Member Profile: Rehan Zia
1. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
I am a Principal Academic at the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University, U.K. I have been teaching for the last 20 years and really love what I do. I also do photography that is very much informed by my visual effects knowledge and practice.
2. What was your first job?
My first job was working as a 3D artist.
3. Where did you complete your formal education?
I did my MA in Digital Effects and PhD from Bournemouth University, U.K. My previous Masters in Computer Science is from Iqra University and my BSc (Hons) in Computing is from the University of Staffordshire.
4. How did you first get involved with ACM SIGGRAPH?
I was exposed to the internal workings of 3D software when I went to participate at an ACM Softcom Competition at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technoology during the second year of my undergraduate degree back in 2002. I started following Siggraph and have progressively become more active taking part in the events organised by the London Chapter and more recently as a member of the education committee.
5. What is your favorite memory of a SIGGRAPH conference?
Being in the company of some of the most estimted researchers, educators and professionals in CG during a keynote – people that I have looked up to throughout my career.
6. Describe a project that you would like to share with the ACM SIGGRAPH community.
When I started trying to learn CG skills to become a lighting and compositing artists, I came to realise that the core craft skills need to be learnt in the real world working with physical cameras, lights and objects and translating the processes to the digital realm becomes a far easier experience than trying to learn these skills within software. The immidiacy, tactility and laws of nature that you have working in the real world has great value in learning and practice. At the same time, the ability to bend the rules of nature, the power of infinate undo’s and visualising things in the digital domain provide an unprecedented amount of flexibility to the creative process. I now teach, research and practice across the real, digital and virtual worlds hopping from one to the other depending on whichever one suits best to the process at hand.
7. If you could have dinner with one living or non-living person, who would it be and why?
Ibn al-haytham. I would like to know his learning and experimentation processes as well as work ethic.
8. What is something most people don’t know about you?
I DO go to the gym! 🙂
9. From which single individual have you learned the most in your life? What did they teach you?
My grandfather who taught me so many things about taking responsibility, working under pressure, negotiation, having faith, perseverence, striving hard and being determined to acheive your goals .
10. Is there someone in particular who has influenced your decision to work with ACM SIGGRAPH?
There are many but in particular I have been really inspired by the efforts of Glenn Goldman, Bill Joel and Nick Jushchyshyn.
11. What can you point to in your career as your proudest moment?
One of the times I got a standing ovation from a lecture hall full of my students after delivering a lecture about failure.