing focused, get involved with Eurograhics and the IEEE Visualisation conference, and we often publish in Eurographics and IEEE Transactions on Visualisation and Computer Graphics. I am interested in researching how humans interact with visual depictions, explore different scenarios, and present their results. I am interested in sketching ideas, developing Human-computer applications, developing multi-sensory interfaces, to evaluating these interfaces.
Example PhD project 1. Smart visualisation. How can AI and smart concepts help to create automatic visualisations? How can AI algorithms help to make smarter interfaces for data-visualisation interaction? How can visualisation design be automated? etc.
Example PhD project 2. Multiple views to the masses. How can we easily create multiple-view interfaces? How can multiple view interfaces be linked across different devices? How can multiplicity, multivocality, and alternative viewpoints be integrated in visualisation? How does alternative viewpoints in visualisation help uncertainty visualisation and visual disambiguation?
Example PhD project 3. Many senses. How can we develop multimodal and multi-sensory information visualisation tools? How can many senses be used together for visualisation? How can we easily manipulate data visualisations through different sensory channels, both input and output?
Example PhD project 4. Multiple heritage models. How can we create multiple heritage models, and store them effectively? How can we automate the creation of heritage models, and integrate them into a virtual museum. Extension of heritagetogether.org project.
Related documents
Education/Academic qualification
Postgraduate, Other, Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, University of Kent
1 Oct 1999 → 28 Nov 2003
Award Date: 28 Nov 2003
Postgraduate, PhD, "Aspects of Abstraction in Scientific Visualization" (Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science)
1 Oct 1992 → 16 Jul 1996
Award Date: 16 Jul 1996
Undergraduate, BSc, Computer Science, University of Kent
1 Sept 1989 → 1 Jun 1992
Award Date: 14 Jul 1992
External positions
External Examiner, Edge Hill University
1 Oct 2019 → 30 Sept 2022
External Advisor for Undergraduate courses in Computing and Mathematics, Open University
27 Apr 2017 → 27 Apr 2020
External Examiner, University of East Anglia
1 Mar 2014 → 30 Mar 2018
Keywords
- QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
- Human Computer Interaction
- Data Visualization
- Design Sketching
- Information Visualization
- Scientific Visualization
- Data art
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Critical Design Strategy: a Method for Heuristically Evaluating Visualisation Designs
Roberts, J. C., Alnjar, H., Owen, A. & Ritsos, P. D., 19 Nov 2025, In: IEEE Transactions on visualization and computer graphics. 32, 1, p. 1383-1393 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile20 Downloads (Pure) -
Data Meets Creativity: Authentic Learning through Data Art Design and Exhibition
Roberts, J. C., 20 May 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Computers and Graphics. 19 p., 104248.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile69 Downloads (Pure) -
Embedding Empathy into Visual Analytics: A Framework for Person-Centred Dementia Care
Owen, R. & Roberts, J. C., 1 Oct 2025, p. 1-7. 7 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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Explanatory Visualization with LLMs for Employment Law
Ogbonda, G., Nason, S., Roberts, J. C. & Butcher, P., 24 Jul 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
File30 Downloads (Pure) -
From Data to Insight: Using Contextual Scenarios to Teach Critical Thinking in Data Visualisation
Roberts, J. C., Butcher, P. & Ritsos, P. D., 3 Nov 2025. 6 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
Open AccessFile10 Downloads (Pure)
Impacts
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Creation of hologram of Great Orme
James, S. (Participant), Roberts, J. (Participant), Karl, R. (Participant), Mearman, J. (Participant) & Wilson, A. (Participant)
Impact: Cultural, Technological
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Design Methods for Computing (including Five Design-Sheets)
Roberts, J. (Participant), Ritsos, P. (Participant) & Headleand, C. (Participant)
Impact: Technological
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Heritage models, heritage visualisation of prehistory and at-risk sites in Wales including Maid of Harlech
Roberts, J. (Participant), Ritsos, P. (Participant), Mearman, J. (Participant), Karl, R. (Participant), Wilson, A. (Participant), Miles, H. (Participant), Tiddeman, B. (Participant), Möller, K. (Participant), Möller, K. (Participant), Griffiths, S. M. (Participant), Labrosse, F. (Participant) & Ben, E. (Participant)
