News

Dear colleagues,

As many are aware, an open letter was sent to the Executive Committee (EC) expressing concern about the selection of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as the location for SIGGRAPH Asia 2026. The letter, and EC discussions, compelled me to think about site selection in ways I would not have done otherwise. It took me a long time to understand the different viewpoints, the nuances, and the complexities. My intention with this note is to let the SIGGRAPH community know that the open letter was taken seriously. My note is intended as a start, not an end. 

I want to start by thanking those who raised their voices. I hear the frustration, disappointment, and sense of exclusion that many have expressed. I recognize that our processes—particularly in terms of transparency and communication, and sensitivity to the concerns of LGBTQ+ members of the community—did not meet the expectations of members of our community. 

I would like you to know that the EC deliberated and cogitated for a long time on what ought to be done–what is the right thing to do at such a time? Switch to a different location? Set up a satellite venue? Provide hybrid options? As we peeled back layers, we discovered nuances and complexities, tensions and conflicts. Which is why this note is a start, not an end. 

So, if this is a start, what is the next step?

I believe that our mission is to nurture, champion and connect like-minded researchers and practitioners, but in a way that reflects our care for each other. The EC Chair and Chair-Elect are committed that this will stay on the EC’s radar, with some specific actions in the near term: we will engage with representatives of the community to advise us as we develop a checklist of considerations during site selection. These representatives will include chairs/representatives of our Standing Committees and Affinity Groups, including the Rainbow Affinity Group.  

The conversations that resulted from the open letter were not easy, nor are they over. But I am optimistic that they will make us a better organization and a more compassionate community. 

Eakta Jain

Chair

ACM SIGGRAPH is recruiting for the chair of the Outstanding Service Award Committee.

The SIGGRAPH Outstanding Service Award is given annually to recognize an individual for outstanding service to SIGGRAPH by a volunteer who has given extraordinary service both in the trenches and in positions of more responsibility or visibility, over a significant period. The award includes a lifetime Pioneer membership in ACM SIGGRAPH. The criteria used to evaluate candidates for the award include the longevity, impact, and importance of the service.

The Chair solicits nominations for the Award by advertising the Award through the standard ACM SIGGRAPH channels, e.g., website, Interactions Newsletter, and social media during the late Fall and again in early January. Nominations for the Outstanding Service Award must be submitted to the Chair by January 31 of each year. The Chair may gather additional information on the nominees and maintains the list of previous nominees who did not receive the award as they may be carried forward as candidates.

The Outstanding Service Award Committee consists of five members, usually prior awardees who serve five-year terms. Each year one person rotates off and a new person, chosen by the Chair, rotates on the committee. The custom has been that each new Award winner serves on the Committee. The Committee discusses the Nominees and votes for the winner. If no winner is chosen, there is a discussion followed by another round of voting. This continues until the Committee agrees on a winner. The Chair does not vote and maintains the vote records.

Once an awardee is selected, the chair works with the SIGGRAPH Awards chair to coordinate announcement of the selection and its presentation at the SIGGRAPH conference.

If interested in the position, please contact the SIGGRAPH Awards chair, Jeff Jortner. Applications for the position will close August 15,2025.

Webinar Explores the Future of Human-Technology Convergence

As society continues to evolve at the crossroads of physical and digital innovation, an upcoming ACM SIGGRAPH webinar titled “Designing for Hybrid: How Will Physical AI and Digital Twin Shape Our Society?” will dive into the implications of these converging forces on human experience, design, and interaction.

Scheduled for Tuesday, July 29 at 4:00 PM PDT, this event brings together leading thinkers and innovators who will explore how Physical AI, the embodiment of digital intelligence into real-world systems, and the Digital Twin, a virtual representations of physical systems are transforming industries, lifestyles, and urban ecosystems.

Featured Panelists:

• Ivan Poupyrev, Archetype AI
• Yuya Yamaguchi, Sony Honda Mobility

Moderators:

• Masa Inakage, Keio University
• Mark Billinghurst, Independent Researcher
• Yamen Saraiji, SONY AI

Through real-world examples and forward-looking insights, the panel will showcase how the physical and virtual are no longer separate domains, but components of a unified hybrid society.

This webinar is essential for technologists, designers, urban planners, and futurists who are curious about the next frontier of human-technology integration.

Register now to secure your spot and be part of the conversation shaping our hybrid future.

Formally established in May 2025, the ACM SIGGRAPH Rainbow Affinity Group seeks to connect, empower, and support LGBTQ+ individuals in the fields of computer graphics and interactive techniques. Through skill-development opportunities, mentorship, showcases, and dedicated venues for socializing, collaboration, and networking, both at the annual conference and year-round, the group fosters an inclusive and vibrant professional community.

