The VACLab

The Visual Analysis and Communication Laboratory (VACLab) conducts research at the intersection of interactive visualization, human-computer interaction, and machine learning.

Led by Dr. David Gotz, the VACLab develops new methods of interactive visualization to support more efficient, effective, and intuitive information analysis and communication. The VACLab also studies how these new methods are used within the context of a wide range of domain application areas, both to learn why existing methods work and to discover new opportunities for scientific advancement. Many recent research projects have focused specifically on healthcare and life science applications, though the lab’s research is not limited to these areas.

VACLab Members

Led by David Gotz, the VACLab is primarily composed of an interdisciplinary team of UNC student research assistants. A list of VACLab students can be found on the Students page of this website.

Are you interested in coming to the VACLab to pursue a PhD? Click here to learn more about joining the team.

Long-Term Collaborators

The core VACLab team works closely with collaborators from across the UNC campus and beyond. While certainly not an exhaustive list, the people below are active VACLab collaborators with long histories of working together with VACLab teammates on a variety of exciting projects.

David Borland, PhD
Research Scientist
RENCI and UNC-Chapel Hill
Website

Arlene Chung, MD
Assistant Professor in School of Medicine
UNC-Chapel Hill
Website

Nan Cao, PhD
Assistant Professor in College Software Engineering
Assistant Professor in College of Design and Innovation
TongJi University
Website

Research Projects

The best way to learn about the specific projects underway within the VACLab is to look at the recent publications. While these tend to lag behind the lab’s latest work by a few months, they give you a good idea of what the team has been up to. They might also provide clues about what we plan to take on next!

Learn More

There are many projets underway within the VACLab and lots of resources are available to learn more about the lab’s work.If you are ready to take a deeper dive into VACLab activities, check out the following:

  1. Publications: The publications page is the best place to go for detailed descriptions about the VACLab’s work of the years. When browsing through the list of publication, you’ll find links to full-text papers, archival copies from publishers, and any available supplemental material such as video figures.
  2. Software: Publications provide detailed peer-reviewed descriptions of the lab’s work, but many times new software tools or libraries are also released as research products. The software page provides links to several open-source software assets that grew out of the VACLab’s research portfolio.
  3. Sponsors: The VACLab owes a great debt to the organizations, both government and others, which have sponsored VACLab research over the years. The sponsors page provides a complete list of organizations that have provided grant and/or contract support for the VACLab.