Jakob Kusnick profile
Jakob Kusnick
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Center for Digital Narrative
University of Bergen, Norway

Short Bio

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Digital Narrative at the University of Bergen, within the LEAD AI programme.
My current projects explore how visualization and storytelling can make complex data systems understandable and usable. In Narrative Nubs, I apply this to story generator systems by developing interactive visualizations: glyphs that summarize and compare generators, and visual views that help users inspect outputs and follow the generation process so the internal logic becomes understandable and open to hands-on exploration.
My previous work spans domains including digital humanities, cultural heritage, musicology, art history, and the life sciences, adapting interface and visualization methods to different expert practices and audiences.

Positions & Education

Postdoctoral Researcher

Jan. 2026 – Present

University of Bergen

Bergen, Norway

Hosted by Prof. Nick Montfort

Postdoctoral Researcher

Oct. 2024 – Dec. 2025

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke & Prof. Tariq Yousef

Ph.D. Student in Computer Science

Nov. 2020 – Sep. 2024

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Supervised by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

"Visualization-based Storytelling for Digital Humanities"

Doctoral Student

Feb. 2018 – Oct. 2020

Museum of Musical Instruments of Leipzig University

Leipzig, Germany

M.Sc. in Computer Science

Oct. 2015 – Jan. 2018

Leipzig University

Leipzig, Germany

Interests

Data Visualization

Narrative Visualization

Visual Data Science

Digital Humanities

Cultural Heritage

Information Retrieval

Life Sciences

Skills

JavaScript, Python, PHP, Java, C, C++

HTML, CSS, React, Django

Custom Visualizations via d3.js, threejs, Mapbox GL JS, Plotly

Collaborative Work in Research & Development Projects

German (native), English (advanced)

French (basic), Danish (basic)

Teaching Experience

Guest Lecture on Narrative Visualizations

13. Nov. 2025

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

Guest Lecture on Narrative Visualizations

1. Oct. 2025

York University

Toronto, Canada

Hosted by Prof. Lora Appel

Guest Lecturing in Web-Development

Mar. 2025

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Tariq Yousef

Guest Lecture on Narrative Visualizations

6. Nov. 2024

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

Teaching Assistant in Introduction to Digital Humanities

Sep. 2023

New York University Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Hosted by Prof. David Wrisley

Teaching Assistant in Visualizations for Data Science

Oct. 2022 – Dec. 2022

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

Co-supervised ~110 students with 3 resulting co-authored conference papers

Teaching Assistant in Comparative Literature

Feb. 2022 – Mar. 2022

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Sofie Kluge

Teaching Assistant in Visualizations for Data Science

Oct. 2021 – Dec. 2021

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

Co-supervised ~100 students with 3 resulting co-authored conference papers

Teaching Assistant in Digital Humanities

Sep. 2021 – Dec. 2021

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

Selected Publications

A Narrative Visualization Tool for Personalized Exploration of Long-Distance Hiking Trails

2025

A. Dahlgren, K. Drewsen, J. Rosenlund, E. Sørensen, J. Kusnick, and S. Jänicke
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-16454-4_19

International Conference on Computer-Human Interaction Research and Applications

Visual analysis of diversity and threat status of natural materials for musical instruments

2024

J. Kusnick, S. Lichtenberg, D. Wiegreffe, E. Huber-Sannwald, U. Nehren, and S. Jänicke
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1406376

Frontiers in Environmental Science 12 (2024): 1406376.

