Barbara Mones

Most Recent Affiliation(s):

• University of Washington, Computer Science Department

Other Affiliation(s):

• Montgomery College

• Industrial Light & Magic

• George Mason University

Location:

• Seattle, Washington, United States of America

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Bio:

• SIGGRAPH 2005

  I am on the faculty of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. I have a background in sculpture, computer graphics, digital animation, animation production (both in industry and academia) and have worked in both art and computer science environments. Most importantly, an important mission of mine here at the University of Washington is to facilitate the integration of the academic research in graphics and animation into the production of our short animated films. Interdisciplinary teams of students have worked to collaboratively create these films annually for the past eight years and the academic research has been showcased to the benefit of all involved. I teach in a setting that has been designed to be a good option for a hybrid mixture of industry, academic research and animation production environments. This is a unique opportunity as the research here is of an unusually high quality and therefore the potential to fulfill this mission is an inspiration and one that remains within reach. Examples exist already that allow the production students to showcase the animation research done here. Because of this specific mission and the supportive environment in this particular department for this idea, there’s some terrific work that has been able to evolve. In addition, there are other academic institutions that have pursued similar approaches with very successful outcomes. It would be useful at this point in time to share both the successes and challenges related to these approaches so that we can all benefit from the discussion. 

  SIGGRAPH 2003

  Barbara Mones has been working to develop innovative applications in the area of computer graphics and animation, both in academia and industry, for eighteen years. For ten years, she was a tenured Associate Professor and the Founding Director of the Visual Information Technologies MA/MFA Program, a course of study in multimedia, computer graphics and animation at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. In addition, she designed and implemented training programs in the areas of digital modeling, animation and 3D paint at DreamWorks/Pacific Data Images and Industrial Light and Magic. She has served as the Art Chair for the Education Committee, and Panels Chair for the 1997 conference and coordinated an international Student Animation Competition for the ACM SIGGRAPH organization for eighteen years. She has lectured extensively on an international level on topics related to computer graphics, animation and curriculum development and has designed and executed her own graphics and animation that have been shown in many museums and institutions worldwide, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Villa Ciani Museum in Switzerland. Her animated work has been shown in the SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater.

  Over the past three years, Mones has taught a number of group-based animation classes at the University of Washington. Students in these courses have produced the short films entitled Mira and the Wind, The Last Lift, and Table for Two.

  SIGGRAPH 2000

  Barbara Mones was the founding director of a graduate program in computer graphics and animation called Visual Information Technologies at George Mason University. She served as a tenured professor there in the Art and Art History Department. Her work in industry has ranged from designing and developing training curricula to designing Web graphics, writing technical training materials, and animating. She has worked at NASA Goddard, Pacific Data Images, and Industrial Light + Magic. She has been a member of the SIGGRAPH Education Committee for many years and was the Panels Chair for SIGGRAPH 97. She earned a BFA at the University of Michigan, an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design and an animation certificate from Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. Currently, she is developing curriculum and teaching computer animation courses, utilizing a collaborative approach to curriculum, in the computer science and engineering department at the University of Washington.

  SIGGRAPH 1995

  Sculptor and creator of the virtual reality lab at George Mason University. She is work­ing on the NASA/Goddard visualization team for the GLOBE project sponsored by the White House. She has also organized two exhibits on art and technology at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

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Learning Organizing Committee Chair:

• Panels, SIGGRAPH 1997

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Experience Organizing Committee Member:

• Computer Animation, SIGGRAPH 1992