The group’s vision is to support all individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ through inclusive mentorship and community connection. In particular, it aims to uplift emerging professionals and students as they find their voice within the broader SIGGRAPH community, while also continuing to provide more established members with a welcoming space to reconnect, celebrate, and sustain long-standing relationships.

Modeled in part after the successful model of Women in SIGGRAPH, the Rainbow Affinity Group traces its roots to 2002, when a small coalition of students and early-career professionals began organizing informal gatherings in response to the absence of visible LGBTQ+ spaces within the SIGGRAPH ecosystem. What began as a grassroots, do-it-yourself effort has since evolved into a thriving annual Birds of a Feather (BoF) meeting, drawing hundreds of attendees from across SIGGRAPH’s diverse disciplines and professional backgrounds.

Over time, the scope and inclusivity of the group have expanded significantly. Once focused primarily on gay men, the modern Rainbow Affinity Group affirms a broader spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities, reflecting the richness and complexity of queer experience today. A pivotal moment came during the 2024 Rainbow Meetup BoF, when participants, particularly students, expressed a strong desire for more sustained engagement, community-building, and formal recognition within ACM SIGGRAPH. That feedback galvanized longtime organizers to take the next step: establishing a standing affinity group dedicated to fostering a lasting and visible LGBTQ+ presence within the organization.

At a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts face mounting challenges in many sectors, the Rainbow Affinity Group stands as a clear commitment to building a safe and affirming space for intersectional queer identities. Its members represent the full range of SIGGRAPH’s creative and technical community: artists, designers, engineers, storytellers, directors, and scientists. And they reflect the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, asexual, intersex, non-binary, Two-Spirit, pansexual, questioning, and others.

By establishing a sustained structure for visibility, connection, and professional development, the Rainbow Affinity Group ensures that LGBTQ+ members are not only included, but celebrated.

The Rainbow Affinity Group Chair is Jeffrey Weekley. Other committee members include AJ Christensen and Victor Zordan.

The Governance Advisory Board (GAB) ensures that the structure, policies, and procedures of ACM SIGGRAPH are reflective of what we do, what we should be doing, and are the most effective and efficient possible. The scope of the GAB is all of ACM SIGGRAPH, both the major conferences (SIGGRAPH and SIGGRAPH Asia) and all of the subunits (Standing Committees, Advisory Boards, and Affinity Groups). The GAB does not make final decisions on issues but sends them to the Executive Committee for approval. Changes are reflected either in the ACM SIGGRAPH Policy Guidelines or in the Bylaws. The ACM SIGGRAPH Chair shall always be a member of the Governance Advisory Board. The other members of GAB are either Executive Committee Directors or Chairs of other ACM SIGGRAPH units. For example, as of July 2025 the GAB consisted of the Chair-elect, Chair, Past-Chair, Past-Past-Chair, Treasurer-elect, CAG and SACAG Chairs, and the Chair of the Arts Advisory Board. The GAB has a bi-weekly Zoom meeting. Since the meetings are virtual, there is no budget associated with the GAB.

The Chair’s responsibilities are:

• Is an ex officio member of the ACM SIGGRAPH Executive Committee
• Attends all EC meetings and acts as parliamentarian and advisor on policy issues.
• Tracks all senior leadership position terms that are not tracked by the Nominations Committee (Affinity Group Chairs, Advisory Group Chairs, and Award Sub-Chairs) and reports to the Chair of EC when a term is nearing end.
• Oversees the GAB’s compliance with ACM SIGGRAPH and ACM policies.
• Ensures that meetings are properly planned and conducted efficiently.
• Presents all GAB proposed policies to the ACM SIGGRAPH EC for approval.
• Supervises and/or develops documents and policies: specifically, the Chair maintains the GAB To Do list, the Change Log for the ACM SIGGRAPH Policy Guidelines, and the annual report. The Chair will also be responsible for updating the ACM SIGGRAPH Policy Guidelines when new policies are approved.
• Ensure that the Committee’s activities are in line with its objectives and mission.
• In consultation with the committee shall identify initiatives, tasks, a need for subcommittees and areas for the GAB to pursue. 
• Oversees management of GAB initiatives and ongoing projects.
• Maintains open and frequent communication with the GAB members. The Chair shall keep GAB members informed of all important deadlines, initiatives, and other GC related information and provide updates at least quarterly.
• In consultation with the committee shall identify the need for additional GAB members. 

Interested applicants should send their applications to project-manager@acmsiggraph.org.