Chair:
Michael
Zyda
Judith
R. Brown
Vice Chair:
Alan
Chalmers
Linda
Branagan
Treasurer:
Garry
M. Paxinos
Michael
T. Jones
The nominating committee looked for and found "new blood" with solid track records of achievement in industry, academia, and as volunteers. We looked for and found current SIGGRAPH volunteers with solid track records of increasing levels of responsibility within SIGGRAPH. We looked for and found people with deep and broad involvement with graphics and with business and financial management experience. We looked for and found people whom we believe can successfully lead SIGGRAPH in the fast changing, multifaceted environment in which it exists.
Two nominees for each position have been selected by the nominating committee. Other names may be added to the ballot by the petition process described below. Any questions about nominations, petitions, or elections can be directed to Mary Whitton, whitton@siggraph.org, +1-919-962-1950.
The nominating committee would like to thank the members of the SIGGRAPH community who helped it in its work this year and, in particular, to recognize the contribution made by Alain Chesnais, current SIGGRAPH Vice Chair. We also express, on behalf of the community, our thanks to the candidates for their willingness to stand for office.
The Nominating Committee
Mary Whitton, Chair
Holly Rushmeier
Wayne Carlson
Petitions should be sent to ACM Headquarters at the address below. Notice of intent to submit a petition must be sent to the same address, postmarked two weeks before the petition deadline. The deadline for filing intent to petition and completed petitions as not been finalized as of this writing (February 3, 1999). The deadlines will be NO EARLIER THAN March 15 for intent to petition and April 1 for petitions. Please consult Mary Whitton, whitton@siggraph.org, +1-919-962-1950 for updates to this information.
Pat Ryan
ACM Headquarters
One Astor Plaza
17th floor
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
A copy of the completed petition must also be sent to:
John C. Hart
ACM SIGGRAPH Director for Communications
School of EECS
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164-2752
My goal is to help SIGGRAPH keep focused on the advancement and application of technology. Too often I hear that the summer SIGGRAPH conference is becoming a conference of flash minus substance, that we are repeating ourselves with just a different story and cast of characters. As a researcher, I appreciate the things I have learned from the technical sessions and courses of our summer venue. I will push SIGGRAPH to maintain its role as the organization that spearheads our technology's development, a technology that underlies one of our most important growth industries, entertainment, as well as our national defense.
Chair of National Research Council Computer Science and Telecommunications Board committee on "Modeling and Simulation: Linking Entertainment & Defense," March 96 - September 97.
Mar. 97 - present: Academic Associate Chair, Modeling, Virtual Environments & Simulation Academic Group, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey.
Dec. 95 - present: Member of the Technical Advisory Board of the Fraunhofer Center for Research in Computer Graphics, Providence, Rhode Island.
Dec. 92 - Jan. 95: Member of the National Research Council's Committee on Virtual Reality Research and Development
Feb. 84 - present: Assistant, Associate and Professor of Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey.
Consulting: various - White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Ministry of Industrial Development Sabah Province, Malaysia, Japan Tech Services Corporation, SimGraphics Engineering, Silicon Graphics International, Geneva, Nihon Silicon Graphics KK, TecMagik and Paramount Digital Entertainment, among others.
Received "Best Paper 1991" award from the journal Computers & Graphics, 29 September 1992.
See also: http://www.npsnet.nps.navy.mil/zyda
I have since been involved with most areas of SIGGRAPH. I have served on committees at all levels, doing both non-glamorous and leadership tasks, and I have been instrumental in other initiatives such as the first Russian Graphicon conference, and the 1999 celebration of SIGGRAPH’s 30th year. I have served on the EC in four positions (vice-chair, chair, past chair, director for education), and I contributed to conferences as panels and courses speaker and a member of the S91 Educators committee.
I am a frequently-invited speaker on topics such as education, visualization, and collaboration, with a special interest in computer graphics as a tool that bridges education and research or enables interdisciplinary and international communication.
Current issues facing ACM, SIGGRAPH, and the field of computer graphics are:
* The expanded role of the SIGs in ACM will involve the chair more in SIG governance issues. I have served on several ACM committees, including Nominations and SIG Board.
* We need to expand member services. Membership is down, and we need to determine what services would attract and keep members.
* The new conference model requires more integration of the conference and organization. We must ensure that the conference maintains its excitement and continues to be healthy, both technically and financially, and also ensure that all members are being served well. My interdisciplinary background has allowed me to work productively with scientists, artists, and engineers. I have also worked collaboratively with other international societies, resulting in my election as a Eurographics Fellow and appointment as Honorable Member of the Academic Committee of the Chinese State Key Lab for CAD and Computer Graphics.
* While computer graphics has become a commodity, there are still significant unsolved problems. We must educate government and funding agencies on the value of computer graphics and the needs for computer graphics research.
