Internet Visualization Exhibition (IVE)

The Internet Visualization Exhibition (IVE) is organized by Paul Barford (University of Wisconsin) and myself.

Blurb

As the Internet grows more complex, opaque, and deeply embedded in society, visualization plays an increasingly vital role in understanding its structure, behavior, and evolution. From classic time series to immersive interactive maps, visual tools help expose anomalies, reveal hidden geometries, and make abstract patterns tangible. The Internet Visualization Exhibition (IVE) celebrates this creative dimension of Internet measurement and systems research. It invites researchers, practitioners, and artists to share novel visualizations, images, animations, and interactive artifacts that distill insight from data and make Internet infrastructure more legible. IVE aims to foster dialogue between disciplines, promote visual thinking as a research skill, and inspire new ways of representing complexity at Internet scale.

Why an Internet Visualization Exhibition?

The Internet’s scale, complexity, and constant evolution make it one of the most challenging systems to understand. As researchers and practitioners, we rely on measurement and data analysis to make sense of how networks are built, how they behave, and how they change. But as the Internet becomes more multidimensional and opaque, traditional tools—while essential—are often not enough to reveal the full story.

Visualization is a powerful bridge between raw data and human insight. Classic plots and charts have long helped us spot trends, anomalies, and patterns, but today’s Internet calls for new ways to see and communicate complexity. Innovative visualizations can expose hidden geometries, surface unexpected behaviors, and make abstract phenomena tangible—not just for experts, but for broader audiences as well.

We’re organizing the Internet Visualization Exhibition (IVE) to celebrate and advance this creative dimension of Internet research. Our goal is to foster a culture where visual thinking is valued as a core research skill, and where new perspectives and techniques are shared across disciplines. By bringing together researchers, practitioners, and artists, we hope to inspire fresh approaches to representing Internet-scale systems and to spark conversations that lead to deeper understanding and new discoveries.

How to Participate

The session will showcase a continuous reel of visuals, accompanied by optional creator commentary, followed by an informal discussion where contributors and attendees can share reflections on visualization as a research practice: what works, what challenges arise, and what opportunities lie ahead.

Submissions may include static visuals, short videos, recordings of interactive demos, or exploratory sketches. All that’s required is:

• A visualization (image, video, or link to hosted demo),
• A short description (≤250 words), and
• Optionally, a 30–60 second recorded explanation.

The goal is to create an engaging, visually rich session that encourages new ways of thinking about Internet infrastructure and behavior. For more information on how to participate, please reach out to me (ls3748@columbia.edu), and for submission, visit this submission form. Updates and community discussion will also take place in the SIGCOMM #sigcomm25-nonpaper Slack channel.

Important Notes:

• This exhibition is now sponsored by the Internet Society
• We will be awarding a prize for the best visualization
• Physical presence at the conference is not required

For more information on how to participate, please reach out to me (ls3748@columbia.edu), and for submission, visit this submission form. Updates and community discussion will also take place in the SIGCOMM #sigcomm25-nonpaper Slack channel.