Partial Perspectives in Astronomy: Gender, Ethnicity, Nationality and Meshworks in Building Images of the Universe and Social Worlds
We present astronomers’ native visualization as techniques for representing and analyzing both the universe and their own social world. From our ongoing study we also present our preliminary ethnographic maps of the bundle of relationships used by women, minorities and foreign-born researchers to build careers in the field of astronomy. We discuss three ways of knowing visually. While the astronomers’ visualizations are based upon discrete entities, ours show a bundle of ties (meshworks) through which astronomers are constituted as such. Our goal is to bridge STS and power analytics from gender, ethnic, and Critical Race Studies.
Applications, interfaces, and devices are increasingly customized to appeal to users with vastly different needs, desires, and values. In the past, products were built on the basis of technical proficiency, education, and age; now, product designers are embracing culture.How can human factors professionals support this work? This SIG will examine issues and strategies to be considered when evaluating product interfaces in two or more countries or cultures.A panel of practitioners will review some of the problems they faced in selecting and customizing methods for international usability design. SIG participants will then be invited to brainstorm and contribute their own "war stories" and experiences.It is expected that this SIG will generate 1) a range of case studies and 2) a reference list of people working in different countries and cultures who can help one another do international usability evaluation.