{"id":24448,"date":"2025-02-18T13:15:41","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T19:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/?p=24448"},"modified":"2025-02-18T13:15:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T19:15:47","slug":"new-ph-d-in-visual-computing-and-interactive-media-to-debut-in-fall-semester","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/18\/new-ph-d-in-visual-computing-and-interactive-media-to-debut-in-fall-semester\/","title":{"rendered":"New Ph.D. In Visual Computing And Interactive Media To Debut In Fall Semester"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
A doctorate in Visual Computing and Interactive Media<\/a> will debut in the fall semester <\/em>to <\/em>complement the programs in Visualization. It is the first doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in the Texas A&M College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visual computing and interactive media play an essential part of everyday life, said Don House<\/a>, interim program director for the degree and senior professor. A smartphone is a perfect example, he said, as everything within it is run by programs that use the science and technology of visual computing, while the device itself is a form of interactive media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is real, and it affects our lives,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Ph.D. program will be working on techniques to advance the science and technology that make things like your phone and your computer work better \u2014 to do more fantastic things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tim McLaughlin<\/a>, dean of the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, said the program provides another way that the college and Texas A&M will be able to contribute to defining the field of visual computing and interactive media, as well as the transference and application of emerging technologies to the state\u2019s industries and arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe collection of resources available in the college and the timing of this degree relative to the rapid growth in uses of visual computing, machine learning and interactive technologies are ideal for the success of the program\u2019s graduates,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The degree has long been a passion for House, who joined Texas A&M in 1992 as director of Visualization programs, when Visualization was a lab within the College of Architecture. House brought a computer science background to his role with a focus on curriculum development for the Master of Science in Visualization Sciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n House helped the lab grow into a department in 2007 \u2014 led by McLaughlin \u2014 which allowed it to develop a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Fine Arts degree alongside the original Master of Science in Visualization Sciences program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following year, House joined Clemson University, where he helped to develop its M.F.A. curriculum in Digital Production Arts. He retired in 2017, but returned to Texas A&M in 2021 on a part-time basis. As the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts<\/a> came together in 2022, McLaughlin \u2014 now dean of the new college \u2014 asked House to focus on the creation of the Ph.D. program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That singular concentration on creating the degree proposal and pushing it through was essential to getting it across the finish line, House said, as was the development of a strong, tech-oriented core faculty \u2014 11 Ph.D. faculty members<\/a> \u2014 to support the degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDr. House is a pioneer in computer graphics,\u201d McLaughlin said. \u201cHis understanding is not only the computer science aspects of the curriculum but the relationship of the science to the human experience through visual art and design and interaction design. He sees these areas as inseparably entwined for the future of visual computing, and this was critical for the goals of the program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n House noted that discussions about this degree among Visualization faculty go all the way back to 2008. After a 17-year journey, it is now a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt feels like a huge relief,\u201d House said. \u201cIt\u2019s very exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students admitted to the program should be equipped to take on advanced academic studies and original field research, House said. They should have a multidisciplinary background in arts and sciences, and be skilled in computer science and mathematics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among the key areas studied are shape modeling; image analysis and synthesis; computer graphics; game design and development; digital twins; virtual and augmented reality; and human-robot interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Artificial intelligence and its integration with visual data will play a significant role in the program, House said. The application of AI is enhancing everyday devices and major industries \u2014 including health care and aerospace \u2014 and powering advancements in data visualization, animation, robotics and human-computer interaction, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAreas of Emphasis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n