CSH data visualization expert Liuhuaying Yang received the gold medal for the special award Impressive Individual at the Information is Beautiful Awards. In addition, she won the gold medal in the Science, Technology & Health category with the Zoonotic Web.
“I truly got lost in Liuhuaying’s data stories. They are not only perfectly crafted and visually stunning, but actually insightful,” remarked one of the judges of the competition. Presented by the Data Visualization Society, the Information is Beautiful Awards (IIB) celebrate excellence and beauty in data visualizations, infographics, and information art. Winners were announced at the IIB Awards ceremony on June 12 in Miami, US.
“Liuhuaying Yang’s work stands out for its clarity, consistency, and thoughtful design. The three pieces she was shortlisted for in this year’s IIB Awards share a coherent visual language—clean layouts, creative metaphors, and an intuitive flow. What impresses me most is how she breaks down complex ideas into digestible, engaging segments,” added another judge. The CSH visualization team submitted a total of 9 works this year, with Yang submitting 6 and contributing to a 7th, three of which were shortlisted.
In an interview, Yang–who recently had been awarded the City of Vienna’s Promotion Prize in the STEM category– discusses the human side of design, tells the story behind the award-winning visualization, explains why communication is a challenge and an opportunity at CSH, and offers advice to aspiring data designers.
What drew you to data visualization in the first place? How has your journey evolved since you graduated from Northeastern University?
I was initially drawn to data visualization because it combined my love of design and math. Northeastern played a huge role in shaping my perspective, not just in building technical skills, but in introducing me to the creative, human side of visualization through the work of experts in the field. Since then, I’ve worked in different settings: data-driven product design, data journalism, and now science. Each phase has brought its own challenges and helped me better understand what it means to tell stories with data in different contexts.
Could you walk us through the winning visualization—from concept to execution?
The project began with a very technical goal: to visualize a network of pathogens and hosts, and show communities of zoonotic sources that share similar agents. As I began working on it, I wanted to include more context and add icons to the nodes to make it easier for a general audience to understand.
As I designed the agents’ icons, I learned about their different types and family structures. As I defined the link styles for transmission, I learned what those links meant. As I presented the communities, I learned these clusters were more than just math, they revealed real-world risks, demonstrating how agents and species are related to human health.
I didn’t understand all this at first. My colleague Amélie [Desvars-Larrive] helped me a lot by correcting me and adding examples. For me, what started as “just another network” became a scientific journey, and it’s exactly that journey I wanted to share with our audience.
In your opinion, what makes a data visualization truly impactful?
Aesthetics matter. We’re all visually sensitive in different ways, but no one wants to look at something that is harsh on the eyes. Accuracy is crucial too, not necessarily always perfect precision, but clarity and faithfulness to the data, so the visualization does not mislead or confuse. Aesthetics shouldn’t come at the cost of accuracy, and accuracy doesn’t need to sacrifice aesthetics. Simplicity, not in the sense of choosing simple charts, but don’t stack everything together without intended organization. Finally, creativity makes a piece stand out. A good visualization doesn’t just show you something, it sticks with you.
You talk about about using a “humanistic approach” to data visualization. What does that mean in practice—and why is it important today?
A humanistic approach means keeping humans at the center of the story. As humans, we have emotions, limited cognitive capacity, preference for beauty, and partial or biased knowledge. Data visualization is designed for communicating with people like this, not with machines or computers.
This should also apply to the creator, as personal engagement is essential. Aren’t we, the designers, the first “humans” in the process? It is important to stay motivated, stay connected, and create work that you enjoy and believe in.
What kind of data visualization challenges do you encounter at CSH, given its focus on systems and complexity science?
One big challenge is communicating complexity without overwhelming the viewers. Our data often involves multi-layered systems, multiple scales like temporal and structural scales, and high interdependence of factors. There’s a constant struggle to strike the right balance between complexity and simplicity, clarity and richness.
At CSH, how do you collaborate with researchers from different disciplines?
Collaboration starts with listening. The scientists bring their field’s research with a story; I bring visual thinking and narrative framing.
I truly believe science should and can be more accessible. Science benefits society, health (both mental and physical), and critical thinking. The problem is that many scientists are already overwhelmed with their own work, and do not always have the time or tools to communicate widely. That’s where design can help. It’s not the only solution, but it’s an important one. What bridges design and science is a shared belief in reaching people and mutual trust in each other’s expertise.
What advice would you give to the next generation of data designers?
Be curious about the problem, not just the dataset. There are tons of datasets out there, and they can be used in many ways. The key question is: what makes this data special for your project? And what problem is it trying to solve, or what knowledge is it meant to reveal?
Start with the given, but don’t stop there. Spend some time being a bit rebellious—explore beyond the initial requirements and imagine alternative ways to tell the story.
The process is part of the product. Even ideas you don’t end up using this time might inspire your next project.
Be honest about what you know and how you feel. When you ask for clarification or learn new context, that’s not just for you—it’s part of the story your audience needs too. And your own reactions or feelings often resonate with others, so don’t be afraid to share those.
