Gone Too Soon, Remembered Always: Chris Weaver and the Power of Visual Thinking

Abstract. We are deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of Dr. Chris Weaver on the morning of Sunday, 29 June 2025. Chris was a valued and longtime member of the IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications (IEEE CG&A) editorial board and most recently served as Associate Editor-in-Chief of Special Issues. An associate professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma, Chris earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. From 2005 to 2008, he worked as a research associate at the GeoVISTA Center at Penn State, where he cofounded the North-East Visualization and Analytics Center (NEVAC) and led the development of several award-winning visual analysis tools. His research combined visualization, human-computer interaction, databases, and data mining to support the exploration of complex data. Chris was in the prime of life, and his sudden passing has been especially difficult for all who knew and worked with him. His colleagues from IEEE CG&A, the visualization and visual analytics community, NEVAC, and the University of Oklahoma mourn his loss and honor the lasting impact he made on the field and on those around him. Figure 1 shows a portrait of Chris, whose warmth, brilliance, and generosity touched so many. The following tributes reflect the deep respect and admiration he inspired throughout his career.