Professor Michael Stoll

Expert in Information Design and Historical Infographics

Profile

Professor Michael Stoll is a globally recognized authority in Information Design, with a career spanning over three decades. He holds a professorship at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany, where his teaching and research focus on infographics, data visualization, and visual knowledge transfer. His expertise lies not only in developing cutting-edge contemporary design techniques but also in studying and preserving historical infographics. As a thought leader in his field, Professor Stoll’s work bridges the gap between practical applications, academic research, and the cultural significance of visual communication.

Education and Early Career

Michael Stoll launched his design career in the early 1990s as an independent designer in Tübingen, Germany. During this time, he worked closely with newspaper publishers and companies in southern Germany, providing innovative design solutions tailored to their communication needs.
Recognizing the importance of education, he simultaneously began teaching infographics and design concepts. He was a visiting instructor at the Journalism Center Haus Busch, the IFRA Newspaper Institute, and the Academy of the Bavarian Press, where he developed a reputation for effectively conveying complex design principles to aspiring professionals.

Academic and Professional Career

Since 2005, Professor Stoll has been a pivotal figure at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, where he has significantly contributed to the academic community. His courses and research delve into Information Design, infographics, and data visualization, emphasizing practical applications that address modern societal and technological challenges.

Between 2017 and 2020, Professor Stoll held a prestigious research professorship, „Strategic Visual Knowledge Transfer,“ where he investigated the use of visuals as a tool to convey intricate ideas to diverse audiences.

His influence extends internationally through his teaching roles at: Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, where he is teaching in their BA programs „Illustration Non-Fiction“ and „Data Design & Art.“  Bern University of Applied Sciences, where he is teaching in the CAS DataViz certificate course.  University of Neuchâtel, where he taught „Visual Culture: Infography“ as part of their journalism master’s program.

Key Achievements

Professor Stoll has achieved numerous milestones throughout his career: In 2009, he was appointed president of the jury for the Malofiej 17 Infographic Competition at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, one of the world’s most prestigious infographic awards.

Since 2013, Prof. Stoll has supported the 2CO Conference and Community as a co-organizer and supporter. In 2013, he delivered a lecture on Infographics as Interfaces to Level Complexity.

He curated the Quo Vadis Information Graphics Conference in 2016 and 2017, Germany’s largest event focused on information graphics, which attracted over 500 participants and became a landmark event in the information design community.

In 2018, he co-founded the Visual Discovery Conference, an international initiative that brings together students and faculty from around the globe to collaboratively address pressing societal, ecological, and economic challenges through infographics and visual storytelling.

Between 2017 and 2020, Prof. Stoll led the HSA_transmitter Innovation Gallery at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences together with his team. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the gallery maintained an extensive program of exhibitions, fostering scientific dialogue between the university and Augsburg's civil society.

Professor Stoll served as a jury member for the European Newspaper Design Awards in 2012, 2019, 2021, and 2025, evaluating categories such as print, online, interactive, and data journalism infographics.

Research and Development Projects

At Augsburg University, Professor Stoll has spearheaded various impactful research projects, such as:

2010: A study on the efficiency of wayfinding systems for Klinikum Augsburg, which enhanced the hospital’s navigational tools.

2012: Development of an integrated communication concept for CCeV Carbon Composites e.V., enabling clearer internal and external messaging.

2013: Design of a corporate identity and wayfinding system for the Freight Center in Augsburg, showcasing innovative approaches to wayfinding communication.

Additionally, Professor Stoll co-directed DAAD-funded projects in 2013 and 2015, comparing Venice and Augsburg. These projects highlighted shared urban and cultural dynamics influenced by their Renaissance trade relationships.

2014–2017: Creation of infographic concepts for non-commodity products for LEW AG / RWE, applied across print and web platforms.

2017–2019: Co-Leading the LogiPics project, which developed a universal visual language to address workforce shortages and improve communication for low-skilled workers.

