Ep 6: “SIGGRAPH Asia 2022” feat. Dan Sarto | Computer Animation Chair

Welcome back to the Digital Doha Podcast, our Qatar-based interview series exploring the cutting-edge of emerging media happening in Doha and the greater Middle East. Hosted by Spencer Striker, PhD Digital Media Professor at Northwestern Qatar, and creator of the award-winning History Adventures digital learning series.  

For the sixth episode, we are excited to bring you exclusive coverage of SIGGRAPH Asia 2022, the world’s leading conference on computer graphics and interactive media, which took place in Daegu, South Korea, December 6-9. Celebrating the theme ‘Colorful World’, the finest minds redefining the future of cutting-edge technologies gathered to inspire an audience of thousands from around the world.

Today’s guest, Dan Sarto, is Program Chair of SIGGRAPH Asia’s Computer Animation Festival. From short films to scientific visualizations to AI-enhanced deepfakes, this year’s festival showcased an expansive and compelling program, including entertaining and thought-provoking world-class CG animation. 

Dan Sarto is a world-renowned expert on computer animation and founder of the Animation World Network - AWN.com - one of the largest, most respected sources for animation news on the Internet. Now in his 21st year, Dan and AWN have stayed true to their passion to provide a cohesive assembly of the best animation, visual effects and related resources that exist today, in an interactive and enjoyable environment.

We hope you enjoy our special event coverage of SIGGRAPH Asia 2022, and our conversation with Dan Sarto, Computer Animation Chair, and one of the world’s leading authorities on the cutting edge of emerging media techniques in computer animation. 

• Hosted by: Spencer Striker, PhD

• Special Guest: Dan Sarto

• NU-Q Research & Production Assistants: Shaikha Alkubaisi; Ayah Mohamedain; Samson Mbogo; Laiba Mubashar; Xingyu Qin; and Tasmia Belal. 

• Emerging Media Research Team: Venus Jin, PhD; Greg Bergida, PhD; John Pavlik, PhD, Justin Gengler, PhD; Farina Amir; and Christopher Fwalanga

• Artwork: Fernanda Jimenez

• Music and Sound Effects: Courtesy of Epidemic Music

Official links for SIGGRAPH Asia 2022 & Special Guest, Dan Sarto

• https://sa2022.siggraph.org/en/

  • SIGGRAPH Asia 2022 Official Website

• https://youtu.be/GcwMaL5RXPw

  • Dr. Striker’s favorite film of the festival: Crush On by SHU-YU CHU

• https://sa2022.siggraph.org/en/full-program/?filter1=sstype106&date=all

  • Computer Animation, Full Program

• https://www.awn.com/users/dan-sarto 

  • Dan Sarto | Animation World Network

Official website and social media links for the Digital Doha Podcast

• https://www.qatarpodcasts.com/digital-doha

• https://www.facebook.com/DigitalDoha

• https://www.instagram.com/digitaldoha

• https://twitter.com/doha_digital

The Digital Doha Podcast is supported by funding from the Qatar National Research Foundation, Grant ID #: NPRP12S-0227-190165

Ep 5: “VR Encyclopedia” feat. Julia Leeb

Welcome back to the Digital Doha Podcast, our new series bringing you informative conversations with local experts exploring the cutting-edge of emerging media happening in the dynamic international capital of Doha. Hosted by Spencer Striker, PhD Digital Media prof at Northwestern Qatar, and co-hosted by Natasha Das, Media Info & Tech student at NU-Q. 

Presenting our amazing fifth guest of the season, pioneering VR journalist, Julia Leeb. Julia was born in Munich, Germany. She studied international relations and diplomacy in Madrid, Arabic in Alexandria, and television and digital media in Munich. She works as a war photojournalist and filmmaker, and is the author of North Korea: Anonymous Country. Leeb's long-term projects have been published internationally and document political upheaval in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Iran. She also produces virtual reality and 360-degree content about remote regions like Transnistria, in Moldova, and the Nuba Mountains, in Sudan.

