|
I arrived at UCSB in 1966 ready to study Mathematics. Somewhat dazed by the numerous interesting subjects taught, I almost missed registering for the right math courses. During freshman year my girlfriend (to whom I have been married since 1968) was accepted into the Poetry program of a new College starting at UCSB: the College of Creative Studies. Curious about it, I investigated the CCS Mathematics program. Accepted and entering as a sophomore in the inaugural class in CCS Math was both exciting and humbling. Working with the faculty and other bright students lent exactly the personal dimension I was seeking. Many novel opportunities presented themselves, in particular, CCS computer courses offered by Glenn Culler. I dove into combining mathematics and computers through computer graphics: an academic relationship then still in the courting phase. CCS flexibility allowed me to explore math but also computers, psychology, modern art, and Russian. The CCS experience also landed me a programming job at a Santa Barbara research firm. After heading off to graduate school at the University of Toronto I melded all these interests into a Computer Science PhD thesis. (Yes, all those topics were extremely relevant!)
After taking a Computer Science faculty position at the University of Pennsylvania I became the computer graphics guy. In both courses and in research, I found that the openness of the CCS education gave me a wonderful appreciation of the possible linkages between academic disciplines and the integrated, cross-disciplinary nature of modern research. I study how to make computer programs create, control and animate graphical virtual humans. The inquiring spirit fostered by CCS has been reflected in my charge to students -- both undergraduate and graduate -- to cast a wide view on a subject: to know what is important centrally but to see also what can be influential from the periphery or even beyond. I connect language to movement, geometry to biomechanics, simulation to recognition. My Creative Studies education continues to be an inspirational vehicle for research explorations.
|
