Three Questions with... Will Careri

The Nightingale team is expanding! In addition to our managing editor Emily Barone, content editor Claire Santoro, creative director Julie Brunet, and editor-in-chief Jason Forrest, we’re beginning to add regular writers and columnists to our core team. Want to get involved? Pitch your ideas for recurring features or columns by sending us an email!

Today, we’re introducing you to our newest team member, columnist Will Careri. He’s written for us before, and we can’t wait for you to see the new series he’s working on now!

Throughout his career, Will Careri has been a trusted advisor and practitioner of public relations, marketing, and design for brands all over the world. He’s the newest addition to the Nightingale core team and will be graduating from the Maryland Institute College of Art in December 2023 with his master’s in Data Analytics and Visualization.

1. What is one visualization that has inspired you and why?

It’s hard to think of those who inspire me without thinking of Federica Fragapane. Her visualization “Space Junk” is one which stands out to me among her many great works. For me, while I know the future of data visualization is going in this direction of interactivity, it’s just as exciting, if not more, to sit down and just stare at a static visualization for as long as you can. The more you look, the more you learn. Her work exemplifies the notion that data visualization is an art form. As someone who entered the data visualization field from the design avenue, projects like “Space Junk” and “Sky Map” will always be a source of inspiration.

2. What’s one topic you would love to visualize but have never had the chance to?

I actually did have the chance to visualize the topic I’m thinking about, but wish I had more time to go back and revisit. Visualizing the Tommy Westphall Universe was a project I took on in early 2022. It took me roughly three months to finish, but I still think I can do better. The Tommy Westphall Universe is a fan theory based on the 80s drama “St. Elsewhere,” in which it’s theorized based on the show’s finale, that the entire plot of the show took place in the mind of a young boy named Tommy. Following this theory, it would mean every show connected to St. Elsewhere takes place in the same universe, all within Tommy’s mind. It has been decades since the theory was first proposed, but since, over 500 shows have been added to the Tommy Westphall Universe. Connecting everything from The Andy Griffith Show to Doctor Who to NCIS to Brooklyn 99. It’s a hefty project to visualize, and one I’m sure will stump a handful of data visualization artists who choose to take on the challenge.

3. If you had to choose an entirely new career path, realistic or not, what would it be?

Owning my own used bookstore. Anyone who knows me, even for a short while, knows how much I read and the problematic number of books I own. I love the idea of creating a space in my neighborhood for people to not only find books they love, but giving used books a new home.

A close second choice would be a national park fire lookout; although I think that counts more of a seasonal job than a career, and the jobs themselves are becoming more and more scarce.

Nightingale Editors

Our Nightingale editorial team currently consists of Alejandra Arevalo, William Careri, Jason Forrest, Elijah Meeks, and Teo Popescu. Reach us at Nightingale(at)Datavisualizationsociety.org