2024–2025: Participation in the IUAV-led NSBVN Research Project (Non si Butta Via Niente – Nothing is Thrown Away), exploring sustainability potentials for Venice museums alongside an interdisciplinary team of Italian researchers, among them Prof.ssa Emanuela Bonini-Lessing, Prof. Davide Crippa and several PhD candidates.

Publications and Exhibitions

Professor Stoll’s contributions to publications and exhibitions underscore his dedication to advancing the field of Information Design:

2012

Five Rare Books by the Pioneers of Information Design
Long forgotten, these 20th-century atlases and manuals had fallen into oblivion until rediscovered by Michael Stoll.

2013

Adaptive Scaling – The Role in the Visual Transmission of Information
In: Progetto Grafico 25, AIAP, Milan, Italy.

2014

Archive: Klappgrafiken – Pop It Up
In: form 253 – Design Magazine.

Milestones of Infographics (Contributor)
In: Die Zeit, April 3, 2014.

Oblique from Above. And Without a Vanishing Point. On Axonometric City Views.
In: 137.5 – Magazine for Infographics, Issue 1.2014.

Book Review: "Amsterdam in stukken – Amsterdam in Documents 2010-1275" by Mariëlle Hageman and Gerlinde Schuller
In: Information Design Journal, 20(3).

Mechanical Models and Pop-Up Books
In: Magazine of the Society for News Design Scandinavia, 2014|2.

Structure and Character / The Rise of Infographics
In: novum+, 09.2014.

Fact-Oriented Infographics – An Introduction
In: form 255 – Design Magazine.

Learning to Fly through Infographics
On the first book by Assen Jordanoff, Flying and How to Do It.
In: 137.5 – Magazine for Infographics, Issue 3.2014.

2015

Light and Enlightenment: A Walk through Selected Visualizations of Astronomical Phenomena
In: InGraphics Magazine, Volume 8.

2016

Mapping Cultural Information: Augsburg and Venice in Infographics
Stoll, Michael and Bonini, Emanuela. ISBN-13: 978-3738641622.

Mapping Cultural Information // Theme: Research // Subtheme: Graphic Expression as a Manifestation of Culture
Stoll, Michael and Bonini, Emanuela.
In: VI International Congress on Graphic Expression. ISBN 978-987-1494-70-5.

No Info, No Graphics: What Companies Should Consider
In: dpa-Whitepaper 05, dpa Deutsche Presseagentur GmbH.

Collecting Educational Wall Charts
Stoll, Michael.
In: SNDS Magazine, 2016|3. ISSN 1901-8088.

When the Earth Was Alien to Humans…
Stoll, Michael & Weissmüller, Laura.
In: Süddeutsche Zeitung, Feuilleton, Large Format.

2017

Rethinking Postcards
Stoll, Michael and Binger, Doris.
In: Open Design for E-very-thing, Hong Kong Design Institute. ISBN 978-952-60-0080-0.

He is a contributor to the Taschen publication History of Information Graphics, where he writes on the representation of humans, machinery, and the human-machine relation in historical infographics.

ISBN 978-3-8365-6767-1

https://www.taschen.com/de/books/graphic-design/03435/history-of-information-graphics/

Exhibitions

He curated the traveling exhibition „History of Infography,“ which features highlights from his extensive private collection of historical infographics, one of the most comprehensive in the world.

Notable further exhibitions curated by Professor Stoll include:

2016 Nigel Holmes: Graphics That Explain.

2017 John Grimwade: Explanatory Graphics.

2021 Fernando Baptista: Master of Information Design.

Public Speaking
As a keynote speaker, Professor Stoll is highly sought after for his insights into Information Design and its role in society. He has presented at numerous international conferences, including:
IDEEC Korea in 2016 and 2023, where he discussed the evolution, relevance, and future of infographics in the digital age.

Organization, Curation, and Execution of Conferences

Professor Michael Stoll regards conferences as a vital contribution to scientific discourse and as an opportunity for information design practitioners from diverse backgrounds to actively participate in academic discussions. He finds the unpredictable and surprising moments at these events particularly inspiring.

