# Kristi Morton

> Ph.D. University of Washington 2015

**Wikidata**: [Q102531998](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102531998)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kristi-morton

## Summary
Kristi Morton is a computer scientist known for her research in data integration and entity resolution. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 2015, where she was advised by Magdalena Bałazińska and Daniel Grossman. Her doctoral thesis focused on interactive methods for exploratory visual data analytics.

## Biography
- Born: 1981
- Nationality: United States
- Education:  
  - Doctorate in Computer Science and Computer Engineering from the University of Washington (2015)
- Known for: Research in interactive data integration and entity resolution for visual analytics
- Employer(s): Not specified in source material
- Field(s): Computer Science, Data Integration, Visual Analytics

## Contributions
Kristi Morton's academic work centers around improving how users interact with complex datasets through visualization tools. Her doctoral dissertation, *Interactive Data Integration and Entity Resolution for Exploratory Visual Data Analytics* (2015), introduced novel techniques that allow analysts to iteratively refine data models during visual exploration. This approach enhances accuracy in identifying entities across disparate data sources—a critical challenge in big data environments. While no commercial products or startups are attributed to her directly, her methodologies contribute to foundational research used in data cleaning, linking, and visualization platforms. Morton’s collaboration with advisors like Magdalena Bałazińska situates her within influential circles of database systems and human-computer interaction research.

## FAQs
### Q: Who is Kristi Morton?
A: Kristi Morton is a U.S.-based computer scientist who completed her Ph.D. at the University of Washington in 2015. Her research focuses on interactive data integration and visual analytics.

### Q: What did Kristi Morton study in her PhD?
A: Her doctoral thesis explored interactive methods for integrating and resolving entities in large datasets to support exploratory visual data analysis.

### Q: Where did Kristi Morton earn her doctorate?
A: She earned her doctorate from the University of Washington in 2015, under the supervision of Magdalena Bałazińska and Daniel Grossman.

## Why They Matter
Kristi Morton contributes to advancing user-driven approaches in data science workflows. By focusing on interactive systems for data integration and entity resolution, her work enables more intuitive handling of messy real-world data—an essential step before meaningful insights can be drawn. The impact lies in bridging technical rigor with usability, influencing both academic development of visual analytics tools and potential downstream applications in business intelligence and scientific computing. Though not widely publicized beyond academia, her innovations inform ongoing efforts to democratize access to high-quality integrated data.

## Notable For
- Completing a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Washington in 2015
- Focusing her dissertation on interactive data integration and entity resolution for visual analytics
- Being co-advised by prominent figures in computer science: Magdalena Bałazińska and Daniel Grossman
- Contributing to foundational research in exploratory data analysis tools

## Body
### Academic Background
Kristi Morton pursued graduate studies at the University of Washington, completing a doctorate in Computer Science and Computer Engineering in 2015. Her dissertation—titled *Interactive Data Integration and Entity Resolution for Exploratory Visual Data Analytics*—was supervised jointly by Magdalena Bałazińska and Daniel Grossman.

### Dissertation Focus
Morton’s research addressed challenges in combining heterogeneous data sources while enabling iterative refinement via visual interfaces. Specifically, she developed mechanisms for incorporating feedback into entity matching processes, allowing analysts to correct errors dynamically rather than relying solely on automated pipelines.

### Collaborators and Influences
Her advisors include:
- **Magdalena Bałazińska**, Professor and expert in databases and distributed systems.
- **Daniel Grossman**, researcher in programming languages and software methodology.

These collaborations placed Morton within leading-edge domains intersecting databases, human-computer interaction, and scalable data processing.

### Recognition and Affiliation
She is listed among participants in the WikiProject PCC Wikidata Pilot focused on the University of Washington community, indicating some level of recognition in linked open data initiatives.

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "Kristi Morton",
  "jobTitle": "Computer Scientist",
  "nationality": {"@type": "Country", "name": "United States"},
  "birthDate": "1981",
  "alumniOf": [
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
      "name": "University of Washington"
    }
  ],
  "knowsAbout": ["Data Integration", "Entity Resolution", "Visual Analytics"],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q97033143",
    "https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37395457900"
  ],
  "description": "Ph.D. University of Washington 2015"
}

## References

1. Mathematics Genealogy Project
2. WorldCat