GREG FOSS

Scientific Visualization Artist

Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center
at Carnegie Mellon University

300 South Craig Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
(412) 268-6682 / email foss at psc.edu

I work with scientists and engineers from across the United States. Starting with simulation output, I build presentation and print quality data visualization and illustrative computer graphics and animation.

Current objective: I'm hunting for projects or new situations that need me to integrate the arts and the sciences creating information-rich visual experiences. I'm open to ideas- the stereo planetarium project last fall was very fun and I'm craving more collaboration.

COMPUTER GRAPHICS EXPERIENCE

Scientific Visualization Specialist, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, since 1993.

Collaborate with PSC researchers and staff to produce scientific data visualization animations and images using ParaView, VisIt, VMD and in-house software. Previously used Ensight and extensively AVS5.
Create illustrative animations and images (currently using Maya and POV-Ray, previously SoftImage) to introduce visualizations, provide background and illustrate fundamental research concepts.
Design, supervise production of, and compose artwork for, PSC's stunning annual scientific visualization 2x3' calendar poster.
Represent the PSC with computer generated imagery at conferences, competitions and exhibitions: TeraGrid09 and TeraGrid10 Visualization Showcase, 2005 and 2006 Finalist in the National Science Foundation's International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge, ACM SIGGRAPH Animation Festival 1994, 1996 (screening rooms) and 1997 Electronic Theater.
Created, and maintain, a scientific visualization gallery for the PSC's web site with captioned images and animations, links to the researchers' sites, and corresponding articles in our Projects in Scientific Computing, a print and on-line annual report of our users' projects. Gallery is open but new material updates are currently in progress.
Previously for this position:
Built interactive stereoscopic animations using CAVE software and rear-projection screen.
Produced videos using In-sync Speed Razor nonlinear editing system to combine data visualizations with explanatory animations and narration for the center's directors and researchers for presentation, exhibition and teaching aids.
Choreographed imported CAD data to animate a walk-through the proposed University Center (student union and recreation center) for a fund-raising video in cooperation with the Carnegie Mellon University Media Design and Production Center.
Coordinated and prepared a user's graphics material for an exhibit at The Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, on the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet's collision with Jupiter.

Director of 3-D Graphics, Instant Replay Video Productions, Cincinnati, 1988-1993.

Designed 3-D computer graphics projects for broadcast and corporate communication video including concept, storyboards, collaboration with 2-D graphics and production designers.
Modeled and choreographed 3-D animations using SoftImage and Vertigo.
Presented a weekly seminar and demonstration on 3-D graphics to clients and staff.
Awarded an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Ohio Valley Chapter, for animated graphics in the regionally broadcast special effects show, The Magic of Television, 1990.
Performed systems administration for the 3-D graphics lab.

Computer Graphics Animator, Cranston/Csuri Productions, Columbus, Ohio, 1987.

Completed computer animation production training program using C/CP proprietary graphics software (on Vax 11/780, and Sun workstations).

Graduate Teaching Associate, College of the Arts, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 1985-1987.

Taught 2-D and 3-D computer graphics course in modeling and scene design using Amigas, Apples and in-house (OSU-CGRG) software. Responsible for organizing the course, choosing text, conducting class and individual critiques, all grading.
Monitored labs and assisted with student projects.

EDUCATION

Master of Arts, Computer Graphics and Animation, Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (formerly Computer Graphics Research Group), The Ohio State University, Columbus, 1987.

Completed (three year) computer graphics and animation curriculum including modeling techniques, scene building, animation and C programming using in-house (OSU-CGRG) software (on Vax 11/780, and Sun workstations).
Reviewed several local art exhibits for Columbus Art; Master's thesis based on art criticism studies.
Designed and constructed installation of Cibachrome transparencies, custom back-lit display boxes, and looped animation video for graduate solo exhibition.
Contributed modeling and graphic design to David Haumann's "Dynamic Simulation of Flexible Objects," awarded Second Place in the research computer graphics category, International Computer Animation Competition, National Computer Graphics Association, 1988, and was included in the Electronic Theater, ACM SIGGRAPH, Anaheim, 1987.

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Ceramics, College of the Arts, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 1983.

Completed comprehensive ceramics program including potter's wheel and handbuilding, casting and mold construction, clay and glaze chemistry, kiln design and construction, various firing techniques, an overview of commercial production methods, and ceramic art history.
Provided studio assistance (two years) for Professor Eugene Friley: large-scale slab casting, hand-building, glazing, firing and clay preparation.

SELECTED SCREENINGS, PUBLICATIONS and EXHIBITIONS

"Chino Hills Earthquake Simulation," "CAPS (Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms, University of Oklahoma) Supercell and Hurricane Simulations," animations.Visualization Showcase, TeraGrid10 conference, Pittsburgh 2010.

"A Scalable Domain Decomposition Method for Ultra-Parallel Arterial Flow Simulations," electronic poster collaborative with Leopold Grinberg, George Karniadakis, Brown University; John Cazes, Texas Advanced Computing Center, Posters Track, SC09, Portland, Oregon, 2009.

"CAPS (Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms, University of Oklahoma) Supercell and Hurricane Simulations," stereoscopic animations illustrating Kelvin Droegemeier's (Vice President for Research, University of Oklahoma) planetarium talk at the workshop Data Visualization: Taking the Presentation of Methods and Results to the Next Level, 'Imiloa Astronomy Center, 'Hilo, Hawai'i, 2009.

"Chino Hills Earthquake Simulation," animation. 2009 SCEC (Southern California Earthquake Center) Annual Meeting, Palm Springs, California, 2009.

"Black Holes," animation collaborative with Joel Welling, PSC; "Circle of Willis," image collaborative with Leopold Grinberg, Brown University, Visualization Showcase, TeraGrid09 conference, Washington, DC, 2009.

"Black Holes," animation collaborative with Joel Welling, PSC. Created for the program Naked Science: Monster Black Holes, National Geographic Channel, broadcast December, 2008.

"Geodynamo Simulation," animations. Included in the planetarium show series Sky Tonight, Pacific Science Center, Seattle, March 6-9, 2008.

"Supercell Thunderstorm Simulation Visualization," animations. Included in the program It Could Happen Tomorrow, The Weather Channel, broadcast and included in their accompanying website, January 22, 2006.

"Axon Forest," image collaborative with Greg Hood, PSC, and John Burkardt, University of Florida, Daedalus, Journal of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Winter 2004.

"Simulation of 1994 Northridge Earthquake Aftershock," animation. Electronic Theatre, ACM SIGGRAPH Annual Conference and Exhibition, Los Angeles, 1997.

"Helix-Helix Packing," image illustrating the article: "Computer Graphics." The World Book Encyclopedia(1997 ed.), World Book Publishing, Chicago, 1997.

"Pump Up the Volume," animation. Included in the video: Journey into a Living Cell, Carnegie Science Center's Buhl Planetarium in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, 1996.

"Formation of Accretion Disks and Jets Around Black Holes," animation. Animation Festival, ACM SIGGRAPH Annual Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, 1996.

"Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 and Planet Jupiter: An Introductory Representation of the Impact," "Tornado Watch (Run Toto, Run!)," "An Example of Helix-Helix Packing," animations. SIGGRAPH 95 Video Review - An Issue Concerning Scientific Visualization, ACM SIGGRAPH, 1995.

"Pump Up the Volume," animation. Animation Festival, ACM SIGGRAPH Annual Conference and Exhibition, Orlando, Florida, 1994.

Curriculum Vitae