Liuhuaying Yang presents visualizations on migration and historical societal complexity.
Following a series of recent distinctions – including the Information is Beautiful Award and inclusion in an exhibition at the Wien Museum – data visualization researcher and designer Liuhuaying Yang presented her work at the Vienna Ball of Sciences, held at Vienna City Hall on January 24, 2026.
Yang’s work is characterized by its ability to make complex and often abstract data accessible without sacrificing analytical depth. At the Ball of Sciences, she presented two data visualizations grounded in current research conducted at the Complexity Science Hub (CSH):
Leveraging Global Talent,
based on research by Ljubica Nedelkoska, examines the de facto openness of countries to immigration by visualizing patterns of international mobility and talent flows.
Blossoms Through Time,
drawing on work by Peter Turchin, Jenny Reddish, and Daniel Kondor, explores long-term societal development from 10,000 BCE to 1800 CE. The visualization illustrates how increases in agricultural productivity and advances in military technology contributed to the growth of societies in both scale and structural complexity.
While Yang’s visualizations are typically designed to communicate independently the interactive setting of the Ball of Sciences enabled direct exchange with a broad audience. Reflecting on the event, Yang emphasized the value of this engagement, noting her appreciation for the time visitors spent exploring the work and discussing the underlying research with the team.
The event provided a platform for direct engagement between researchers, policymakers, and the public. Many visitors, including Federal Minister for Justice Anna Sporrer, Federal Minister for Women, Science and Research Eva-Maria Holzleitner, Mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig, and City Councillor Veronica Kaup-Hasler took the opportunity to explore Yang’s visualizations and discuss the research behind them with her and the CSH team.