• February 22, 2013 – Status Quo Information Graphics
  Planning and curation of an event featuring six lectures and an exhibition at Typotag 2013, organized by the Typographic Society Munich (Munich, Germany).

• February 26–27, 2015 – QVED: Quo Vadis Editorial Design
  Curated the infographic session within the QVED conference of the Typographic Society Munich (Munich, Germany).

• February 20–29, 2016 – QVIG: Quo Vadis Information Graphics
  Planned and curated a conference featuring 10 lectures, one exhibition, and two workshops at Typotag 2013 of the Typographic Society Munich (Munich, Germany).

• November 11–12, 2016 – Adobe Education Exchange: German EdEx Launch
  Planned and curated the conference hosted by the Faculty of Design at Hochschule Augsburg (Augsburg, Germany).

• March 09–10, 2017 – INCH: Infographic Changes Conference
  Curated the INCH conference organized by the Typographic Society Munich (Munich, Germany).

• March 16–18, 2017 – Adobe Education Leaders: European Summit ’17
  Planned and curated the conference hosted by the Faculty of Design at Hochschule Augsburg (Augsburg, Germany).

• November 05–09, 2018 – Visual Discovery Conference 2018
  Co-Developed, co-planned, co-curated, and co-executed theconference for students of information design and information graphics from four European and four American universities, hosted by IUAV – Università Iuav di Venezia (Venice, Italy).

• November 07–12, 2019 – Visual Discovery Conference 2019
  Co-Developed, co-planned, co-curated, and co-executed the conference for students of information design and information graphics from four European and four American universities, hosted by Ohio University, Scripps College of Communication (Athens, Ohio, USA).

• December 02–06, 2020 – Visual Discovery Conference 2020 (Virtual)
  Developed, planned, curated, and executed the virtual conference for students of information design and information graphics from four European and four American universities, hosted by the Faculty of Design at Hochschule Augsburg (Augsburg, Germany).

• September 12–16, 2022 – Visual Discovery Conference 2022
  Co-Developed, co-planned, co-curated, and co-executed the conference for students of information design and information graphics from four European and four American universities, hosted by the Faculty of Design at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences (Lucerne, Switzerland).

• April 15–19, 2024 – Visual Discovery Conference 2024
  Co-Developed, co-planned, co-curated, and co-executed the conference for students of information design and information graphics from four European and four American universities, hosted by the University of Miami (Miami, Florida, USA).

Excursions and Conference Visits with Students

Professor Michael Stoll regularly accompanies students on international study trips, excursions, and conferences. These experiences provide students with valuable hands‐on exposure to professional practices, innovative designs, and global trends in visual communication and journalism.

Below is a chronological overview of some of the organized trips and conference visits:

• 03 – 05 March 2011
  Infographic Excursion
  – Participation in the IC11 Conference in Zeist, Netherlands
  – Visit to the MOTI Designmuseum in Breda, Netherlands

• 23 – 26 March 2011
  Malofiej 19 Infographic Conference
  – Held at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

• 21 September 2011
  Excursion to Zurich
  – Visit to the Zurich University of the Arts

• 07 – 11 March 2012
  IC12 Conference
  – Conference attendance in Zeist, Netherlands
  – Visit to the MOTI Designmuseum in Breda, Netherlands

• 21 – 24 March 2012
  Malofiej 20 Infographic Conference
  – Held at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

• 05 – 14 October 2012
  Infographic Excursion in the USA
  – New York: Visits to the New York Times and Conde Nast Publishers
  – Washington: Visits to the Washington Post, National Geographic Magazine, and Newseum
  – Denver: Attendance at the Society for News Design’s Annual Meeting and Conference

• 26 February – 03 March 2013
  Infographic Excursion
  – Participation in the IC13 Conference in Zeist, Netherlands
  – Visit to the MOTI Designmuseum in Breda, Netherlands

• 05 – 07 May 2013
  ENC – European Newspaper Conference
  – Held at Rathaus Wien in Vienna, Austria

• 12 June 2013
  Werkschau Summer 2013
  – Hosted by the Zurich University of the Arts, Zurich, Switzerland

