about me!

I’m a Computer Science PhD student at the University of Toronto working on information visualization and human-computer interaction. I am supervised by Carolina Nobre as part of the Human Interaction Visualization (HIVE) Lab and the Dynamic Graphics Project. I am also a Junior Fellow at Massey College.

research interests

My research aims to understand the role of data and visualizations in how people make sense of the world. We tend to think of data as an objective source of truth, but it often acts more like a social artifact—something produced, presented, and interpreted by people in their own social contexts. I explore this theme through multiple lenses, such as visualization literacy, public data communication, and social media analysis. I am also broadly interested in critical approaches to computing.

I’m always happy to chat about shared interests or collaborations. Feel free to email me at varona[at]cs.toronto.edu!

etc.

Before U of T, I did my undergrad in computer science and interactive media at New York University. I grew up in Quezon City, Philippines. Outside of work, I am an avid music fan (see my most recently played track below) who also collects records and obsessively catalogs what I listen to. My other interests include birdwatching, sewing, puzzles, urbanism, labor organizing, indie video games (especially roguelikes), and vegan cooking.

p.s. You might also want to read my blog or check out my list of cool stuff on the Internet.
p.p.s. Can you find the easter egg on this website?