2026 Data Visualization Challenge winners announced
Naresh Saginala's 'Lines of Intent - Every Border Was Someone's Decision' won first place in the Graduate/Professional student category for this year's Data Visualization Challenge.
The winners of the 2026 Data Visualization Challenge, sponsored by University Libraries Data Cooperative and CATalyst Studios, were announced this month.
Since 2020, we have invited undergraduate and graduate students representing a wide range of disciplines to create and submit visual displays of data to tell stories. The data visualizations may include maps, charts, graphs, data art, and 3D models, and other formats. Winners in both student categories receive first ($250), second ($150), and third ($100) place awards.
The Data Visualization Challenge is a good example of the library's commitment to support student success.
"Students at the University of Arizona have an amazing number of opportunities to work with data, from analyzing to storytelling," said Data Science Specialist and Data Cooperative Lead Jeff Oliver. "This challenge gives them the opportunity to show off what they have learned and how they apply their skills."
When we asked students what motivated them to participate in this year's competition, here's what they shared:
I participated because I had just finished a database project for my ISTA 322 class where I pulled together 75 years of ENSO climate data from five federal agencies, and towards the end of the semester, our professor brought up this contest to the class. The project was technically already done, but it felt like a waste to just leave it as a PostgreSQL schema that nobody would look at, even though I felt like I genuinely had very useful data. So, I decided to participate. I am very fortunate that the Challenge gave me a reason to actually do something with it.
-Noah Riego, First place, Undergraduate
The Challenge was an opportunity to disseminate the Moomin infographic to a wider audience. I spent an inordinate amount of time creating it, but only a handful of people had seen it before the challenge. Creating a data visualization through the lens of an artist involves transforming raw numbers into a narrative infused with color and form and finding a delicate balance between aesthetic expression and conveying information in a way that leaves a lasting impact.
-Portia Cooper, Second place, Graduate/Professional
I thought it would be a fun challenge to be given a blank canvas and the opportunity to create something from nothing. It was also part of a grade in one of my classes, but I probably would have still participated even if it wasn't. From the experience, I learned a great deal about the full pipeline of creating a polished visualization, from exploring the data and identifying the key story, to iterating design choices to make that story as clear and compelling as possible. It reinforced how much thoughtful design matters alongside the technical side of things.
-Kieran Quinn, Third place, Undergraduate