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 effective communicating of data 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 Gallery
→ Portfolio
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 reproducible analysis.
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
Schedule a discovery call!
Computational Ecology
I am working as a 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 or research, is the programing language R, 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, non-programing design and charting tools such as Figma, DataWrapper, and Flourish which I combine with the code–first approach.

Contact
Dr. rer. nat. Cédric Scherer
Information-Driven Design • Reproducible Data Analysis and Reporting • Coachings
hello@cedricscherer.com
Researcher at Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)
Movement Ecology • Eco-Epidemiology • Population & Community Dynamics
scherer@izw-berlin.de
Curriculum Vitae
- Education & Professional Expericence
- Teaching
- Publications
- Presentations
- Teaching
- Awards & Honors
- Skills
- Memberships & Services
Education & Professional Experience
- Independent Data Visualization Specialist (since 2020)
- Self-employed, Berlin, Germany
- Services: Graphic design, cartography, reproducible data analysis, statistical modeling, consulting, workshops
- Tools: R, Shiny, Figma, DataWrapper, Flourish, RAWgraphs, SQL, html, CSS
- Scientific Researcher (PostDoc) (since 2019)
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Topics: Movement ecology, population dynamics, disease ecology, coexistence theory
- Tasks: Data analysis, statistical and mechanistic modeling, spatial analysis, data visualization, cartography, software development, code management, lab support and supervision
- Tools: R, QGIS, NetLogo
- Ph.D. in Ecology (2015–2019)
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany, within the DFG Research Training Group "BioMove", University of Potsdam, Germany
- Topics: Movement ecology, disease ecology, population dynamics, coexistence theory
- Tasks: Mechanistic and analytical modeling, spatial analysis, data visualization, R package development
- Tools: R, Shiny, NetLogo, QGIS
- Speaker SIG "Young Modellers in Ecology" (2015–2019)
- Young Modellers in Ecology (YoMos), Special Interest Group of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria & Switzerland (GfOe)
- Tasks: Lead of the organizational teams, conference chair, workshop instructor
- Visiting Research Student (2017)
- Getz Lab, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Topics: Evolutionary biology, disease ecology, population dynamics, theoretical ecology
- Tasks: Developing genetic algorithms for agent-based models
- Tools: Numerus modelling platform, R
- Research Assistant (2015)
- Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Germany within the DFG Priority Program "Infrastructure-Biodiversity-Exploratories”
- Tasks: Mechanistic modeling, literature research, proposal writing
- Tools: R, Netlogo, C++
- M.Sc. in Ecology, Evolution and Nature Conservation (2011–2014)
- University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Topics: Computational ecology, climate change biology, population dynamics, dryland ecology
- Tasks: Deterministic and stohastic modeling, data collection, data analysis
- Tools: R, C++, MatLab, SPSS
- Internship (2011)
- "AgroScapeLabs", Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Muencheberg, Germany
- Tasks: Catching, collaring and analysis of movement data of red foxes, raccoons and brown hares
- Tools: R, QGIS
- B.Sc. in Life Sciences (2008–2011)
- University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Topics: Organismic biology, movement ecology, animal behavior
- Tasks: Data collection, processing, statistical modeling
- Tools: R, MatLab, Excel
Selected Publications
Conservation Science and Practice X:e12841.
(2022) Modelling the power of acoustic monitoring to predict bat fatalities at wind turbines.- PLOS Computational Biology 18(9):e1010356. (2022) A simple kit to use computational notebooks for more openness, reproducibility, and productivity in research.
- Oikos 129(5):651–667. (2020) Moving infections: Individual movement decisions drive disease persistence in spatially structured landscapes.
- Journal of Animal Ecology 88(11):1639–1824. (2019) Seasonal host life-history processes fuel disease dynamics at different spatial scales.
- Ecology Letters 22(4):647–684. The dimensionality of stability depends on disturbance type.
NLMR
andlandscapetools
: An integrated environment for simulating and modifying neutral landscape models in R. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 9(11):2240–2248
Selected Presentations
- “Engaging visualization design to successfully communicate data.”
MALT Community – 09|2022 – remote - “Effective data visualization: design graphics to tell stories in an engaging way.”
Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) – 04|2022 – 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
Selected Conducted Workshops & Trainings
- “Data visualization in R with
{ggplot2}
”
4x 5-Day Workshop – Physalia Courses – 03|2020, 11|2020, 11|2021 + 11|2022 – Berlin/remote - “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 - “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 – 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
Awards & Honors
- Winner “Mapping Movements” Contest 2021 in the category "Pretty Map" plus Runner-Up in the category “R Maps” for the Cheetah map
- Honorable Mention RStudio Contest 2020, designing a static table
- Winner “CorrelAidX Challenge 2020”, designing an interactive Shiny app
- PostDoc Stipend, funded by the University of Potsdam (9 month full position)
- Best Poster, GRC “Movement Ecology of Animals”, Ventura, CA, USA (March 2017)
Skills
- Languages: German (native), English (fluent)
- Programming: R, CSS, html, SQL/SQLite, NetLogo, Python
- Statistics: R (e.g. lm4, glmmTMB, CARBayesST, adehabitat, broom, tidytext, tidymodels), Excel, SPSS
- GIS: R (e.g. sf, stars, terra, raster, rgdal, rgeos, sp), QGIS, GRASS, ArcGIS
- Visualization: R (e.g. ggplot2, Shiny, plotly, echarts4r, leaflet, tmap, gganimate, highchartr), Figma, DataWrapper, Flourish, RAWgraphs, Highcharts, CartoDB
- Markup: Markdown, R (e.g. Rmarkdown, blogdown, bookdown, xaringan), LaTeX
Memberships & Services
- Peer Review: CRC Press, Journal of Animal Ecology, Oikos, BMC Ecology, Ecology and Evolution, Landscape Ecology, Ecological Modelling
- Functional Roles: Speaker of the SIG “Young Modellers in Ecology (YoMos)” (2015–2019); spokesperson in the research training group “BioMove” (2015–2018); part of the MCED award committee (2015–2019)
- Memberships: CorrelAid volunteer (since 2019); Data Visualization Society (since 2019); “R for Data Science” Online Learning Community (since 2018)
- Conference Organisation: 11th–14th Workshop of the Young Modellers in Ecology (2016–2019); 1st International BioMove Symposium (2018); Annual Symposium of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria & Switzerland (2013)