Computer Graphics World

August 2008 CHIEF EDITOR karen@CGW.com Editor'sNote Kings of their Craft The Magazine for Digital Content Professionals E D ITO R IA L KAren moltenbrey Chief editor karen@cgw.com • (603) 432-7568 36 east nashua road Windham, nH 03087 COnTRIbuTIng EDITORs Courtney Howard, Jenny Donelan, Audrey Doyle, George maestri, Kathleen maher, martin mceachern, barbara robertson WIllIAm r. rIttWAGe Publisher, President and Ceo, CoP Communications SA LE S lIsA blACK national sales manager Classifieds • education • recruitment lisab@cgw.com • (903) 295-3699 fax: (214) 260-1127 Kelly ryAn Classifieds and reprints kryan@copcomm.com (818) 291-1155 editorial office / lA sales office: 620 West elk Avenue, Glendale, CA 91204 (800) 280-6446 P R O D u c TI O n KeItH KnoPF Production Director Knopf bay Productions keith@copcomm.com • (818) 291-1158 mICHAel VIGGIAno Art Director mviggiano@copcomm.com CHrIs sAlCIDo Account representative csalcido@copprints.com • (818) 291-1144 Computer graphics World Magazine is published by Computer graphics World, a COP Communications company. Computer graphics World does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contained in the publication, and cannot take any responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers in reliance on such content. Computer graphics World cannot be held responsible for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited articles, manuscripts, photographs, illustrations or other materials. Address all subscription correspondence to: Computer graphics World, 620 West Elk Ave, glendale, CA 91204. subscriptions are available free to qualified individuals within the united states. non-qualified subscription rates: usA—$72 for 1 year, $98 for 2 years; Canadian subscriptions —$98 for 1 year and $136 for 2 years; all other countries—$150 for 1 year and $208 for 2 years. Digital subscriptions are available for $27 per year. subscribers can also contact customer service by calling (800) 280 6446, opt 2 (publishing), opt 1 (subscriptions) or sending an email to csr@cgw.com. Change of address can be made online at http://www.omeda.com/cgw/ and click on customer service assistance. Postmaster: send Address Changes to Computer graphics World, P.O. box 3551, northbrook, IL 60065-3551 Please send customer service inquiries to 620 W. Elk Ave., glendale, CA 91204 2 August 2009 A s I write this editorial, the world continues to mourn the loss of one of the world's biggest pop-culture icons, Michael Jackson. Much can be said about him—and it was, in just about every media outlet possible. Controversy aside, Jackson was an entertainer and an ambassador of his craft. Throughout the years, Jackson had been lauded for his musical genius and groundbreaking endeavors. On the surface, some of his contributions belie their complexity. A single glove. Four sliding steps backward. A music video. But in context, they were unforgettable moments that transcended history. A style. The Moonwalk. The Thriller video that defined the MTV generation. Jackson received adulation during his lifetime for the seemingly end- less list of contributions to his industry, for instance, having been induct- ed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. All too often, though, it takes a tragedy before great contributors to their field receive their just recognition. Rather, we should celebrate such achievements while these folks are in their prime—as their star, and talent, continues to rise. For- tunately, that is something SIGGRAPH does annually during the first day of its conference for special contributors to the CG industry. This year, the following luminaries received these SIGGRAPH awards in recognition of their efforts in the field of computer graphic technology: • Michael Kass, senior scientist at Pixar—The Computer Graphics Achievement Award is given yearly to an individual for outstanding long-lasting achievements in computer graphics and interactive techniques. ACM SIGGRAPH presented this award to Kass for his extensive and significant contributions to computer graphics, ranging from image processing, to animation, to modeling, and, in particular, for his use of optimization for physical simulation and image segmentation. • Robert L. Cook, VP of advanced technology at Pixar—The Steven A. Coons Award is given in odd-numbered years in honor of a person's lifetime contribution to the field of CG and interactive techniques. Cook was given this award for his foundational contributions to physically-based reflectance models and distribution raytracing, and his enduring work on behalf of the SIGGRAPH community. • Wojciech Matusik, senior research scientist at Adobe—The Significant New Researcher Award is given to a researcher who has made a recent significant contri- bution to the field of CG and is new to the field. The intent is to recognize people early in their career who have already made a notable contribution and are likely to make more. Matusik is receiving this award for his innovative work in data-driven material representations and systems for data acquisition and display. • Lynn Hershman Leeson, professor emeritus at University of California–Da- vis and chair of the film department at San Francisco Art Institute. Roman Verostko, professor emeritus at Minnesota College of Art and Design—The Distinguished Artist Award recognizes artists who have created a substantial and important body of work that significantly advances aesthetic content in the field of digital art. The first recipients of this award are: Leeson, for her paradigm-changing innovations in applying emergent media to visionary forms of creative expression with insightfully cultural discourse; and Verostko, for his contributions to the aes- thetics of algorithmic art, by fusing his knowledge of computer programming with a long engagement with diverse cultural traditions to produce masterful prints. As the year and the stunning achievements in CGI progress, let's not forget who laid the initial building blocks for the work, and who built the solid foundation that made these works possible. n

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