Volunteers are the soul of SIGGRAPH. I have over 25 years of experience working with and chairing a wide range of volunteer groups, from local charities and arts support groups to national and international professional organizations. I served as SIGGRAPH chair for less than a year, filling in after a resignation. A full term would give me the opportunity to plan and lead SIGGRAPH more effectively, and my earlier experience provides me with insights to do so.
Committees for 18 international conferences on computer graphics, education, virtual reality, or scientific visualization in the US, Europe, Mexico, and China since 1991
Editorial Board, Computer Graphics Forum, 1992-5
Co-author/editor of 4 books: "Visualization: Using Computer Graphics to Explore Data and Present Information," 1995; "Computer Graphics Using Object Oriented Programming," 1992; "Programming the User Interface: Principles and Examples" and "Computer Graphics Careers Handbook", 1989
"Education and Profession" in "Computer Graphics in the Next 50 Years of Computing" Fraunhofer Institut, Germany, 1997
Fundamentals Seminar, S94, S93, S92
S89 Seminar, "Careers in Computer Graphics"
S88 Course Chair, "Collaboration in Computer Graphics Education"
S87 Workshop Chair, "Computer Graphics Education: An Interdisciplinary Approach"
Invited talks on visualization in US, Mexico, Europe, Israel, and China
Unfortunately, the conference only lasts for one exciting week a year. It falls to a multitude of smaller conferences and special projects to facilitate the flow of information throughout the rest of the year. It is one of the principal roles of the vice chair of SIGGRAPH to promote just such activity, and it is here I believe I can make a significant contribution. As can be seen in my biographical information, I have helped organise a number of projects and small conferences and I will be able to apply the substantial experience I have acquired to provide co-ordinated support from SIGGRAPH to assist and encourage organisers of future such events.
The annual SIGGRAPH conference provides an outstanding opportunity for all those with diverse interests in computer graphics to come together. Participants are able to meet, exchange views and gain new insights. This diversity I believe is one of the significant strengths of SIGGRAPH. My own research is based on a multidisciplinary approach and includes input from artists, psychologists, archaeologists as well as computer scientists. As vice chair, I would strive to increase multidisciplinary interaction throughout the year.
There is a view held by many outside the USA that SIGGRAPH is primarily an American organization. Personally, I am now fully aware of the benefits of ACM membership and attendance of SIGGRAPH events can provide the international community. Living and working in the United Kingdom I believe, as vice chair, I could provide a non-American dimension and by working closely with others in the organization assist in increasing international membership and attendance at SIGGRAPH activities.
In summary, I intend to build on the firm foundation Alain Chesnais has created as vice chair to continue to expand the role of small conferences and special projects, to develop the multidisciplinary nature that is such a strength of SIGGRAPH, and to assist in providing an increasingly international profile to SIGGRAPH as we approach the next millennium.
1989-Present: Member of academic staff of University of Bristol
1988: Lecturer University of Natal, SA.
1986-87: Lecturer University of the Witwatersrand, SA.
Presented tutorial on Parallel and Distributed Photo-Realistic Graphics at SIGGRAPH '98.
Guest editor, with Prof. F. W. Jansen, of the journal Parallel Computing for its special edition on Parallel Graphics & Visualisation.
Chairman of the 1st Eurographics Workshop on Parallel Graphics & Visualisation, Bristol, September 1996, co-chairman of the 2nd of these workshops, Rennes, September 1998 and co-chairman of the Parallel Visualisation & Graphics Symposium to be held in San Francisco in October 1999.
Co-chairman of the 3rd Eurographics Workshop on Rendering, Bristol, 1992
Co-chairman of WoTUG 17, Bristol 1994.
Organiser of Archaeological Sciences'99 to be held in Bristol, September 1999.
Regular reviewer for journals, international conferences and research grant proposals.
During his term, Alain Chesnais has done an excellent job of forming alliances with international sister organizations Eurographics and Japan's MultiMedia Content Association (MMCA), the sponsor of the Nicograph conference. As Vice Chair I will continue to support this; much has been learned about how SIGGRAPH can help and be helped by sister organizations.
Local chapters continue to need encouragement and support. While some groups are large and stable, other are less so, often because interested people simply lack knowledge and support for keeping a local chapter running smoothly. The annual conference committees have an outstanding model in place for passing information from a previous year's committee to the next; as Vice Chair I will promote efforts to adapt this model so successful local chapters can educate fledgling ones.
Although SIGGRAPH's financial position is secure, the same unfortunately cannot be said of the businesses that make up the graphics industry. Many, especially those involved in production, struggle for 5 or 10% profit margins amid fierce competition. The demand for qualified, talented employees far exceeds the supply. As a long-time employee of small startup companies with big ideas and cutting edge goals, I have faced these struggles firsthand. Through SIGGRAPH conferences and publications, this community has done an outstanding job of educating itself about the power and possibility of graphics as an art form and a technology. It's well positioned to become a forum where companies that don't compete directly can come to share what they know about getting and staying in the graphics business.
