Education
University of Utah
2024–2028 (expected)
PhD, Computer Graphics & Data Visualization
Committee: Kate Isaacs, Alberto Cairo, Chris Johnson, Marina Kogan, JoAnn Kuchera-Morin
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
2019–2021
MCS, Computer Science
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
2008–2012
BS, Computer Science
Internships
Apple
2026
Camera & Photos Intern
- TBD.
Autodesk Research
2025
HCI & Visualization Intern
- Researched and prototyped AI presence in 3D authoring tools, resulting in a provisional patent.
The New York Times
2024–2025
Graphics Intern → Associate Graphic Editor
- Contributed to award-winning data journalism and spatial visualization using machine learning and computer vision technologies.
Work Experience
National Center for Supercomputing Applications
2022–2024
Founding Director, Visualization Program Office
- Responsible for leadership and management of strategic directions and activities for 37 staff.
- Identified new collaboration and funding opportunities. Wrote $60 million in proposals in 2023.
- Managed staff working on multiple parallel projects. Led diverse team members with expertise spanning the spectrum of technology to design, and fields ranging from astronomy to genomics.
National Center for Supercomputing Applications
2021–2024
Director, Advanced Visualization Lab
- Led a team of designers and research software engineers in creating cinematic scientific visualizations which reach millions of viewers worldwide through films, museums, concerts, and social media.
National Center for Supercomputing Applications
2014–2022
Jr. → Sr. → Principal Research Software Engineer
- Wrote software, machine learning models for image processing and AI-assisted design, C++ Houdini plugins, Python and Bash scripts to support pipelines, and web programming as-needed.
- Developed internal and open-source software, such as Ytini which has 10,000 users.
- Processed, cleaned, transformed, and wrangled big data of sizes 50GB – 50TB.
- Created supercomputer pipeline tools for seamless rendering of ~15,000 node-hours per day.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2022
Adjunct Professor
- Taught BDI 513: Storytelling with Data, a graduate-level data visualization course, to 75 students.
Intelligent Medical Objects
2012–2014
Software Engineer
- Developed full-stack for web applications used by 98% of hospitals nationwide.
- Single-handedly programmed Android app which was used by 500,000 medical professionals.
Talas Analytics
2011–2013
Co-Founder & Android Developer
- Developed an Android app for real-time visualization of stock market data.
Graphics for Film and Event Productions
Selected large-scale cinematic scientific visualization productions based on real scientific datasets, often accompanying peer-reviewed research and public science communication.
Select Software Projects
Open-source middleware between the scientific analysis/visualization Python package, yt, and the 3D animation software, Houdini. Downloads and tutorials available at ytini.com.
A computer vision system for large-scale audience interaction with graphics at large events. Patent pending.
A pipeline and resource-managing tool for supercomputer rendering.
The Houdini-AVL Interface, a Houdini HDK scientific data visualization C++ plugin.
The Laboratory for Audience Interactive Technologies (LAIT) mobile app for use by audiences during live performances.
A VR app for previewing fulldome content in virtual reality.
An Android app to find medical codes installed by ~500,000 users.
A web-based tool for doctors to use to drill-down and track diagnoses.
Provisional Patents
Awards & Honors
Online Journalism Awards
WebSci'25 Conference
Inducted
Work named in The New York Times's annual list
Jilin Animation Institute
Inducted
National Center for Supercomputing Applications
University of Illinois, nominated and selected participant
Certifications
Human Factors International
CITI Program
Award-Winning Films and Visualizations
Dome Fest West
Minsk Fulldome Festival
Supercomputing Conference
DTLA Film Festival
Reflections of the Universe Fulldome Festival
IPS Brno Fulldome Festival
Immersive Cinema Festival
Beijing Film Festival
Rotten Tomatoes
Supercomputing Conference
Supercomputing Conference
Heartland Film
IPS Brno Fulldome Festival
Jena Fulldome Festival
Espinho Fulldome Festival
Additional Visualization and Film Festival Selections
Ars Electronica
Supercomputing SciVis Showcase
Supercomputing SciVis Showcase
SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater
Best of Earth Fest
Minsk Fulldome Festival
Kaluga Russia Fulldome Festival
Minsk Fulldome Festival
Korean Fulldome Festival
Dome Under Festival
Immersive Film Festival
Astra Film Festival
Macon Film Festival
SIGGRAPH Asia Computer Animation Festival
SIGGRAPH Asia Electronic Theater
SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater
Macon Film Festival
Astra Film Festival
SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater
Gwacheon International Film Festival
Mentored Students' Awards
Service
Founder and committee member
Select Grants as PI or Senior Personnel
$3,746,585 from DOE
$300,000 from Illinois Computes for visualization projects with researchers on UIUC campus
$1,066,000 from NIH through the Center for C. Elegans Anatomy
$15,000,000 from NSF to create Institute for Geospatial Understanding through an Integrative Discovery Environment
$240,000 from Brinson Foundation for research on how design choices affect audiences viewing visualization, and supermassive black hole visualization
1,500,000 hour allocation on the Blue Waters supercomputer ($142,335 value)
Publications
Research Papers
Naiman, J., Aria, Zhao, H., Christensen, A.J., Borkiewicz, K., Srikanth, S. (2025). Beyond the Lens: Quantifying the Impact of Scientific Documentaries through Amazon Reviews. WebSci 2025. 🏆
Jensen, E., Borkiewicz, K., Carpenter, J., Levy, S., Naiman, J. (2024) Transforming science narratives? The impact of explanatory labels of 3D data visualization on public understanding of space science. International Journal of Science Education.
