Jonathan Zong
Computer Scientist, Artist
Research Topic
As a Design Fellow, Jonathan worked with blind and low-vision collaborators and study participants to design tools for multi-sensory data analysis, making complementary use of graphics, description, and sound.
Read the full story on Jonathan and his work:
MIT MAD Fellow Improves Accessibility of Online Graphics for Blind Users
FORBES 30 UNDER 30 IN SCIENCE 2023
Forbes magazine announced in November 2022 that Jonathan Zong was named to its Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science 2023 list.
Zong is being recognized for his work creating assistive technology that turns online visual data, such as charts and graphs, into text-to-speech, allowing blind and visually impaired people to access visual information that is frequently included in online material, but often not translated into accessible text.
“As institutions increasingly rely on data visualization to communicate important information visually—from election results to COVID-19 case rates—lack of equitable information access for blind and low-vision people excludes many from participating fully in public life,” says Zong.
“Our work at the MIT Visualization Group creating text-based interfaces for non-visual data exploration helps these users conduct self-guided data exploration and participate more fully in conversations about data with sighted collaborators.
“Receiving this recognition affirms that prioritizing the experiences of marginalized users in the design of new technology can both advance equity and also contribute to scientific conversations in human-computer interaction.”
