<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:normal'>(Apologies if you receive multiple copies.)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:normal'><b>VAST Challenge 2013 Call for Participation<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>Mini-Challenge 1 and Mini-Challenge 2 now available! See <a href="http://vacommunity.org/VASTchallenge2013">http://vacommunity.org/VASTchallenge2013</a> for details.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>There is something for everyone in this year’s VAST Challenge. This year’s challenge presents three distinct mini-challenges to test your skills. These challenges are open to participation by individuals and teams in industry, government, and academia. Creative approaches to visual analytics are encouraged.<br><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Now Open!</span></strong> <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Mini-Challenge 1</span></strong> focuses on predictive analytics for movie openings. It will challenge your ability to use visual analytics for predictive analysis, as well as your ability to manage large data and to make decisions in a short timeframe. Using data we specify, you will use your interactive visualization tools to predict upcoming movies’ opening weekend box office successes and viewer ratings. It is decidedly different from previous VAST Challenges in that it will be continuous and iterative with reviewing and recognition being presented from now until the final judging session. Please visit <a href="http://boxofficevast.org" target="_blank">boxofficevast.org</a> for more information and to register.<br><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Now Open!</span></strong> <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Mini-Challenge 2</span></strong> tests your skills in visual design. The fictitious Big Enterprise is searching for a design for their future situation awareness display. The company’s intrepid network operations team will use this display to understand the health, security, and performance of their entire computer network. This challenge is also very different from previous VAST Challenges, because there is no data to process and no questions to answer. Instead, the challenge is to show off your design talents by producing a creative new design for situation awareness. Please visit <a href="http://vacommunity.org/VAST+Challenge+2013%3A+Mini-Challenge+2" title="VAST Challenge 2013: Mini-Challenge 2">VAST Challenge 2013: Mini-Challenge 2</a> for more information.<br><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Coming soon!</span></strong> <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Mini-Challenge 3</span></strong> focuses on unusual happenings on the computer network of a marketing company. Can you identify what looks amiss on the network using the network flow and network health data provided? And can you ask the right questions to help you piece together the timeline of events? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>For more information, please contact <a href="mailto:vast_challenge@ieeevis.org">vast_challenge@ieeevis.org</a>.<span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>The submission deadline is July 8, 2013.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>We look forward to seeing your creative solutions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>Kris Cook, Georges Grinstein, and Mark Whiting<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>VAST Challenge Committee co-chairs<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>