Oluwafemi Alabi
Chapel Hill, NC
I am a graduate student in Computer Science studying Scientific Visualization, searching for ways to bring the innovations I see in technology and educational policy to Africa. I see the amount of resources and the sheer potential that rests in Africa: her creativity, her wealth of resources, her hunger for growth. All it takes is a small idea--a seed engineered to work within the African soil for seemingly impossible innovation to be realized. I am working as part of the body of young people who will bring about change in the Africa of the 21st century.
My research involves automating feature identification on a set of 3D surfaces based on individual user perceptions of important features. A common aspect of human attention and recognition is that feature importance is driven by what we deem to be contextually important.
My research investigates methods for semi-automating the detection of features from a large set of 3D surfaces, taking into account the mathematical characteristics of shape, but tuning it by what is important to the viewer. This is only part of the solution however. Exploring the variations in a collection of 3D shapes also involves the design of a visualization that communicates something about the data. I am researching ways to dynamically create visualizations from viewers' feature characterizations. The results should be this: a tool that can be used to address exploratory tasks involving the comparison, grouping, and/or isolation of features. This involves leveraging known research in the human perception as well as machine learning, statistics, and graphics to create visual aids.
My pursuit of a PhD exceeds studying this. I've undertaken this experience because the skills, exposure, knowledge and passion that drove me to continue learning are the same as those that will help me accomplish my goals in Africa. What I learn here, I plan on using to make a difference in how Africa approaches academia and technology in this modern age. The possibilities are limitless.
Publications:
Comparative Visualization of Ensembles Using Ensemble Surface Slicing