News

At the suggestion of an organizer of the open letter, we are postponing the virtual town hall by approximately three weeks. That town hall is for the SIGGRAPH community to share actionable ideas to supplement the current actions presented at the Papers Town Hall at SIGGRAPH 2025 and provide feedback.

Date: 15 September, 2025/16 September, 2025 

Time: 8:00 PM EDT/00:00 UTC/8:00 AM CST

Please ensure you register in advance. We have created a Google form to solicit questions and points of discussion ahead of time.

The following text is a duplicate of the two slides that were presented on site selection guidelines and mitigations for Malaysia as a location for SA2026. The purpose of the town hall is to get feedback on these and get thoughts on potential mitigations, either this time around or for future times.

Here are some concrete actions that we have already discussed and planned for Kuala Lumpur

• A Virtual component (pre-recorded presentations) is available for those who are unable to attend who have accepted papers in 2026. While it is not intended to replicate the full in-person experience, it is specifically designed to accommodate confirmed contributors who may face verifiable travel restrictions or personal concerns.
• Gender Neutral Toilets will be created and available at the conference venue
• Security at the venue and official hotels will follow international standards and will be supported by local law enforcement.
• As we have done for all SIGGRAPH Asia Venues:
  • Koelnmesse will also engage private security providers
  • A clear code of conduct will be promoted, and we will work to integrate designated safe spaces, inclusion support, and trained staff or liaisons to assist any attendee requiring help or guidance. 
  • A comprehensive code of conduct and anti-discrimination policy will be prominently communicated across official channels and onsite signage

In addition, pending consultation with the Papers Advisory Group (PAG), we propose this pilot program:

• This is a pilot to understand the longer term logistical and practical issues might come up. While we are still gathering feedback from the PAG and Papers Chairs of the relevant conferences to determine the pilot start, we can commit to this being in place for SA2026.
• We will allow for registered presenters to give a shortened live presentation the next closest SIGGRAPH or SIGGRAPH Asia conference.  The form of this will be governed by the time and space constraints of that conference and the number of deferrals required.
• Presenters will still need to pay for registration to which they submitted and send in a virtual pre-recorded talk.

LGBTQ+ members are a valued part of our community.  Earlier this year, concerns were raised by the LGBTQ+ members of our community regarding our selection of Kuala Lumpur as the location of SIGGRAPH Asia.  In our response, we did not acknowledge the value of our LGBTQ+ community firmly and unequivocally.  We got that wrong.

Do you have a vision for the future of computer graphics and interactive techniques? You should consider running for the ACM SIGGRAPH Executive Committee (EC.) 

The ACM SIGGRAPH Executive Committee sets the strategic direction for the future of the organization and provides oversight over our organization’s year-round activities. Each year, ACM SIGGRAPH members have the opportunity to vote for three new members for the Executive Committee.

This year, we are looking for candidates to run for three open Directors-at-Large positions. The committee is looking for candidates who:

• Are ACM SIGGRAPH members
• Have a strong perspective about the future of our organization
• Have a proven track record of successful volunteerism
• Are collaborative and collegial 
• Can meet the time commitment for serving on the EC
• Are willing to serve a portion of their term as the ACM SIGGRAPH Chair if asked to serve

If you are interested in running for the Executive Committee, would like to nominate someone, or have questions about the process, please reach out. The Nominations Committee Chair can be reached at ec-nominations@siggraph.org. 

Nominations must be made no later than 11:59PM EDT on February 1, 2026. Nominations must be accompanied by the nominee’s full name and email address. 

Visit ACM SIGGRAPH’s Policy Guidelines to learn more about the nominations and election process.

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 September 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.