What do you do for a living?

I create interactive work across web and physical spaces.

What have you come to see at SIGGRAPH?

I did my Masters degree in Industrial Design and Interactive Technologies. Since then I’ve been coming to SIGGRAPH to see the cutting edge work that is being done in this field. It’s good to be here in person.

What have you found most interesting so far?

I’ve only been to the Emerging Technologies section so far, but in it I really liked the E-ink (the electronic displays that look like paper). I'll have to go back to spend more time there. I also liked the hydraulophone shaped like a whale, which is located between the Art Gallery and Emerging Technologies.

Did you meet anyone interesting?

I met Gregor, he is one of the speakers in the Posters section, who's doing his PhD in Artificial Intelligence.

Ricky Hoffman, Hong-Kong

What do you do for a living?

I’m a digital artist. I recently graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

My reason for coming to SIGGRAPH is to network. Also, there are a lot of school booths here; I want to try to define what type of school exists for further studies.

What have you found most interesting so far?

So far I've only seen the Emerging Technologies venue. The Microsoft Surface shown there is one of the things I’m really excited about. It’s a new way of interacting.  It’s very simple, futuristic, and I can see it being sold on the market. Emerging Technologies is about inventions; often they don’t necessarily work commercially. I feel I’m going to see the Microsoft surface in the market some day.

Did you meet anyone interesting?

I've met a lot of people, especially since I speak Cantonese and Mandarin. I met a lot of people from the industries from Honk-Kong, and more technical people from China, usually from MIT-type schools.

Canis McLinden, Tampa Forida

What do you do for a living?

I’m a working student. I finished my Bachelor's degree in computer animation at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa. This is the first time I’m attending SIGGRAPH.  I’m working at a booth for my school IADT Tampa.

What have you come to see at SIGGRAPH?

I came to SIGGRAPH for many reasons: it’s a good way to meet people that think the way I do, it’s a lot of fun, I get to see all kinds of new technology, and I’m also trying to get a job or an internship.

What have you found most interesting so far?

It’s so overwhelming it’s hard to choose.  The coolest thing that I experienced so far was the Surf’s Up presentation put on by Sony Pictures Imageworks. They signed my book and I met the producers. I've also met a lot of people from different studios.

Ben Rosales, Texas

What do you do for a living?

I’m a student in computer animation at the Ringling College of Art and Design.

What have you come to see at SIGGRAPH?

I’m volunteering this year, watching the doors, helping direct traffic toward the center so we can squeeze everyone in the presentations. I decided to come to SIGGRAPH for many reasons. As a student at Ringling, we are required to submit a senior thesis at the conference; I wanted to know what I needed to prepare for my senior year. I also wanted to network, talk to people, and make a good impression so that I can hopefully make some good connections, and find a good job!

What have you found most interesting so far?

I haven’t yet gone to too many lectures, but the most interesting one that I’ve seen so far was the one on Surf’s Up, the documentary about penguins. It was impressive to see the technologies they used to make the waves look so realistic, and that they spent so much time perfecting imperfections trying to make it as believable as a documentary.

Did you meet anyone interesting?

I’ve met a lot of interesting people, attendees from Singapore to Norway and everyone in between, educators, professionals, and the list goes on...

Lee Buckle, Maryland

What do you do for a living?

I work for the US Army Research Laboratory in Maryland.

What have you come to see at SIGGRAPH?

I’m at SIGGRAPH because it’s THE place for computer graphics and modeling techniques. I’ve been attending SIGGRAPH since 1989 and have presented papers and sketches on modeling techniques at the conference. My most notable presentation was on procedural grass modeling (how to easily fill a space with grass), in 1998.

What have you found most interesting so far?

I really liked the Massive Modeling paper and class yesterday.  One of my colleagues was presenting some of our work there: modeling entire power plants with excruciating details and how to render it interactively and visualize such large scale geometry. In my work I deal with 20km² patches of ground which includes every blade of grass, every tree, all the details, all at once.

Patrick Ledon, Denver Colorado

What do you do for a living?

I’m a 3D animation student at Colorado University.

What have you come to see at SIGGRAPH?

Basically, I came here to network.  SIGGRAPH is one of the best places to meet people; I want to get out there.

What have you found most interesting so far?

I really liked Emerging Technologies.  The see-through cockpit was very interesting.

Did you meet anyone interesting?

I met a lot of students from Ringling, but haven't met anyone working in the industry yet. I’m looking forward to the Job Fair.