Entry Name: "UML-Tuccar-MC1"

VAST Challenge 2014
Mini-Challenge 1

Team Members:

Merve Tuccar, University of Massachusetts Lowell, merve_tuccar@student.uml.edu

Student Team: NO

Analytic Tools Used:

Tableau

Jigsaw, developed by Georgia Institue of Technology

Approximately how many hours were spent working on this submission in total?

Around 20 hours.

May we post your submission in the Visual Analytics Benchmark Repository after VAST Challenge 2014 is complete? YES

Video:

Provide a link to your video.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h27by9zti10m6ci/TUCCAR-MC1-Video.wmv

TUCCAR-MC1-Video

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Questions

MC1.1 – Provide a visual representation of the structure of the Protectors of Kronos network, with supporting evidence.

a. Who are the leaders?

b. Who is part of the extended network?

c. How has the group structure and organization changed over time?

d. Where are the potential connections between the POK and GAStech?

Provide novel visualizations appropriate for communicating key information to the busy leaders of the investigation. Please limit your response to no more than eight images and 500 words.

a. The leaders are Henk Bodrogi, Elian Karel, Silvia Marek respectively and Carmine Osvaldo is the co-chief.

Below, the circular graph visualization shows the results coming with the search of name "Elian Karel".





Following word tree visualization illustrates that Silvia Marek is one of the POK leaders in time.

b. There are seven founding members of the Protectors of Kronos SMO: Henk Bodrogi, Carmine Osvaldo, Ale L. Hanne, Jeroen Karel, Valentine Mies, Yanick Cato and Joreto Katell. GAStech employees who were born in Kronos, and were served for Armed Forces of Kronos are the part of the extended network. Edvard Vann is an obvious member of the POK and the employee of GAStech.
Following visualization shows the connections of Edvard Vann. He is probably a relative of Juliana Vann, the 10-year old girl who died in 1998 because of an illness related to drinking water contamination.


Hank Fluss, GAStech COO, might have become a possible connection between POK and GAStech, data shows he tried to be environmentalist and connected with POK.


c. POK was initated by a small group of citizens of Kronos that form a social movement organization to take an action against increasing environmental pollution related illnesses. Gas drilling activities of Tethys based company GAStech is the reason of the pollution and illnesses. 1998, August 18 – Ten years Julliana dies because of leukemia related to drinking water contamination. This small SMO becomes a stronger movement called Protectors of Kronos, POK. It starts as a peaceful organization , but by the time, especially with Silvia Marek’s leadership, the connection with Asterian People’s Army shows up. POK activities become violent.

d. GAStech employees who were born in Kronos, and were served for Armed Forces of Kronos are the possible connections between POK and GAStech.Visualizations on email headers between GAStech employess who belonges to Armed Forces of Kronos is a supporting evidence.



Following visualization shows one of the e-mail headers' analysis. E-mail subjected as "Union Meeting" is recieved and sent by people who were served for Armed Forces of Kronos.




Following visualization show the mention about Vann's account and kidnapping.

MC1.2 – Describe the events of January 20-21, 2014. What is the timeline of events? Please limit your response to no more than ten images and 500 words.

2014, January 20 – An alarm sounds around 10:15 am:

-10 employees of GAStech go missing.
-Two private jets take off to Rome, Italy.

2014, January 21 – POK releases a statement claiming responsibility for the kidnapping of GAStech employees demanding a $20 million ransom.
Following visualization summarizes the events of January 2014.


Following word tree visualization shows the news about kidnapping event happened on January 10, 2014.



Visualization showing articles with POK and January 2014 topics:

MC1.3 – Identify at least two possible explanations why the GAStech employees may be missing. What evidence do you have to support each of these explanations? Please limit your response to no more than three additional images and 200 words.

As POK releases a statement claiming responsibility for the kidnapping of GAStech employees demanding a $20 million ransom, I believe that POK kidnapped these 10 employees. However;
1-POK might have kidnapped employees that are not the member of POK.
2-POK might have kidnapped employees that are the member of POK. Then this is not a real kidnapping, this a conspiracy just to get money.
3-Executives and the Kronos officials escaped the country with money of the government. The articles about people who were taking one of the jets described as seeming so happy and casual make me think of about first two reasons that I have given above. Also, a jet is known to come back to country.