In my previous work with SIGGRAPH I have found it to be a dynamic, exciting organization of talented, creative volunteers, where hard work never goes unrewarded and good ideas are never turned away. I would like very much to continue to dedicate my time and abilities toward its future success.
Product manager, project manager, Intervista Software, 1996-1998.
Project manager, Light Source, Inc., 1996
Department manager, NCD Software and Z-Code Software, 1993-1996
Systems Engineer, Documentation and Training Developer, Convex Computer Corporation, 1989-1993.
Paper Reviewer, VRML 98;
Juror, San Francisco SIGGRAPH Chapter Student Animation Festival, 1997;
Producer, Computer Animation Retrospective, ACM 50th Anniversary Conference, 1997;
Chair, Computer Animation Festival, SIGGRAPH 1996;
Producer, Small Animation Theaters, SIGGRAPH 1993;
Student Volunteer Manager, SIGGRAPH 1990
Clearly the highlight of participation in SIGGRAPH is the annual conference, where the excitement of new ideas attracts larger crowds each year. I'd like to see this excitement remain high throughout the year, however, by increasing the scope of professional chapters and encouraging the use of on-line events which can reach areas without chapters of their own.
In the past 2 years, Nan C. Schaller has made excellent improvements to the office of Treasurer. Her budget procedures and improved financial reports have enhanced the effectiveness of interactions with the various committees of SIGGRAPH and ACM. Money is a critical factor in the development of the many projects in which SIGGRAPH is involved. Its proper management is essential.
I intend to devote much of my time to meet the needs of
this office and to improve it further as weaknesses become apparent. This
office holder must be financially responsible and flexible enough to work
effectively with the other SIGGRAPH officers and with SIGGRAPH's valuable
volunteer base. My experience at various levels within the SIGGRAPH organization,
as well as my role in growing a small start-up company, provide an excellent
background for this position as Treasurer. My dedication to SIGGRAPH, my
corporate finance experience, and my reliability in all tasks I undertake
ensure that the SIGGRAPH finances will be handled responsibly if I am elected
Treasurer.
Megasystems Inc
1984 - 1992 Engineering Manager
Horizons Research Lab Inc
1977 - 1984 Electrical Engineer
The SIGGRAPH bylaws (http://www.siggraph.org/gen-info/bylaws.html) stipulate that the treasurer is responsible for managing the finances in accordance with the ACM Financial Accountability Policy. This requires preparing the annual budget, monitoring budget compliance, preparing financial reports, and reporting the organizations financial health to the Chair and to members through regular SIGGRAPH publications. My background in technology management, previously as Director of Advanced Graphics Software at Silicon Graphics and now as CTO of Intrinsic Software, provides relevant business experience in these important tasks.
Serving as treasurer provides the opportunity to bring management and business experience to the SIGGRAPH Executive Committee. As an invited guest at several EC meetings, I have seen both the need and opportunity to bring the focus, pace, and drive of Silicon Valley industry to the SIGGRAPH leadership. Foremost among my concerns is the need to develop a culture of constant reevaluation; SIGGRAPH’s service offerings must be dynamic if they are to be a catalyst for change and advancement in such an active and growing field. I believe that the treasurer can and must use the position to make the use-of-finances planning process responsive to these realities in order to serve our members properly.
In the 22 years between drawing my first Tektronix 4014 vector and receiving my first SGI InfiniteReality patent, the wonder and promise of computer graphics have never shone brighter. SIGGRAPH’s continuing contribution to science and industry will be determined by the agility and judgment it displays in embracing change and charting a successful path forward. With your support, I will be honored to undertake this task on behalf of all that have, and that are yet be, touched by computer graphics.
Before joining SGI, Michael worked in many areas of computer technology, including real-time visual simulation, movie and serial color conversion, cellular telephone antenna placement, truck routing, video teleconferencing, geographic information systems, and 3D graphics firmware for the Ikonas RDS-3000.
Michael is active in technical conferences as presenter, course organizer, researcher, and spokesperson, has represented industry concerns at SIGGRAPH Executive Committee sessions, and is co-author of a 1998 SIGGRAPH paper. His issued and pending patent work includes high-quality texture filtering, large-area texture processing ("Clip Maps"), accurate environmental simulation, real-time character animation, variable-resolution surface representation ("ASD"), dynamic video resizing ("DVR"), novel frame-buffer organizations, high resolution displays, and interactive lighting and shadow techniques. Additional innovations include multi-system synchronization ("Swap Ready"), OpenGL extensions, and numerous SGI features oriented toward the visual simulation marketplace.
An autodidact and avid reader, Michael discovered computers and wrote his first assembler program in the fourth grade, and then read every computer book in the San Diego public library system. He fell in love with computer graphics shortly thereafter, and has programmed on a paid professional basis since the seventh grade.