One sentence bio
Jonathan Zong is a computer scientist and visual artist who uses design to understand and re-imagine socio-technical systems.
Short bio
Jonathan Zong is a computer scientist and visual artist who uses design to understand and re-imagine socio-technical systems. He is a Ph.D. Candidate at MIT with the Visualization Group, and an affiliate of the Cornell Citizens and Technology Lab. In his research, Jonathan partners with blind collaborators and study participants to co-design interfaces for non-visual data exploration. He also develops software and conceptual frameworks for managing the ethics of consent in large-scale social media data collection. Jonathan's work has been recognized by the MIT Morningside Academy for Design Fellowship, the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, and Forbes 30 Under 30 Scientists. As a practicing artist, his work has been exhibited at events and venues including MIT's Wiesner Gallery, the Marcel Broodthaers Society of America, and the Centre National du Graphisme.
Long bio
Jonathan Zong is a researcher who uses design as a method for understanding and re-imagining socio-technical systems. Trained as a computer scientist and visual artist, he uses design to create artifacts that empower marginalized individuals and communities while advancing scholarly conversations about the technical and ethical aspects of building interactive systems.
In his research, Jonathan partners with blind collaborators and study participants to co-design interfaces for non-visual data exploration. These interfaces support the autonomy and agency of blind and low-vision users to conduct self-guided data analysis and help them establish common ground with sighted users with shared spatial data metaphors.
In addition to his accessible visualization work, he has designed open-source software for managing the ethics of consent in large-scale social media research. He has also developed conceptual frameworks for designers and activists to develop strategies for refusing mass data collection by powerful actors.
As a practicing artist, his work has been exhibited at events and venues including MIT's Wiesner Gallery, the Marcel Broodthaers Society of America, and the Centre National du Graphisme.
Jonathan is currently a PhD Candidate in Human-Computer Interaction at MIT CSAIL with the Visualization Group, and a fellow at the MIT Morningside Academy for Design. He graduated from the Computer Science and Visual Arts departments at Princeton University.
His work has been recognized by numerous awards and honors, including the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans and Forbes 30 Under 30.