Thecla Schiphorst

Most Recent Affiliation(s):

• Technical University of British Columbia

Other Affiliation(s):

• Simon Fraser University

• Digital EARTH

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Bio:

• SIGGRAPH 2001

  Thecla Schiphorst is a computer media artist whose work includes interactive installation, performance, and software design. She is currently assistant professor in interactive arts at the Technical University of British Columbia. She is the recipient of the prestigious 1998 Canada Council PetroCanada Award in New Media granted biennially to a Canadian artist for contributions to new technologies research. Her research includes gestural interface design, computer interactive installation, and kinesthetic systems for collaboration and performance. She has an interdisciplinary MA in computer compositional systems from Simon Fraser University, undergraduate studies in dance and computer science, and a diploma of technology from BCIT in computer programming and systems analysis. She is a member of the original design team that developed Life Forms, the computer compositional tool for animation and choreography. Her computer installation work has toured extensively, and it has been exhibited in numerous international conferences and festivals including SIGGRAPH, SIGCHI, Ars Electronica, ISEA, Interaction ‘97 in Gifu Japan, Interactive Screen, CyberArts, and others. Schiphorst designed, directed and produced the award-winning multi-media interactive project entitled “immerce,” which won three first place festival awards at the International Digital Media Awards Festival and a Graphex award in design. It was also presented at the ARC awards in Los Angeles. She is the co-director of Then/Else, the Interactivity Research Centre at TechBC and is involved in exploration of collaborative immersion, in which gesture and movement analysis principles are utilized to augment user experience and communication.

  SIGGRAPH 1990

  Thecla Schiphorst is a choreographer, dancer, and animator, and holds a position as a senior faculty member in Computing at Douglas College in Vancouver, B.C. She also teaches contemporary dance composition and technique at the School for Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University. Thecla received her B.A. in dance from Simon Fraser University in 1984, and her diploma in Computer Programming and Systems Analysis from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1978. She is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary masters degree in the design of computer compositional systems for human movement.