Introduction to Computer Graphics

Full Conference
One-Day Full Conference
Basic Conference/Exhibits Plus

Wednesday, 10 December, 08:30 - 12:15
Room 301, 302
Level: Beginner

The SIGGRAPH conference is an exciting event, but it is often an intimidating experience for first-time attendees. There are so many new terms, new concepts, and new products to understand. And all the simultaneous programs leave new attendees baffled and frustrated about how to spend their time.

This course is designed to ease newcomers into the SIGGRAPH Asia 2008 experience by presenting the fundamental concepts and vocabulary at a level that can be readily understood. Far from being made up of dry facts, this course also portrays the fun and excitement that led most of us to the SIGGRAPH conference in the first place. After the course, attendees will be well-prepared to understand, appreciate, enjoy, network in, and learn from the rest of the SIGGRAPH Asia experience.

Prerequisites
A basic understanding of computers and algebra.

Intended Audience
The complete newcomer who wants to learn some of the basic terms and concepts in computer graphics, and receive some guidance on how to get the most out of attending SIGGRAPH Asia 2008.

Instructors
Mike Bailey
Oregon State University

Steve Cunningham
Brown Cunningham Associates

Instructor Bios

Mike Bailey
Mike Bailey is a professor of computer science at Oregon State University. He holds a PhD from Purdue University and has worked at Sandia National Labs, Purdue University, Megatek Corporation, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center. He has extensive experience with the SIGGRAPH courses, having taught in the introduction course since 1995. He has taught numerous classes at conferences (SIGGRAPH, IEEE Visualization, Supercomputing), at the college level (Purdue, the University of California, San Diego, San Diego State University, Oregon State University) to a total of over 3,400 students, and commercially. He was five times voted Computer Science Teacher of the Year by the computer science seniors at UC San Diego.

Steve Cunningham
Steve Cunningham has been actively engaged in computer graphics education for many years. He has organized computer graphics education workshops developed by SIGGRAPH and Eurographics in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, China, and Austria. He has given computer graphics teaching workshops at the SIGCSE conference and in Brazil, Botswana, and Mexico, and served as Chair of both the SIGGRAPH Education Committee and the Eurographics Education Board. He is retired from California State University, Stanislaus, served as a program officer with the US National Science Foundation, and was Noyce Visiting Professor at Grinnell College in spring 2006. He has authored, co-authored, or co-edited seven books, mostly on computer graphics-related topics, including a recent textbook for a beginning computer graphics course.