Texas A&M University College of Performance,
Visualization & Fine Arts
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University College of Performance,
Visualization & Fine Arts

LIVE Lab’s Node And Code Conference Brings Tech Art Industry Partners to Texas A&M

The conference continues tomorrow with speaker presentations in the Liberal Arts and Arts & Humanities Building. 

March 20, 2026 By Bailey Brown

2 min. read

A group off university students are seated in a classroom, they are looking at the man presenting in front of the class, there is a projection screen in front of the class with an image of dynamic squiggles and lines.
Students heard a presentation from Xray Halperin, senior technical artist at Insomniac Games, during Node and Code on March 20 in the Liberal Arts and Arts & Humanities Building. Photo by Igor Kraguljac.

The Learning Interactive Visualization Experience (LIVE) Lab’s Node and Code event began today and continues tomorrow in the Liberal Arts and Arts & Humanities Building. 

The technical art conference aims to bring industry leaders to campus to offer insight into tech-art innovations, said Aaron Thibault, director of LIVE Lab and director for games and esports.

“This is an excellent opportunity for students to network with some of the best in the tech art and entertainment industry,” he said. “I’m really excited for how relevant and important the talks are for the students, and for the group we have assembled here to see the value and want to stay engaged with us.”

Friday’s speakers included Michael Gayk, M.F.A., academic graduate program director for Visualization and instructional associate professor; Xray Halperin, senior technical artist at Insomniac Games; and Macey McCuller, graduate of the Visualization program and technical artist.

Tomorrow’s session will start at 8 a.m. with breakfast, followed by a welcome at 9 a.m. in LAAH 124. Presentations will start at 9:30 a.m. and continue through 2 p.m., featuring John Estes, lead technical artist at LIVE Lab; Doyeon Kim, technical artist at EA Sports; Jeff Morris, D.M.A., professor in the Music program; and Stephen Palmer, former development director at Unity Technologies.

A networking mixer will end the conference from 3 to 5 p.m. in LAAH 124. 

Registration is required. Find more information and the schedule at the Node and Code website.

A man stands in a classroom with a projector screen behind him with colorful animations on it.
Aaron Thibault, director of LIVE Lab and director for games and esports, said the conference aims to bring industry leaders to campus to offer insight into tech-art innovations. Photo by Igor Kraguljac.
A man is standing at a podium stand in a classroom, behind him is a projector with an image of the character Spiderman and the text: “Insomniac Games, Xray Halperin, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Ten Years of Procedural Content Creation at Insomniac Games Texas A&M Node and Code 2026"
Xray Halperin is a senior technical artist at Insomniac Games. Photo by Igor Kraguljac.

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