Peter Rodgers

Peter is an academic in the School of Computing, University of Kent.

Peter belongs to the following research groups:

• Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Group

Software online

• Dover: Scalable Algorithms for Graph Data Mining
• EulerAPE: Venn-3 with Ellipses Applet
• Exact Euler-3 (and Venn-3) Applet
• Linear Diagram Generator

Peter researches the visualisation of diagrams that represent complex interactions. In particular, Euler Diagrams and Graphs have interesting properties and are applied in great variety of areas. He also studies graph data mining methods and applications of artificial intelligence to visualisation and data mining. 

Schematic Visualization

As a Royal Society Industrial Fellow, Peter worked in collaboration with INRIX Media. This work developed automatic techniques for drawing public transport schematics, sometimes called the metro map layout problem. The result was a web service allowing schematic layout tools to be accessed remotely, so potentially helping travellers navigate on public transport systems.

Euler diagrams

Try the 3 Circle Venn Diagram Applet which draws approximately area proportional diagrams. Implemented by Stirling Chow of the University of Victoria, Canada and myself. 

More accurate diagrams can be drawn with ellipses, see the eulerAPE tool developed by Luana Micallef as part of her PhD studies.

The research project Visualization with Euler Diagrams developed new techniques for drawing Euler diagrams and was in collaboration with the University of Brighton. It was funded by the EPSRC.

Linear Diagrams

A generator for linear diagrams is available, see the Linear Diagram Generator. These diagrams have been shown to be more effective than either Venn or Euler diagrams for representing some set-based problems. Work exploring the practical and theorectical capabilities of linear diagrams is currently under way.

Visual Languages

The Reasoning with Diagrams project looked at visual methods for representing constraint based languages. It was funded by the EPSRC. For more information visit the Reasoning with Diagrams home page.

He has also developed data flow languages and, some time ago, languages based on graph rewriting systems.

Peter has taught at undergraduate and postgraduate level on a variety of subjects over the years. Currently, he is teaching on an undergraduate second year databases module and an MSc web programming module.

My ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4100-3596

He is always interested in supervising new research students in the areas related to his research interests, as well as in other research topics related to visualisation. Scholarships, that include both fees and living expenses are available. If you would like to discuss starting a PhD, please email: P.J.Rodgers@kent.ac.uk.

Current Research Students

• Fadi Dib
• Peter Lloyd
• Dominique Tranquille (external supervision at the University of Brighton)

Past Research Students

• Dr Robert Baker (PhD) 2017 A Method for Graph Drawing Utilising Patterns
• Dr Andrew Blake (PhD) 2015 The Impact of Graphical Choices on the Perception of Euler Diagrams
• Dr Daniel Chivers (PhD) 2014 Improving Automated Layout Techniques for the Production of Schematic Diagrams
• Dr Luana Micallef (PhD) 2013 Visualizing Set Relations and Cardinalities Using Venn and Euler Diagrams
• Dr Martyn Taylor (PhD) 2012 Planarity Testing by Path Addition
• Dr Sabrina Panëels (PhD) 2010 Development and Prototyping of Haptic Interactions for Data Exploration
• Ms Tooba Nasir (MSc by Research) 2009 Sonification of Contour Maps
• Dr Jonathan Stott (PhD) 2008 Automatic Layout of Metro Maps Using Multicriteria Optimisation
• Dr Nadia Boukhelifa (PhD) 2006 Investigating Coordination Aspects of Multiple Views in Visualization
• Dr Octavian Patrascoiu (PhD) 2005 Model Driven Language Engineering

IEEE Computer Society

Software online

- Dover: Scalable Algorithms for Graph Data Mining
- EulerAPE: Venn-3 with Ellipses Applet
- Exact Euler-3 (and Venn-3) Applet
- Linear Diagram Generator