• 27 June 2014
  – Visit to the infographic departments at Süddeutsche Zeitung in Munich, Germany, and at Wort & Bild Verlag in Baierbrunn, Germany

• 10 – 14 March 2015
  Infographic Excursion
  – Participation in the IC15 Conference in Zeist, Netherlands
  – Visits to the Rietveld Schröder House and the Dick Bruna Museum in Utrecht, Netherlands
  – Tour of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  – Visit to the Musée Hergé in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

• 07 – 17 April 2015
  Infographic Excursion in the USA
  – Washington, DC: Attendance at the Annual Conference of the Society for News Design
  – New York: Visits to the New York Times, Scientific American, and ProPublica
  – Additionally served as a precursor for establishing continuous practical internship placements in Washington, DC

• 09 – 13 June 2015
  – Visit to IUAV (Università Iuav di Venezia) in Venice, Italy

• 09 – 13 March 2016
  Malofiej 24 Infographic Conference
  – Held at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

• 06 – 16 April 2016
  Infographic Excursion in the USA
  – New York: Visits to the New York Times, Scientific American, and ProPublica
  – Athens, OH: Visit to the partner institution, Ohio University

• 18 November 2016
  – Visit to Bollmann-Bildkartenverlag in Braunschweig, Germany

• 01 – 05 March 2017
  Infographic Excursion
  – Participation in the IC17 Conference in Zeist, Netherlands

• 26 March – 01 April 2017
  Malofiej 25 Infographic Conference
  – Held at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

• 18 – 27 October 2017
  Research Excursion in the USA
  – New York, NY: Study of newspaper design with visits to institutions such as the New York Times
  – Washington, DC: Exploration of journal design, including visits to National Geographic, the Newseum, and the Library of Congress

• 18 – 25 November 2017
  Communicating Complexity Conference
  – Held at the University of La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

• 22 – 28 April 2018
  Research Excursion in the USA with International Chart Day
  – Visits to Washington, DC; Ohio University; and Scripps College of Communication

• 11 – 20 May 2018
  International Design Week
  – Lecture and workshop at the University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada

• 04 – 11 November 2018
  Visual Discovery Conference 2018
  – Held at IUAV (Università Iuav di Venezia) in Venice, Italy

• 24 – 30 March 2019
  Malofiej 27 Infographic Conference
  – Held at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

• 01 – 16 November 2019
  Infographic Excursion in the USA
  – New York, NY: Visits to the New York Times, Scientific American, vox.com, and ProPublica
  – Washington, DC: Visits to the Washington Post, National Geographic Magazine, and Newseum
  – Athens, OH: Attendance at the Visual Discovery Conference 2019

• 20 – 21 November 2019
  – Visit to Bollmann-Bildkartenverlag in Braunschweig, Germany

• 01 – 08 May 2023
  Excursion to South Korea
  – Visits in Seoul, Gangchon, and Chuncheon during the IDEEC 2023 Conference in Gangneung and Donghae

• 01 – 16 November 2024
  Infographic Excursion in the USA
  – New York, NY: Visits to the New York Times and Scientific American (with Jen Christiansen) and a meeting with internationally renowned information designer Nigel Holmes at the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum
  – Washington, DC: Visit to National Geographic Magazine (with Fernando Baptista)
  – Miami, OH: Participation in the Visual Discovery Conference 2024 (organized by Alberto Cairo)

Each of these meticulously planned excursions and conference visits has played a pivotal role in enhancing the educational experience and professional development of participating students.

Memberships
Professor Stoll is an active member of several organizations, including:

International Institute for Information Design (IIID), Vienna, Austria.

Swiss Society for Symbol Research, Zurich, Switzerland.

In 2025, Prof. Stoll was appointed to the scientific board of Progetto Grafico, Italy’s leading design research journal.

Summary
Professor Michael Stoll’s extensive career in Information Design is marked by innovative teaching, groundbreaking research, and a commitment to preserving historical knowledge. His leadership and contributions continue to shape the global discourse on the power of visual communication in addressing complex challenges, making him an inspiring figure in his field.