Welcome and Introduction
Welcome and Introduction featuring:
- Glenn Goldman – New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA, SIGGRAPH EDU Committee Chair
- Nick Jushchyshyn – Drexel University, USA
Session 1: In Good Company – SideFX
Presented by:
- William Joel – Connecticut State University, Education Chair for SIGGRAPH 2024
- Peter Arcara – SideFX Software
- Nicole Campbell – SideFX Software
The opening session featured a discussion on procedural workflows, visual effects in education, and related resources, concluding with a Q&A on VR/AR integration, site licensing, and Houdini’s programming capabilities.
Session 2: XR Methodologies
Presented by:
- Krishnan Chandran,Technical University of Dresden
- Beatriz Sousa Santos, University of Aveiro, Portugal
- Birte Heinemann, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
The SOIREE 2024 session on XR Methodologies, introduced by William Barres, featured presentations by Krishnan Chandran on pedagogical practices in mixed reality classrooms, Beatriz Sousa Santos on student VR/AR projects addressing societal issues, and Birte Heinemann on the open-source tool Repix VR for teaching rendering basics, followed by a Q&A on future work and collaborative learning.
Session 3: Principles and Concepts
Presented by:
- Richard Thompson, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA
- Mayet Andreassen, Texas A&M University, USA
The SOIREE 2024 session on Principles and Concepts featured presentations by Richard Thompson, who shared his approach to teaching animation by having students animate machines, while Mayet Andreassen introduced photogrammetry for incorporating scanned objects into projects. The session emphasized practical exercises to enhance creativity in digital design and concluded with a Q&A on the challenges and potential broader application of these methods.
Session 4: Live Event Virtual Production Class
Presented by:
- Nick Jushchyshyn: Drexel University, USA
The SOIREE 2024 session, Live Event Virtual Production Class, focuses on a live virtual event class at Drexel University where students learned live broadcast and streaming graphics over a 10-week quarter. The 20 students collaborated on a live event streamed online, using CG sets, motion capture systems, and SDI video tools, and interacted with professionals from Epic Games and Blackmagic Design. The final project showcased student demo reels and a Q&A with industry experts, providing practical experience and valuable industry connections. The event is available on YouTube.
Session 5: Cultivating Creativity & Neurodiversity
Presented by:
- Mayet Andreassen, Texas A&M University, USA
- Nandhini Giri: Purdue University, USA
The SOIREE 2024 session Cultivating Creativity & Neurodiversity featured a Texas A&M University team discussing AI integration in classrooms for dialogue generation, coding assistance, and background imagery creation, and Nandini Giri from Purdue University presenting on VR pre-departure training to reduce anxiety for study abroad students. The session highlighted the benefits and challenges of AI and VR in education, concluding with a discussion on ethical considerations and students’ reactions, followed by an open floor for questions.
Session 6: Collaboration & Partnerships
Presented by:
- Melody (Pei) Li, University of New South Wales, Australia
- Judy Kriger, Woodbury University, USA
The SOIREE 2024 session Collaboration & Partnerships featured Melody Li from the University of New South Wales presenting a student-teacher partnership in a work-integrated learning course that co-designed a media art exhibition and a 360-degree online gallery addressing COVID isolation. Judy Kriger, from Woodbury University, discussed managing a neurodiverse student population during the COVID lockdown and collaborating on animated PSAs to improve support and learning outcomes for neurodiverse students. Both presentations emphasize student empowerment, community engagement, and addressing neurodiversity in education.
Session 7: How to submit and get involved in SIGGRAPH 2024!
Presented by:
- William Joel, Western Connecticut State University, USA
- Nandhini Giri: Purdue University, USA
The SOIREE 2024 closing session How to submit and get involved in SIGGRAPH 2024! previewed the August 2024 SIGGRAPH conference in Denver. Bill Joel and Nandini Giri discuss how educators and industry can participate by submitting lessons, projects, and courses for the forum by February 21st and posters by April, with company presentations on the latest technologies fostering collaboration. With high attendance and participation from industry leaders like ILM, Disney, Pixar, and Epic, SIGGRAPH offers excellent networking and professional development opportunities for educators and students.