Ben Shneiderman is an American computer scientist and professor known for his groundbreaking work in human-computer interaction and information visualization. He is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, and the founding director of the Human-Computer Interaction Lab at the same institution. Shneiderman has made significant contributions to the fields of user interface design, information visualization, and social media analysis. His research focuses on developing innovative tools and techniques to improve the way people interact with and understand complex information systems.