Hi, I am Cédric.

I am a computational ecologist by 🎓 and an independent data visualization designer by ❤️

As a graduated ecologist, I have acquired an extensive hypothesis–driven research experience and problem–solving expertise in data wrangling, statistical analysis, and model development. Since communicating data effectively is of paramount importance, I have subsequently developed strong skills in data visualization, journalism, and design.

As an independent data visualization designer, I combine my expertise in analyzing large data sets with my passion for design, colors and typefaces. I have designed graphics across all disciplines, purposes, and styles applying a code–first approach. I regularly talk about data visualization design and teach fundamental and advanced R coding and ggplot2 techniques.

Data Visualization Design

I have been working as an independent data visualization specialist since the beginning of 2020. Since then I have worked for a large number of clients as a designer, consultant, analyst, and workshop instructor in the field of data visualization and information graphics as well as reproducible analysis and reporting.

I am constantly strengthening my skills in design and have built a diverse portfolio covering a wide range of topics, chart types, purposes, and tools by creating commisioned work, conducting self-led personal projects, and contributing to numerous data visualization challenges such as #TidyTuesday, #30DayMapChallenge, and #30DayChartChallenge.

    →  Check out my designs
    →  Watch my most-recent talks

Computational Ecology

I am working as a part-time scientific researcher (PostDoc) in the Department “Ecological Dynamics” at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin, Germany. As a computational scientist, I apply analytic and mechanistic modeling approaches to answer questions related to the movement ecology of animals and the dynamics of populations, communities and diseases in space and time. In 2019, I was awarded a Ph.D. degree in Ecology (Dr. rer. nat.) at the University of Potsdam as part of the BioMove research training group.

    →  Read my publications
    →  Learn more about my research

Code–First Approach

My favorite tool for all data-related tasks, no matter if for data visualization design, research, or analytics, is the R programing language. R is an open source and highly extensible language for statistical computing and graphics techniques. A code–first, script–based workflow allows for reproducible, transparent, and partly or completely automated workflows.

To visualize data I mainly utilize the package {ggplot2} from the {tidyverse} package collection including many more that I use on a daily basis for all kinds of data preparation and analysis. More recently, I find myself enjoying using also other, no-coding design and charting tools such as Figma, DataWrapper, and Flourish which I combine with the code–first approach.

Contact

Dr. rer. nat. Cédric Scherer

Researcher at Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)
Movement Ecology • Eco-Epidemiology • Population & Community Dynamics
scherer@izw-berlin.de

Selected Presentations

• “Engaging visualization design to successfully communicate data.”
  MALT Community, Forum Ökologisch-Soziale Marktwirtschaft e.V. (economic think tank), Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), and more – 2022/2023 – remote
• “Mit Grafiken Mehrwert schaffen: Prinzipien effektiver Datenvisualisierung und -kommunikation.”
  Federal Institute for Population Research (Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung) – 02|2022 – remote
  ↪ Slides (German)   ↪ Slides (English)
• “Beyond bar and box plots: chart alternatives and how to design them with ggplot2”
  USGS Community for Data Integration – 09|2021 – remote
  ↪ Slides   ↪ Recording   ↪ Hands-On Tutorial
• “My favorite ggplot2 extension packages.”
  R Ladies Tunis – 07|2021 – remote
  ↪ Slides   ↪ Recording
• “The first #30DayChartChallenge: A summary of inspiring contributions, our learnings, and about the value of challenges in general.”
  DataVis Lisboa – 05|2021 – remote
  ↪ Slides   ↪ Recording
• “ggplot wizardry: my favorite tricks and secrets for beautiful plots in R.”
  Talks + Coding Session – DVS Outlier Conference 2021 – 02|2022 – remote
  ↪ Slides   ↪ Recording   ↪ Hands-On Tutorial
• “Effective data visualization: how to design impactful and aesthetically pleasing charts.”
  Heureka Labs & Duke+DataScience – 10|2020 – Duke University, Durham, USA (Webinar)
  ↪ Slides   ↪ Recording

→  Complete List of Presentations

Selected Trainings

• “Designing charts in R: reproducible chart design with {ggplot2}”
  4-Hour Workshop – DVS Masterclass presented by Data Visualization Society – 03|2023 – Berlin/remote
  ↪ Slides  ↪ Course Materials
• “Color palette choice and customization in R and ggplot2”
  2-Hour Workshop – Workshops for Ukraine – 01|2023 – remote
  ↪ Slides  ↪ Course Materials
• “Graphic design with {ggplot2}: how to create engaging and complex visualizations in R”
  2-Day Conference Workshop – rstudio::conf(2022) by Posit – 07|2022 – Washington, D.C., USA
  ↪ Course Webpage
• “Mastering scientific data visualizations: principles and practice with {ggplot2}”
  2x 1/2-Day Conference Workshops – European Meeting for PhD Students in Evolutionary Biology (EMPSEB) – 05|2022 – Espoo, Finland
• “Hands-on data visualization with ggplot2: how to create engaging and well-designed visualizations in R”
  5-hour Live Training – Pearson–O'Reilly Live Training Event – 09|2021, 12|2021 + 04|2022 – remote
• “Data visualization in science: how to create beautiful charts with {ggplot2}”
  1/2-Day Workshop – University of Uppsala – 11|2021 12|2022 – remote
• “Effective data visualization: convert information into visual forms—and tell a story”
  1/2-Day Workshop – Senckenberg Young Scientists – 11|2021 – remote
• “Data visualization in R (Beginner + Advanced)”
  Two 2-Day Workshops for Royal Zoological Society of Belgium (RZSB) and Statistics Communication Section of the Netherlands Society for Statistics and Operations Research – remote – 10|2021 + 12|2021
• “Data visualisation techniques for data scientists”
  2-Day Internal Training – Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – 02|2021 – remote

→  Complete List of Trainings

Selected Publications

• C Voigt, C Scherer & V Runkel (2022) Modelling the power of acoustic monitoring to predict bat fatalities at wind turbines.
  Conservation Science and Practice 4:e12841
• L Figueiredo, C Scherer & JS Cabral (2022) A simple kit to use computational notebooks for more openness, reproducibility, and productivity in research.
  PLOS Computational Biology 18(9):e1010356
• C Scherer, V Radchuk, M Franz, H-H Thulke, M Lange, V Grimm & S Kramer-Schadt (2020) Moving infections: Individual movement decisions drive disease persistence in spatially structured landscapes.
  Oikos 129(5):651–667
• C Scherer, V Radchuk, C Staubach, S Müller, N Blaum, H-H Thulke & S Kramer-Schadt (2019) Seasonal host life-history processes fuel disease dynamics at different spatial scales.
  Journal of Animal Ecology 88(11):1639–1824
• V Radchuk, F De Laender, J Sarmento Cabral, I Boulangeat, M Crawford, F Bohn, J De Raedt, C Scherer, J-C Svenning, K Thonicke, F Schurr, V Grimm & S Kramer-Schadt (2019) The dimensionality of stability depends on disturbance type.
  Ecology Letters 22(4):647–684
• M Sciaini, M Fritsch, C Scherer & CE Simpkins (2018) NLMR and landscapetools: An integrated environment for simulating and modifying neutral landscape models in R.
  Methods in Ecology and Evolution 9(11):2240–2248

→  Complete List of Publications