The Elaborate Beauty of the Nervous System
Tyler Sloan - Quorumetrix
Jan. 16, 2026, 2:30 p.m. - Jan. 16, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
ENGMD 279
Hosted by: Kaleem Siddiqi
In this talk, neuroscientist-turned 3D animator Tyler Sloan traces the evolution of neuron imagery—from the earliest microscopic drawings to modern 3D, data-driven representations. The lecture traces influential developments in how neurons have been depicted historically, the rise of oversimplified textbook schematics, and the recent surge in high-resolution reconstructions made possible by electron microscopy. Sloan demonstrates how visualization techniques not only reflect scientific understanding but can also shape it. Through examples drawn from his recent work using large open datasets—he demonstrates how data visualization techniques can be used with 3D rendering to accurately convey the real density and complexity of the brain, to help us to appreciate the elaborate beauty of the nervous system.
Tyler Sloan earned his B.Sc and Ph.D from McGill University. Instead of a traditional post-doc, he founded Quorumetrix, a scientific data analysis and visualization studio based in Montréal, Quebec. He specializes in data visualization and 3D animation, presenting primary research data in an attractive and engaging way, while maintaining robust scientific accuracy. His award-winning visualizations have been featured in prominent academic journals and conferences. Tyler embraces a generalist approach, loves the challenge of exploring new data types, and he is particularly passionate about full-dome visualization.