Julia Leeb is one of the first German journalists to use 360°/VR to document life in crisis areas. Her 360°/VR movies have been screened at VR film festivals around the world. Click the button below to learn more about her work. Using Virtual Reality, among other mediums, Julia brings viewers into a moment to witness conflict and the impacts of political unrest.We hope you enjoy our conversation with one of Doha’s leading innovators in the cutting-edge space of emerging media, immersive journalism, and AR/VR Design.

Hosted by: Spencer Striker, PhD

Co-hosted by: Natasha Das

Special Guest: Julia Leeb

Producer: Shaikha Alkubaisi

Sound Design & Editing: Ayah Mohamedain

Social Media Manager: Samson Mbogo

Project Management: Laiba Mubashar

Emerging Media Research Team: Venus Jin, PhD; Greg Bergida, PhD; John Pavlik, PhD, Justin Gengler, PhD; Farina Amir; and Christopher Fwalanga

Artwork: Fernanda Jimenez

Music and Sound Effects: Courtesy of Epidemic Music

Official links for Special Guest, Julia Leeb

http://www.julialeeb.com/

https://www.amazon.de/Julia-Leeb/e/B00LPCT9LI/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Official website and social media links for the Digital Doha Podcast

https://www.qatarpodcasts.com/digital-doha

https://www.facebook.com/DigitalDoha

https://www.instagram.com/digitaldoha

https://twitter.com/doha_digital

The Digital Doha Podcast is supported by funding from the Qatar National Research Foundation, Grant ID #: NPRP12S-0227-190165

Ep 4: “Chaos Antidote” feat. Hadeer Omar

Welcome back to the Digital Doha Podcast, our new series bringing you informative conversations with local experts exploring the cutting-edge of emerging media happening in the dynamic international capital of Doha. Hosted by Spencer Striker, PhD Digital Media prof at Northwestern Qatar, and co-hosted by Shaikha Alkubaisi, Media Info & Tech student at NU-Q. 

Presenting our amazing fourth guest of the season, Hadeer Omar—an Egyptian time-based media artist, designer, and educator. Omar holds an MFA in Design and BFA in Graphic Design. Her work explores cultural identity and memories, the self, and narratives artfully through immersive XR media and technologies, graphics, photography, and video art installations. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor at VCUarts in Qatar, and an artist in residence at Doha Fire Station program in Qatar.

Her work has been showcased in Egypt, Qatar, San Francisco, Austria, Bulgaria, Dubai, and Berlin. “3arabizi keyboard” project was given an honorary mention at the STARTS Prize – Grand prize of the European Commission honoring Innovation in Technology, Industry, and Society Stimulated by the Arts (2017), Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria. The project was showcased at Drive: Volkswagen Group Forum in Berlin, Germany (2017). She served as one of the co-chairs for Tasmeem Doha Art and Design Conference 2019. We hope you enjoy our conversation with one of Doha’s leading innovators in the cutting-edge space of emerging media, immersive XR, and AR/VR Design.

Hosted by: Spencer Striker, PhD

Co-hosted by: Shaikha Alkubaisi

Special Guest: Hadeer Omar

Producer: Shaikha Alkubaisi

Sound Design & Editing: Ayah Mohamedain

Social Media Manager: Samson Mbogo

Project Management: Laiba Mubashar

Emerging Media Research Team: Venus Jin, PhD; Greg Bergida, PhD; John Pavlik, PhD, Justin Gengler, PhD; Farina Amir; and Christopher Fwalanga

Artwork: Fernanda Jimenez

Music and Sound Effects: Courtesy of Epidemic Music

Official links for Special Guest, Hadeer Omar

http://www.hadeeromar.com

https://www.instagram.com/hadeersomar

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadeer-omar-625b2a83

Official website and social media links for the Digital Doha Podcast

https://www.qatarpodcasts.com/digital-doha

https://www.facebook.com/DigitalDoha

https://www.instagram.com/digitaldoha

https://twitter.com/doha_digital

The Digital Doha Podcast is supported by funding from the Qatar National Research Foundation, Grant ID #: NPRP12S-0227-190165