ACM SIGGRAPH has selected Erik Brunvand, of the University of Utah, as chair of its 50th annual SIGGRAPH conference. Brunvand is a professor in the University of Utah’s School of Computing, where he has been on faculty since 1990.
Brunvand first attended the SIGGRAPH conference in 2006 and has since found a home among the community. As a contributor and creator, Brunvand has presented work in many storied programs, including the conference’s Courses, Talks, Labs (formerly Studio), Art Gallery and Educator’s Forum venues. As a volunteer, he has served on the SIGGRAPH 2017, 2018 and 2020 committees, and is currently the inaugural chair of ACM SIGGRAPH’s Distinguished Educator Award committee.
“Not only does Erik have a passion for the history of our industry, but his background also represents the breadth of subject matter that the conference covers. In his years in computer graphics, Erik has touched everything from research to art to education, which makes him a perfect fit to lead the celebration of 50 years of SIGGRAPH,” said SIGGRAPH Conference Advisory Group Chair Mikki Rose.
Fueled by a love of designing and building — whether physical machines or virtual simulations — Brunvand approaches teaching by encouraging his students to explore computer science and engineering from a wide variety of perspectives. His research has involved computer architectures optimized for application-specific tasks and, since the early 2000s, has centered on ray tracing and GPU efficiency. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University.
Brunvand will follow SIGGRAPH 2022 Conference Chair Munkhtsetseg Nandigjav of Savannah College of Art and Design. The 2022 event is planned for Vancouver next summer.
“I’m a huge fan of computing history and how that informs research and industry practice going forward,” shared Brunvand. “I am thrilled to lead the planning of SIGGRAPH’s 50th anniversary year, and I am looking forward to finding new ways to bring the community’s rich and wonderful history to life.”
In addition to Brunvand’s appointment as 2023 chair, ACM SIGGRAPH is pleased to announce new dates for the SIGGRAPH 2021 virtual conference. Live events and “can’t miss” scheduled sessions will take place throughout the week of August 9-13; additionally, participants will have the opportunity to explore on-demand content at their convenience from August 2 through October 29. Submissions for many conference programs, including the Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater, Real-Time Live! and Posters, are now open.
SIGGRAPH Asia has also announced that Sydney, Australia will be the host city for its 2023 conference and exhibition, bringing together the world’s most respected technical and creative minds, and further building New South Wales’ position as a leading global knowledge hub for creative industries. The 16th edition of SIGGRAPH Asia will be held December 12-15, 2023, and is expected to attract over 2,500 delegates and thousands of visitors to Sydney for the exhibition showcase, sharing expert knowledge on research, science, art, animation, gaming, interactivity, education and emerging technologies.
“New South Wales has the largest creative sector in Australia, and we expect the sector to be a key driver of the state’s economic growth, exports and innovation over the next decade,” said Stuart Ayres, Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney. “Sydney is one of the world’s most creative cities and it’s great to see this latest win for the business events sector, which continues to play a key role in restarting our city and state’s economy as global communities reopen.”
The event will also focus on sharing content with creative industries students across NSW, with June Kim appointed as the SIGGRAPH Asia 2023 Conference Chair. Kim is a lecturer at the University of NSW (UNSW), who has also served and participated in ACM SIGGRAPH for over a decade.
“Engaging the next generation is critical to the ongoing success for our community. Globally, there is a need to increase participation of youths, women, first peoples and people from diverse backgrounds, to study and develop skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and design,” said Kim. “Hosting SIGGRAPH Asia in Sydney will also provide the platform to launch new initiatives which help to scale and grow the local industry and spark interest amongst new audiences in this part of the world.”
In the interim, SIGGRAPH Asia is scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan (Dec. 13-17, 2021) and Daegu, South Korea (Nov. 7-11, 2022).
More info at siggraph.org.
