## Breadcrumb 1. [Home](/index%2Ephp/) 2. [Overview](/index%2Ephp/academics) 3. [Faculty Members](/index%2Ephp/academics/explore-faculty) 4. [Isabel Meirelles](/index%2Ephp/markdownify/node/3965) # Isabel Meirelles ![](https://ultima7-its.ocadu.ca/bios/imeirelles/portrait) imeirelles@ocadu.ca Faculty Information Professor, Tenured Faculty of Design Areas of Expertiseinformation design data visualization design education Isabel Meirelles is an information designer and educator whose intellectual curiosity lies in the relationships between visual thinking and visual representation. She is a professor in the faculty of design at OCAD University, Toronto, and the recipient of the 2015/2016 OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. From 2003 to 2104, she was on the faculty of Northeastern University’s College of Arts, Media and Design in the department of art and design, where she helped create the MFA in information design and data visualization. In addition to writing widely on the role of data visualization in society, culture, and education, Meirelles is the author of Design for Information: An introduction to the Histories, Theories, and Best Practices Behind Effective Information Visualizations (Rockport, 2013). Her research focuses on the theoretical and experimental examination of the fundamentals underlying how information is structured, represented, and communicated in different media. Meirelles frequently teams up with colleagues on interdisciplinary projects involving visualization of information. She has co-founded and organized numerous conferences, initiatives, and exhibitions on the topic, including Information+ (https://informationplusconference.com/), the Arts, Humanities, and Complex Network symposium at NetSci, and the Art of Networks exhibitions at Complenet. In her creative practice, she collaborates with artists and curators to design print and digital publications of their work. ### Works #### Multiculturalism: Opportunities and Challenges RGD Design Educators Conference 2025 Published: December 31st 2026 [View Article »](https://rgd.ca/assets/images/users/2025DECProceedings-1.pdf) #### Multilingual Design Learn X Design 2025 Published: December 31st 2025 [View Article »](https://doi.org/10.21606/drslxd.2025.069) #### Complexity as Design Material Position Paper 2024 IEEE Evaluation and Beyond - Methodological Approaches for Visualization (BELIV) Published: December 31st 2024 keywords: {Visualization;Shape;Image color analysis;Data visualization;Data collection;Complexity theory} Abstract: Complexity is often seen as a inherent negative in information design, with the job of the designer being to reduce or eliminate complexity, and with principles like Tufte's “data-ink ratio” or “chartjunk” to operationalize mimimalism and simplicity in visualizations. However, in this position paper, we call for a more expansive view of complexity as a design material, like color or texture or shape: an element of information design that can be used in many ways, many of which are beneficial to the goals of using data to understand the world around us. We describe complexity as a phenomenon that occurs not just in visual design but in every aspect of the sensemaking process, from data collection to interpretation. For each of these stages, we present examples of ways that these various forms of complexity can be used (or abused) in visualization design. We ultimately call on the visualization community to build a more nuanced view of complexity, to look for places to usefully integrate complexity in multiple stages of the design process, and, even when the goal is to reduce complexity, to look for the non-visual forms of complexity that may have otherwise been overlooked. url: https://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/BELIV64461.2024.00013 [View Article »](http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/beliv64461.2024.00013) #### Challenges and Opportunities in Data Visualization Education: A Call to Action IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics Published: October 7th 2023 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85175229487&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Special Issue: Information Visualization Information Design Journal Published: December 31st 2022 [View Article »](http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/idj.27.1) #### Editorial Information Design Journal Published: October 7th 2022 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85147517091&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Reflections and Considerations on Running Creative Visualization Learning Activities Proceedings - 2022 IEEE 4th Workshop on Visualization Guidelines in Research, Design, and Education, VisGuides 2022 Published: October 7th 2022 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85146361467&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Special Issue Information Visualization Information Design Journal Published: December 31st 2019 [View Article »](http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/idj.25.1) #### Editorial: Information+ 2018 Conference Information Design Journal Published: October 7th 2019 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85082752492&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### A conversation with Isabel Meirelles, author of design for information The Theory and Practice of Motion Design: Critical Perspectives and Professional Practice Published: October 7th 2018 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85108045200&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Visualizing Information The Shape of Data in the Digital Humanities Published: October 7th 2018 [View Article »](https://www-taylorfrancis-com.ocadu.idm.oclc.org/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315552941-7/visualizing-information-isabel-meirelles) #### Special Issue: Information Visualization Information Design Journal Published: December 31st 2017 [View Article »](http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/idj.23.1) #### Arts and Humanities, Complex Network Analysis of Encyclopedia of Social Network Analysis and Mining Published: October 7th 2017 #### Arts, humanities and complex networks reach critical threshold Leonardo Published: October 7th 2017 