Member Profile: June Kim
1. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
I am a lecturer who teaches a course called ‘Programming for Visual designers’, which introduces programming as a creative process at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). I am a PhD student at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Art & Design school and my aim is to practice and research in the Immersive Environment artistic medium and consider the role of art and artists in social change. I started these positions in 2016. One year between my masters and prior to my PhD studies, I undertook a research associate position to create 360 images and a video-based virtual environment of a jaguar corridor which aims to create expert elicitation in a project led by a Laureate professor Kerrie Mengersen at the School of Mathematical Sciences at QUT.
2. What was your first job?
My first job was as an activity coordinator at an international [junior] high school in New Zealand when I studied my degree. I organise day and weekend trips and travelled with students around beautiful New Zealand, my activities included riding horses, kayaking and swimming with dolphins etc.
I started my first professional job at the Flux animation studio, New Zealand with a two weeks contract but it was extended to over seven years. When I left the studio, I first paid attention to my official title as ‘head of editing & compositing’ which aligned with my recommendation letter but I worked more likely a generalist doing not only CG work but also crafting props such as making puppets with socks to film a stop motion and drawing overlay layers for 2D animation projects.
3. Where did you complete your formal education?
From the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in New Zealand I received the following degrees: a Bachelor of Business in IT, a PGDip. in Communication studies, and a Masters of Creative Technology with Honours.
4. How did you first get involved with ACM SIGGRAPH?
I applied for a SV program, SIGGRAPH Asia 2010 when I went back to study my PGDip in Communication studies in 2010. Even though I was already in the industry for several years, I realised that I knew very little about the CG industry at SIGGRAPH. SIGGRAPH opened my eyes up wide.
Next year, I joined as a team leader at the SV program at the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011, Hong Kong. I started volunteering as an International Resources Committee member since SIGGRAPH 2014, Vancouver.
5. What is your favorite memory of a SIGGRAPH conference?
For me, SIGGRAPH Vancouver 2014 is a big gift with full of surprises and great memories.
It was my first attendance to a main SIGGRAPH conference but I wore multiple hats: an international resources committee, a S3 reviewer and a presenter at the CG in Australia.
CG in Australasia is one of the most popular events that an International resources committee runs every year and it is usually the first session of the first day of SIGGRAPH. I really appreciated the opportunity to present my talk on CG in Australasia thanks to Tomasz Bednarz.
Thanks to Chris Van Noy-March, I also had an opportunity to do a S3 Review. It was amazing to see how passionate and imaginative students were! It was a great experience that provided opportunities for us to interact and share our experiences and thoughts. I also became friends with students as I reviewed their portfolios. One student who brought the brilliant looking portfolio was Alex Bryant. Again thanks to Alex, I am writing my profile as a SIGGRAPH member.
The most important moment in my life was when I found my other-half at SIGGRAPH. Both of us live in the southern hemisphere but we had to travel far to the northern hemisphere to find each other.
6. Describe a project that you would like to share with the ACM SIGGRAPH community.
Several Projects include SIGGGRAPH Asia 2019 BRISBANE, june.matters.today, and Web3D art gallery curation at the world largest screen facility CUBE.
SIGGGRAPH Asia 2019 BRISBANE
We work with Brisbane Marketing and Brisbane Convention Bureau with has support from the Queensland government, universities and industries in Australia and New Zealand. The team is comprised of Tomasz Bednarz, Juliet Alabaster, Vibhor Pandey and I, and we endeavour to open up an opportunity to host SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. I hope to meet many of you in the first but not last SIGGRAPH Asia in Brisbane, Australia. I hope to take away unique experiences in both Australia’s nature and advanced smart city technologies.
june.matters.today
My practice and research interests lie in investigation and experimenting with VE as an artistic medium and also role and impact of artists and art in the social change which is evidenced from the year of modernism. I fortunately, had an opportunity to work in the Peruvian Amazon to take and process 360 images and videos regarding jaguar habitats for around three weeks and became deeply immersed in the significance of conservation. I gradually filled my website with the progress my research and practice on these interests so please visit my website and alert to me your suggestions anytime.
Web3D art gallery curation at the world largest screen facility CUBE
At the present moment I am curating an art gallery as a part of Web3D conference 2017 http://web3d2017.web3d.org with Ina Conradi Chavez (NTU) at the world’s largest screen facility, CUBE http://www.thecube.qut.edu.au/, QUT. This will rerun at Media Art Nexus NTU http://mediaartnexus.com/man/, Singapore in October 11-13.
7. If you could have dinner with one living or non-living person, who would it be and why?
I wish to have dinner with one living AND non-living person.
Jackie Morie
I first attended her session at FMX 2015. Her session and my further study on her work raised my interest to study and motivated me to practice further in a field of immersive VE and a topic of Women in a field of immersive arts. Especially, for last six months I have read many of her articles, papers and thesis. I hope I will have an opportunity to meet her at SIGGRAPH 2017 and I hope to have a dinner with her.
Friedrich Nietzche
I got to know Nietzche’s work from my junior high school material and searched him from my encyclopedia (not via google). Since then, I have read his books a number of times. His thoughts and my interpretation of his words have substantially influenced to my life. I had a dream of walking with a 35 years old Nietzche once a long time ago.
8. What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am a ambidextrous as I write with both hands. I read and write from both ‘left to right’ and ‘right to left’. This has pros and cons as I lack feeling or preference when differentiating physically ‘left’ and ‘right’ from and socio-politically and/or philosophically. I am rather obsessed with the concept of symmetry based on my own rules.
9. From which single individual have you learned the most in your life? What did they teach you?
Two sets of individuals that come to mind are: My Parents and Dr. Marcus Henning
My Parents
When I was struggling to start my study in NZ in my first year of university, my parents suggested a family travel. I said, yes without knowing that it would end up being over one year on a family road trip. Feelings and the process of numerous experiences that my family shared on that trip has affected to my life.
Dr. Marcus Henning
I first met Marcus at the learning development centre at AUT after the trip. If I did not meet Marcus, I would probably end up studying only to graduate level, but then I would not enjoy and further question life. While knowing him over 15 years, he has not only been providing me with in-depth academic advice but always guides me to how to think deeply and critically and live in the ‘flow’. Happy 60th Birthday Marcus! I love his mindful but critical approach to see the world with the sense of (British) wit.
10. Is there someone in particular who has influenced your decision to work with ACM SIGGRAPH?
Two individuals include: Tomasz Bednarz and Scott Owen
Tomasz Bednarz
He is a warm hearted with big passion in sharing knowledge and skills in our communities not only at ACM SIGGRAPH but also in local communities. I am always inspired and learn from him daily.
Scott Owen
Once I discussed with him about further participation with SIGGRAPH, Tomasz suggested I contact Scott Owen for further advice. Although I could not fully agree with the idea to bother a public figure of SIGGRAPH, I did as Tomasz really believed in that.
Yes, indeed! He replied to my email kindly and also we had a meeting at SIGGRAPH 2016 for almost an hour. He provided me with very thoughtful advice on my path and further participation in the future of SIGGRAPH. I really appreciate his advice and I wish to be like Scott Own at SIGGRAPH. I appreciate and respect his endeavour to initiate SIGGRAPH Asia.
11. What can you point to in your career as your proudest moment?
It is difficult to pick ‘the most’ or ‘the best’ moment. Besides, I do not engage with the feeling of ‘being ‘proud’. I enjoy a few moments to give a big hug to myself if I were a friend of myself. When I secretly feel that I did something decent for people and/or communities, thus I cannot reveal anything more.