Ed Catmull
Ed Catmull is a pivotal figure in the world of computer graphics, animation, and technology. Here is detailed information about his life, career, and contributions:
Early Life and Education
- Born on March 31, 1945, in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
- Received a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Utah in 1969.
- Earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the same university in 1974 under the guidance of David Evans.
Professional Career
- Early Career: After his Ph.D., Catmull joined New York Institute of Technology, where he worked on digital film compositing techniques.
- Lucasfilm and Pixar:
- In 1979, Catmull joined Lucasfilm, where he was instrumental in forming the computer graphics division, which later became Pixar.
- He was one of the founders of Pixar in 1986 after Steve Jobs purchased the graphics division from George Lucas.
- Under his leadership, Pixar became a leader in computer-generated imagery (CGI), releasing the first fully computer-animated feature film, Toy Story, in 1995.
- Disney:
- Retirement: Catmull retired from his executive roles at Pixar and Disney in 2019 but remains on the board of directors at Pixar.
Contributions and Achievements
- Technical Innovations:
- Developed the Z-buffering technique for 3D graphics, which became fundamental for rendering hidden surfaces.
- Worked on texture mapping, which adds realism to computer-generated images by mapping textures onto 3D objects.
- Leadership and Management:
- Awards:
External Links
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