Jensen, E., Borkiewicz, K., Naiman, J., Levy, S., Carpenter, J. (2024). Picture Perfect Science Communication: How Public Audiences Respond to Informational Labels in Cinematic-Style 3D Data Visualizations. PLOS One.
Jensen, E., Borkiewicz, K., Naiman, J., Levy, S., Carpenter, J. (2023). Evidence-Based Methods of Communicating Science to the Public Through Data Visualization. MDPI Sustainability.
Jensen, E.J., Borkiewicz, K., Naiman, J. (2022). What we know about how public audiences respond to cinematic scientific visualization. Frontiers in Science & Environmental Communication, 7.
Borkiewicz, K., Shah, V., Naiman, J.P., Shen, C., Levy, S., Carpenter, J. (2021). CloudFindr: A Deep Learning Cloud Artifact Masker for Satellite DEM Data. IEEE Visualization Conference 2021 papers.
Sener, M., Levy, S., Stone, J. E., Christensen, A. J., Isralewitz, B., Patterson, R., Borkiewicz, K., Carpenter, J., Hunter, C. N., Luthey-Schulten, Z., Cox, D. (2021). Multiscale modeling and cinematic visualization of photosynthetic energy conversion process from electronic to cell scales. Parallel Computing, 🏆
Aleo, P. D., Lock, S. J., Cox, D. J., Levy, S. A., Naiman, J. P., Christensen, A. J., Borkiewicz, K., Patterson, R. (2020). Clustering-informed cinematic astrophysical data visualization with application to the Moon-forming terrestrial synestia. Astronomy And Computing, 33.
Borkiewicz, K., Naiman, J. P., & Lai, H. (2019). Cinematic Visualization of Multiresolution Data: Ytini for Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Houdini. The Astronomical Journal, 158(1), 10.
Naiman, J. P., Borkiewicz, K., & Christensen, A. J. (2017). Houdini for Astrophysical Visualization. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 129(975), 058008.
Peer-Reviewed Work in Conference Proceedings
Borkiewicz, K., Fidrick, D., Thompson, B. (2024). Crafting an Immersive SciViz Experience for the 2023 SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater Pre-Show. ACM SIGGRAPH 2024 Production Sessions.
Borkiewicz, K., Riedemann, L., Patanjali, K., Elkins, K. (2024). Visualization and the Art/Science of Making the Complex Simple. ACM SIGGRAPH 2024 Panels.
Jensen, E., Borkiewicz, K., Naiman, J.P., Carpenter, J. (2022). Evidence-based science communication and cinematic scientific visualization. ACM SIGGRAPH Asia 2022 Courses.
Borkiewicz, K., Levy S., Carpenter, J., Cox, D., Patterson, R., Christensen, A.J. (2022). "Atlas of a Changing Earth" Visualization of the ArcticDEM Survey and Vavilov Ice Cap Collapse. Supercomputing Conference 2022.
Borkiewicz, K., Levy, S., Carpenter, J., Cox, D., Patterson, R., Christensen, A.J. (2022) Cinematic Scientific Visualization for the Documentary Film "Atlas of a Changing Earth". IEEE Visualization Conference 2022 Viz4Climate.