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85030536304&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Editorial Information Design Journal Published: October 7th 2017 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85022027772&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Special section: Arts, humanities and complex networks 2015 Leonardo Published: October 7th 2017 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85030564569&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Arts, humanities and complex networks Leonardo Published: October 7th 2016 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84989859731&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Quantitative, qualitative, and historical urban data visualization tools for professionals and stakeholders Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) Published: October 7th 2016 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84978832688&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### The visualizing spirit in the twenty-first century Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) Published: October 7th 2016 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84979582252&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Arts, humanities and complex networks Leonardo Published: October 7th 2015 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84924045631&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Visualizing Computational Social Science: The Multiple Lives of a Complex Image Science Communication Published: October 7th 2015 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84921496393&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Arts, Humanities and Complex Networks: Introduction Leonardo Published: December 7th 2014 #### Teaching information visualization by exploring their power in engaging users of social media applications Proceedings of the 6th Information Design International Conference Published: December 7th 2014 #### Arts and Humanities, Complex Network Analysis of Encyclopedia of Social Network Analysis and Mining Published: October 7th 2014 #### Design de l'information: représenter visuellement les informations Published: October 7th 2014 [View Article »](http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/884419824) #### La información en el diseño: introducción a las historias, las teorías y las mejores prácticas para la visualización eficaz de información Published: October 7th 2014 [View Article »](http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/926616517) #### Case Study: The Development of the HDI Tree Selected Readings of 5th Information Design International Conference Published: October 7th 2013 #### Design for information: an introduction to the histories, theories, and best practices behind effective information visualizations Published: October 7th 2013 [View Article »](http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/926853698) #### Visualizing data: a new pedagogical challenges Selected Readings of the 4th Information Design Published: October 7th 2011 #### Arts \| humanities \| complex networks Leonardo Published: October 7th 2010 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-77953299107&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Visual representation of health information: A critique of the 2005 food pyramid American Communication Journal Published: October 7th 2008 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-47749150626&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Diagrams and Problem Solving Selected Readings of 2nd Information Design International Conference Published: October 7th 2007 #### The Use of Metaphors in Dietary Visual Displays Around the world Visible Language Published: October 7th 2007 [View Article »](http://visiblelanguagejournal.com/issue/143/article/541) #### A framework for teaching fundamentals of time-based design ACM SIGGRAPH 2006 Educators Program - International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques Published: October 7th 2006 [View Article »](http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-34548225990&partnerID=MN8TOARS) #### Dynamic Visual Formation Visible Language Published: October 7th 2005 [View Article »](http://visiblelanguagejournal.com/issue/136/article/509) ### Education #### Master of Fine Arts, Visual Communication Design **Type:** Dynamic Media Institute Massachusetts College of Art and Design #### Master of Architecture, History and Theory of Architecture Architectural Association School of Architecture #### Bachelor of Architecture and Urban Design Centro Universitário Belas Artes de São Paulo ### Employment #### Professor **Type:** Faculty of Design OCAD University #### Associate Professor **Type:** Art and Design Northeastern University #### Assistant Professor **Type:** Art and Design Northeastern University ### Funding #### Information+ **Type:** Grant Information+: conference, workshop and exhibition on interdisciplinary practices in information design and visualization #### IA+D Learning Modules **Type:** Grant #### Interactive Information Visualizations Deconstructed **Type:** Grant #### Early Caribbean Digital Archive **Type:** Grant #### Visualizing Speech Melody to Improve 2nd Language Expressive Fluency in Adolescents **Type:** Grant #### The role of visualization in Canadian news **Type:** Grant Examining COVID-19 graphics in daily newspapers in Toronto in the early months of 2020. #### Support for image preparation activities for upcoming book **Type:** Grant Support for image preparation activities for upcoming book, A Data Visualization Odyssey (provisional title) #### Mapping Cultural Resistance **Type:** Grant Co-Applicant contributing with data visualization expertise. PI Helmut Reichenbächer (OCAD U). ### Distinctions #### 2025–26 Visiting Scholar, Massey OCAD U Visiting Fellow Massey College, University of Toronto #### 2015-16 OCAD University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity OCAD University #### Honourable Mention, 2021 RGD Design Educator Award of Excellence for Eastern Canada Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) #### Gold Medal Editorial Category for my book “Design for Information”, International Institute for Information Design IIID Award 2014 International Institute for Information Design