Every Thing Can Be a Hero! Narrative Visualization of Person, Object, and Other Biographies

2024

J. Kusnick, E. Mayr, K. Seirafi, S. Beck, J. Liem, and F. Windhager
https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics11020026

Informatics 11 (2), 26

A Workflow Approach to Visualization-Based Storytelling with Cultural Heritage Data

2023

J. Liem, J. Kusnick, S. Beck, F. Windhager, and E. Mayr
https://doi.org/10.1109/VIS4DH60378.2023.00008

IEEE 8th Workshop on Visualization for the Digital Humanities (VIS4DH)

Visualization-based Scrollytelling of Coupled Threats for Biodiversity, Species and Music Cultures

2023

J. Kusnick, S. Lichtenberg, and S. Jänicke
https://doi.org/10.2312/envirvis.20231112

Workshop on Visualisation in Environmental Sciences (EnvirVis), The Eurographics Association

The Multiple Faces of Cultural Heritage: Towards an Integrated Visualization Platform for Tangible and Intangible Cultural Assets

2022

E. Mayr, F. Windhager, J. Liem, S. Beck, S. Koch, J. Kusnick, and S. Jänicke
https://doi.org/10.1109/VIS4DH57440.2022.00008

IEEE 7th Workshop on Visualization for the Digital Humanities (VIS4DH)

A Timeline Metaphor for Analyzing the Relationships between Musical Instruments and Musical Pieces

2020

J. Kusnick, R. Khulusi, J. Focht, and S. Jänicke
https://doi.org/10.5220/0008990502400251

Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Information Visualization Theory and Applications (IVAPP)

musiXplora: Visual Analysis of Musicological Data

2020

R. Khulusi, J. Kusnick, J. Focht, and S. Jänicke
https://doi.org/10.5220/0008977100760087

Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Information Visualization Theory and Applications (IVAPP)

A Survey on Visualizations for Musical Data

2020

R. Khulusi, J. Kusnick, C. Meinecke, C. Gillmann, J. Focht, and S. Jänicke
https://doi.org/10.1111/cgf.13905

Computer Graphics Forum, 2020

Design and Implementation of an Application for the Interactive Visualization of Computed Tomography Data in the Context of Museums

2018

J. Kusnick

Master Thesis, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

In Viso – An Interactive Application for Controlling and Visualizing of Chromatin Simulations

2016

J. Kusnick

Bachelor Thesis, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

To find a complete list of publications please refer to:

Google ScholarPure

Projects

AlgaeProBANOS

Jul. 2025 - Dec. 2025

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Tariq Yousef

https://algaeprobanos.eu

MEMORISE

Nov. 2023 - Dec. 2025

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

https://memorise.sdu.dk

InTaVia - Visual Analysis, Curation & Communication for In/Tangible European Heritage

Oct. 2020 – Oct. 2023

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Hosted by Prof. Stefan Jänicke

https://intavia.eu

Extracurricular Activities

Student Volunteer Chair EuroVis Conference 2024

May 2024

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Supervised ~30 student volunteers for a week

Board member of Philos network

Sep. 2021 - Jan. 2024

University of Southern Denmark

Odense, Denmark

Organizing scientific and social events for PhD students at the Faculty of Science

Presentations & Workshops

Research Stay

9. - 22. March. 2026

J. Kusnick

Cambridge, USA

MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Research Stay at the MIT Trope Tank

Hosted by Prof. Nick Monfort

https://tropetank.com

Opening Ceremony of the Ferramonti 3D Exhibition Panel

13. June 2025

O. A. Bendorf, C. Hall, R. Mreisheh, J. Kusnick, and S. Jänicke

Tarsia, Italy

Ferramonti di Tarsia

/Ferramonti-Opening.jpeg

Visualization-Based Storytelling in Holocaust Education: The Integration of Testimonies, Art, and Technology

7. Aug. 2024

J. Kusnick

Arlington, VA, United States

George Mason University

Poster

Part of the Digital Humanities Conference 2024, 6.-9. Aug. 2024

/DHWashingtonPoster.png

Data Driven Storytelling for Cultural Objects and Biographies

14. Mar. 2023

J.Liem, J. Kusnick, S. Jänicke, C. Doppler, M. Passecker, E. Mayr, and F. Windhager

