Author Talk: Lauren Klein and Tanvi Sharma on "Data by Design"
Join visualization historian Lauren Klein and designer Tanvi Sharma for a conversation about their book *Data by Design: Visualization and Power from Abolition to the Dawn of Data Science*. The book revisits the history of data visualization, examining the power embedded in charts and maps and considering how these tools can support social change.
Klein and Sharma will be joined by Arvind Satyanarayan, an MIT professor and visualization researcher. Klein is a professor of Data & Decision Sciences and English at Emory University, where she directs the Digital Humanities Lab and the Atlanta Interdisciplinary AI Network. She is also the co-author of *Data Feminism* and an editor of *Debates in the Digital Humanities*.
Sharma is a design technologist focused on data, aesthetics, and the humanities. She is an art director at Apple and a co-author of *Data by Design*, with previous experience at Pentagram, Public Policy Lab, and Spotify. Satyanarayan is an associate professor of computer science at MIT EECS and leads the Visualization Group at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. His work explores how visualization and computation can expand human cognition and creativity while preserving human agency.
When: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Showtimes: 5:00pm–6:00pm
Venue: Central Library in Copley Square, Leventhal Map & Education Center Gallery, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
Tickets: Registration is free, but advance registration is required. Register at https://luma.com/wuxm2im7
Lineup: Lauren Klein, Tanvi Sharma, and moderator Arvind Satyanarayan
Audience: Adults
Language: English
Accessibility: Disability accommodations and language services are available upon request. Contact the department listed in the event’s Contact Info pane, preferably at least two weeks before the program so arrangements can be made.
Venue hours: The Leventhal Map & Education Center Gallery is open from 9:00am–8:00pm on the day of the event.