Borkiewicz, K., Levy, S., Carpenter, J., Patterson, R., Christensen, A.J. (2022) Using scientific data to show climate change in "Atlas of a Changing Earth". ACM SIGGRAPH 2022 Production Sessions.
Jensen, E., Borkiewicz, K., Naiman, J.P., Carpenter, J. (2022). Evidence-based science communication through cinematic scientific visualization. ACM SIGGRAPH 2022 Courses.
Borkiewicz, K., Christensen, A. J., Wyatt, R., Wright, E. (2020). Introduction to cinematic scientific visualization. ACM SIGGRAPH 2020 Courses.
Borkiewicz, K., Christensen, A. J., Shirah, G., Elkins, K., Berry, D., & Fluke, C. (2019). Cinematic scientific visualization: The art of communicating science. ACM SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 Courses.
Sener, M., Levy, S., Christensen, A. J., Patterson, R., Borkiewicz, K., Stone, J.E., Isralewitz, B., Carpenter, J., & Cox, D. (2019). An accessible visual narrative for the primary energy source of life from the fulldome show Birth of Planet Earth. Supercomputing Scientific Visualization Showcase.
Borkiewicz, K., Christensen, A. J., Kostis, H.N., Shirah, G., & Wyatt, R. (2019). Cinematic scientific visualization. ACM SIGGRAPH 2019 Courses on - SIGGRAPH 19.
Borkiewicz, K., Christensen, A. J., & Stone, J. E. (2017). Communicating science through visualization in an age of alternative facts. SIGGRAPH Asia 2017 Courses on - SA 17.
Borkiewicz, K., Cox, D., Patterson, R., Levy, S., Christensen, A. J., Carpenter, J. D., O'Shea, B.W., Wise, J.H., Xu, H., & Norman, M.L. (2017). First Light in the Renaissance Simulation Visualization: Formation of the Very First Galaxies in the Universe. SC17 Scientific Visualization Showcase.
Borkiewicz, K., Cox, D., Patterson, R., Levy, S., Christensen, Carpenter, J. D., A. J., Goldbaum, N.J., Krumholz, M.R., & Forbes, J.C. (2017). Milky Way Analogue Isolated Disk Galaxy Visualization. SC17 Scientific Visualization Showcase.
Borkiewicz, K., Christensen, A. J., & Stone, J. E. (2017). Communicating science through visualization in an age of alternative facts. ACM SIGGRAPH 2017 Courses on - SIGGRAPH 17.
Borkiewicz, K. (2016). Scientific Data Visualization Accuracy & Big Data: Visualization Design for "Solar Superstorms". International Planetarium Society – IPS.
Posters
Shih, J. Y., Borkiewicz, K., Christensen, A. J., & Cox, D. (2019). Interactive cinematic scientific visualization in Unity. ACM SIGGRAPH 2019 Posters. 🏆
Borkiewicz, K., Jensen, E., Yiwen, M., Levy, S., Naiman, J.P., Carpenter, J., Isaacs, K.E. (2024). Evaluating Global Audience Reach for Scientific Visualizations in Planetariums. IEEE VIS Posters.
Borkiewicz, K., Christensen, A. J., Levy, S., Patterson, R., Cox, D., & Carpenter, J. (2018). Scientific and visual effects software integration for the visualization of a chromatophore. SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 Posters.
Other Publications
Jensen, E.J., van Zeydam, E., Martin Segura, D.K., Borkiewicz, K. (2026). How to Engage the Public With Your Research. Edward Elgar Publishing. Contracted, book writing in progress.
Huang, J., Lieberman, R., Borkiewicz, K., Cahalan, S., Corasaniti, N., Erden, B., Parlapiano, A., Walker, A.S., Wu, A., Yourish, K. (2025). A Closer Look at Who Attended President Donald J. Trump's Second Inauguration. The New York Times.
Khurana, M., Borkiewicz, K., Shao, E., Erden, B., Wu, A., Saget, B. (2024). Trump Claims Harris's Rallies are Smaller. We Counted. The New York Times.
Erden, B., Khurana, M., Wu, A., Borkiewicz, K., Browning, K. (2024). Despite Trump's Claims, Footage Shows Large Crowd at Harris's Detroit Rally. The New York Times.