Impact: Cultural, Societal, Technological, Environmental
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Project Rainbow
Roberts, J. (Participant), Roberts, D. (Participant), Ritsos, P. (Participant), Gray, C. (Participant), Mearman, J. (Participant) & Butcher, P. (Participant)
Impact: Technological, Societal
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Research Institute of Visual Computing (RIVIC)
Roberts, J. (Participant), John, N. (Participant), Ritsos, P. (Participant), Ap Cenydd, L. (Participant), Hope, S. (Participant), Hughes, C. (Participant), Lim, I. S. (Participant), Miles, H. (Participant), Pop, S. (Participant), Scanlan, S. (Participant), Vidal, F. (Participant), Mantiuk, R. (Participant), Pavia, Y. (Participant) & Walker, R. (Participant)
Impact: Economic, Technological, Environmental, Societal
Projects
- 17 Finished
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Paths to Administrative Justice in Wales: Principles, Challenges and Opportunities - School of Computer Science costs only
Roberts, J. (PI)
1/09/18 → 15/06/20
Project: Research
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Collocaid: combining learner needs, lexicographic data, text editors
Roberts, J. (PI)
8/05/17 → 12/04/21
Project: Research
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Activities
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SCSE 24-Hour Hackathon 2026
Butcher, P. (Organiser), Roberts, J. (Member of programme committee), Ritsos, P. (Member of programme committee), Perkins, D. (Member of programme committee), King, A. (Organiser), Price, S. (Organiser) & Kinlan, P. (Speaker)
6 Mar 2026 → 7 Mar 2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course
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IEEE VIS Workshop on Visualization Education, Literacy, and Activities 2025
Stoiber, C. (Organiser), Rajabiyazdi, F. (Organiser), Keck, M. (Organiser), Boucher, M. (Organiser), Roberts, J. (Organiser), Besançon, L. (Organiser), Brossier, M. (Organiser) & Bach, B. (Organiser)
3 Nov 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course
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ACM (Publisher)
Roberts, J. (Editorial board member)
Oct 2025Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Publication peer-review
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Data Meets Creativity: The Data Art 2025 Exhibition
Roberts, J. (Contributor)
12 May 2025 → 2 Jun 2025Activity: Other
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IEEE VIS Workshop on Visualization Education, Literacy, and Activities 2024
Rajabiyazdi, F. (Organiser), Keck, M. (Organiser), Stoiber, C. (Organiser), Roberts, J. (Organiser), Subramonyam, H. (Organiser), Gee, L. (Organiser), Boucher, M. (Organiser), Bach, B. (Organiser), Besançon, L. (Organiser), Brossier, M. (Organiser), Ynnerman, A. (Organiser) & Schönborn, K. (Organiser)
13 Oct 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course
File
Prizes
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Bangor University Teaching Fellowship, 2023
Roberts, J. (Recipient), 12 Jul 2023
Prize: Other distinction
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Best Short Paper (the David Duce award) for: Towards Developing a Digital application for the Five Design-Sheets Methodology
Owen, A. (Recipient) & Roberts, J. (Recipient), 16 Sept 2022
Prize: National/international honour
File -
Paper award, full papers honourable mention: Explanatory Journeys
Roberts, J. (Recipient), Butcher, P. (Recipient), Sherlock, A. (Recipient) & Nason, S. (Recipient), Oct 2021
Prize: National/international honour
Datasets
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Genii - The Genii system
Jackson, J. (Creator), Ritsos, P. (Creator), Butcher, P. (Creator) & Roberts, J. (Creator), Prifysgol Bangor University, 2017
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.12571856, http://jamesjacko.github.io/genii/ and 3 more links, http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12571917, http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12571944, http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12571856 (show fewer)
Dataset
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EG 2011 Welsh Dragon dataset - 3d model
Roberts, J. (Creator) & John, N. W. (Creator), Prifysgol Bangor University, Dec 2010
http://eg2011.bangor.ac.uk/dragon/Welsh-Dragon.html
Dataset
File -
ColloCaid Sample Data
Frankenberg-Garcia, A. (Creator), Rees, G. (Creator), Lew, R. (Creator), Roberts, J. (Other) & Butcher, P. (Other), Figshare, 2 Oct 2020
https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/ColloCaid_Sample_Data/13028207
Dataset