Professor Kenneth (Ken) H. Perlin

One of the most respected people in the field of computer graphics for his work both in industry and academia, he is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at New York University in New York City, founding Director of the Media Research Lab at NYU, and the Director of the Games for Learning Institute. His research interests include graphics, animation, multimedia, and science education. He developed or was involved with the development of techniques such as Perlin noise, hypertexture, real-time interactive character animation, and computer-user interfaces such as zooming user interfaces, stylus-based input, and most recently, cheap, accurate multi-touch input devices. He is also the Chief Technology Advisor of ActorMachine, LLC, which is pioneering in the field of ADA (Autonomous Digital Actors) by developing technologies that allow the creation and directing of emotive digital actors that can be used in linear animation (film/pre-visualization), games, virtual worlds, simulations or live (real time) performances. His invention of Perlin noise in 1985 has become a standard that is used in both computer graphics and movement. The process of layering multiple transformed and colored layers of Perlin noise and derived forms of noise is used to create a wide variety of naturalistic and chaotic textures in computer graphics - it can be used to very realistically simulate clouds, grass, wood, stone, water, fire, and innumerable other textures. He was founding Director of the NYU Media Research Laboratory and also directed the NYU Center for Advanced Technology from 1994 to 2004. He was the System Architect for computer generated animation at Mathematical Applications Group, Inc. 1979-1984, where he worked on Tron. He has served on the Board of Directors of the New York chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Software Industry Association. He received his B.A. degree in Theoretical Mathematics from Harvard University in 1979, his M.S. degree in Computer Science from New York University, and earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from New York University, both in 1984. He has received numerous awards, including: the Computer Graphics Achievement Award from ACM SIGGRAPH on August 11, 2008; the Trapcode award for achievement in computer graphics research in 2006; he was the featured artist at the Whitney Museum of American Art in January 2004; in 2002, he received the Mayor's Award for Excellence in Science and Technology and the Sokol award for outstanding Science faculty at NYU; in 1997, he won an Academy Award for Technical Achievement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his noise and turbulence procedural texturing techniques, which are widely used in feature films and television; and in 1991, he received a Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation. He is also an accomplished pianist and classical guitarist. He is fluent in French and Portuguese.