Borkiewicz, K., Cai, W., Erden, B., Gamio, L., Gomez, M.G., Khurana, M., Saget, B., Ward, J., White, J. (2024). How Noah Lyles Won the Men's 100-Meter Gold by a Fraction. The New York Times. 🏆
Borkiewicz, K., Cai, W., Erden, B., Gamio, L., Gomez, M.G., Khurana, M., Saget, B., Ward, J., White, J. (2024). How Julien Alfred Beat Sha'Carri Richardson for Gold. The New York Times. 🏆
Borkiewicz, K., Boyce, L., McCann, A., Gamio, L., Migliozzi, B. Kim, J., Lai, R., Park, A., Wu, A., Zhang, C. (2024). Tracking the Attacks in the First Presidential Debate. The New York Times.
Borkiewicz, K., Jensen, E., Yiwen, M., Levy, S., Naiman, J.P., Carpenter, J., Isaacs, K.E. (2024). Evaluating Reach of Scientific Data Visualizations in Planetarium-Screened Films. Planetarian.
Jensen, E.J., Pfleger, A., Chen, T., Gerber, A., Rocha, J.N. (2023). Evidence-based science communication in the COVID-19 Era. Frontiers in Communication.
Jensen, E.J., Borkiewicz, K., Naiman, J., Levy, S., Carpenter, J. (2023). 5 lessons for labelling 3D data visualization for public engagement. London School of Economics Impact of Social Sciences,
Borkiewicz, K., Jensen, E.J., Levy, S., Naiman, J., Carpenter, J. (2022). Introducing cinematic scientific visualization: a new frontier in science communication. London School of Economics Impact of Social Sciences,
Presentations
Teaching
University of Utah
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
UIUC
Guest Lectures
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
UIUC
UIUC
UIUC
UIUC
UIUC
UIUC
Invited Talks
Cornell University's Computer Vision & Graphics Research Initiative
Autodesk Research
University of Oklahoma
Southwest Jiatong University
Chengdu Academy of Fine Arts
Jilin Animation Institute
The New York Times
The New York Times
Flatiron Institute
The New York Times
Vienna University of Technology
The Ohio State University
University of Utah Visualization Seminar
Hong Kong
NASA's Universe of Learning AstroViz Meetup
ClearObject
L'Oreal Research
UC Santa Cruz
SIGGRAPH Sparks
I-GUIDE
Taft High School
US National Congress, Theoretical & Applied Mechanics
University of Pennsylvania
University of Illinois
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Women in Computer Science
World Premiere at Zeiss Großplanetarium, Berlin, Germany
Wonder & Skepticism, Chicago, IL
Northside College Preparatory High School colloquium, Chicago, IL
TEDxUIUC Salon on Women in STEM, University of Illinois
TEDxUIUC Salon on Women in STEM, University of Illinois
Conferences & Workshops
American Geophysical Union
IEEE VIS Satellite capstone at the University of Utah
ACM SIGGRAPH
AESIS
Supercomputing
International Visual Literacy Association Conference
SIGGRAPH
Research Impact Summit
University of Pennsylvania
Houdini.School
NVIDIA GTC
LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program workshop
IEEE VIS
ACM SIGGRAPH
ACM SIGGRAPH Asia
ACM SIGGRAPH Asia BOF
Broadening Participation in Visualization
Broadening Participation in Visualization
Data Visualization and Exploration in the LSST Era
IMERSA
University of Illinois
ACM SIGGRAPH BOF
ACM SIGGRAPH
ACM SIGGRAPH BOF
ACM SIGGRAPH BOF
ACM SIGGRAPH BOF
Press
Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute press
ACM SIGGRAPH podcast
ACM SIGGRAPH blog
ACM SIGGRAPH podcast
NCSA Press
Smile Politely
Animation Magazine
NCSA Press
ACM SIGGRAPH podcast
HPC Wire
Planetarian Magazine
NASA Features
Research Software Engineer Stories Podcast
Houdini.School
ACM SIGGRAPH Blog
Chicago Tribune
Planetarian Magazine
Planetarian
SideFX Stories
The Hoof Beat Northside College Prep High School newspaper
NCSA Press
The Daily Illini
The News-Gazette
Skills
USA, Poland
Python, C++, Java, C#, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Bash, .NET
Houdini, Tableau, yt, Nuke, Unity, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop
English (fluent), Polish (fluent), Spanish (conversational), American Sign Language (beginner)
Computer graphics, scientific visualization, information visualization, data visualization, human-computer interaction, computational photography, computer vision, film production, pipelines, augmented reality (AR), machine learning, user experience (UX) design, graphic design, information design, science communication, science education, informal education, public speaking, interdisciplinary collaboration