Media Name: schwabish20headshot2010.jpg
Jonathan Schwabish
HE/HIS/HIM
Senior Fellow
Income and Benefits Policy Center
  • Profile
  • Outside Affiliations
  • Jonathan Schwabish is a senior fellow in the Income and Benefits Policy Center and a member of Urban’s communications team, where he specializes in data visualization and presentation design. His research agenda includes disability insurance, retirement security, data measurement, and nutrition policy.

    Schwabish is considered a leader in the data visualization field and is a leading voice for clarity and accessibility in research. He has written on how to best visualize data, including technical aspects of creation, design best practices, and how to communicate social science research in more accessible ways.

    Schwabish helps nonprofits, research institutions, and governments at all levels improve how they communicate their work and findings to their partners, constituents, and citizens. He teaches data visualization and presentation skills at Georgetown University and American University. He is also founder of PolicyViz, a consulting firm that helps clients improve how they work with and communicate data and analysis. He also hosts the PolicyViz Podcast, which focuses on data, open data, and data visualization. His new book,Better Data Visualizations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks details essential strategies to create more effective data visualizations.

    Schwabish teaches at Georgetown University and American University, belongs to the World Bank Gender Data Portal Advocacy Advisory Group, runs the website PolicyViz and its affiliated podcast, sits on the advisory board of Data Elevates, and is part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Users Advisory Committee.

    Research Areas
    Economic mobility and inequality
    Race and equity
    Social safety net
    Disability equity policy
    Community and economic development
    Tags
    Disabilities and employment
    Family and household data
    Poverty
    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)


    Outside Affiliations
    Georgetown University
    Adjunct Professor
    American University
    Adjunct Professor
    Data Elevates
    Board Member
    BLS Data Users Advisory Committee
    Advisor
    World Bank Gender Data Portal Advocacy Advisory Group
    Advisory
    PolicyViz
    CEO
    Body

    Urban experts are permitted and empowered to work and affiliate with outside organizations, whether serving on boards, volunteering their time, or providing advice and counsel. And Urban welcomes visiting scholars, nonresident or affiliated fellows who work for other organizations. These outside affiliations enrich our perspectives and our learning environment. We also require all paid and unpaid experts to disclose their affiliations to Urban leadership and follow rules governing their engagement to ensure transparency for audiences and independence of experts.