Belval, Luxembourg

Digital Humanities Conference 2023

Half-Day Workshop

Part of the 'Digital Humanities im deutschsprachigen Raum' Conference, 13-17 Mar. 2023, Belval, Luxembourg

http://dhd2023.dig-hum.de/

Portfolio

This interactively digitized photobook by a female inmate photographing the camp life and customs tells stories on the circumstances in the Ferramonti internment camp in Italy and makes them more tangible through the use of historical 3D reconstruction and interactive storytelling methods. 2025
This interactively digitized photobook by a female inmate photographing the camp life and customs tells stories on the circumstances in the Ferramonti internment camp in Italy and makes them more tangible through the use of historical 3D reconstruction and interactive storytelling methods. 2025
Ferramonti 3D
This interactively digitized photobook by a female inmate photographing the camp life and customs tells stories on the circumstances in the Ferramonti internment camp in Italy and makes them more tangible through the use of historical 3D reconstruction and interactive storytelling methods. 2025
https://ferramonti-3d.memorise.sdu.dk/
This digital platform lets users move through 3D reconstructions, 360-degree images, and archival material to see how the Santa Clara site changed from a convent to a Francoist camp and finally to its current state. Interactive markers invite exploration, showing how digital tools can support public memory and can be adapted for other erased or overlooked places. 2025
Santa Clara 3D
This digital platform lets users move through 3D reconstructions, 360-degree images, and archival material to see how the Santa Clara site changed from a convent to a Francoist camp and finally to its current state. Interactive markers invite exploration, showing how digital tools can support public memory and can be adapted for other erased or overlooked places. 2025
http://history-of-soria-360.memorise.sdu.dk/Santa_Clara_3D_CHIRA_2025.pdf
The interactive prisoner art explorer allows you to inspect details in a watercolor painting of a perspective view of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp and offers a guided storytelling tour through the various details of the painting. This is currently exhibited at the memorial of Bergen-Belsen, Germany. 2024
The interactive prisoner art explorer allows you to inspect details in a watercolor painting of a perspective view of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp and offers a guided storytelling tour through the various details of the painting. This is currently exhibited at the memorial of Bergen-Belsen, Germany. 2024
Explore Prisoner Artworks
The interactive prisoner art explorer allows you to inspect details in a watercolor painting of a perspective view of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp and offers a guided storytelling tour through the various details of the painting. This is currently exhibited at the memorial of Bergen-Belsen, Germany. 2024
https://memoriseeu.github.io
The story tells the construction history of the Hofburg in Vienna from its founding in the 13th century until today, featuring historic drawings, plans, prints, and 3D renderings in augmented reality. 2024
The Building History of the Vienna Hofburg
The story tells the construction history of the Hofburg in Vienna from its founding in the 13th century until today, featuring historic drawings, plans, prints, and 3D renderings in augmented reality. 2024
https://youtu.be/VfMtttzMtJ4https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics11020026
Interactive digital scrollytelling to narrate complex interconnection of cultural and natural heritage across large geographical distances which was also musically performed in concert on an opera stage. 2023
Interactive digital scrollytelling to narrate complex interconnection of cultural and natural heritage across large geographical distances which was also musically performed in concert on an opera stage. 2023
The Story of the Stringed Instrument Bow
Interactive digital scrollytelling to narrate complex interconnection of cultural and natural heritage across large geographical distances which was also musically performed in concert on an opera stage. 2023
https://youtu.be/xN9DIANiD30https://doi.org/10.2312/envirvis.20231112
Playful knowledge transfer within a museum exhibition in virtual and augmented reality. The user should be able to interactively explore digitized exhibits from all sides, look inside them and thus gain new insights. 2018
Playful knowledge transfer within a museum exhibition in virtual and augmented reality. The user should be able to interactively explore digitized exhibits from all sides, look inside them and thus gain new insights. 2018
Interactive Visualization of Computed Tomography Data of Musical Instruments
Playful knowledge transfer within a museum exhibition in virtual and augmented reality. The user should be able to interactively explore digitized exhibits from all sides, look inside them and thus gain new insights. 2018
https://youtu.be/rKs6Jv2Y994?si=PIA90IGri8PYM_oW