ACM/SIGGRAPH Pioneers Announce Next Online Panel
PIONEERS of Computer Graphics for Medical Applications
Media Contact:
media@siggraph.org
Press Room:
s2026.siggraph.org/for-the-press/
On January 14, 2026, at 8:00 pm Eastern, the ACM/SIGGRAPH Pioneers will present the next in our year-round series of panels on topics of importance to the computer graphics and interactive techniques communities.
Panelists have been selected to provide a diverse overview on how computer graphics, 3D printing, AR, VR and AI have evolved and are being used today in the medical profession. Topics vary from the earliest work in molecular visualization to creating animation for surgical techniques for Abbot, Medtronic, and Johnson & Johnson using software like Maya, ZBrush, V-Ray and Unreal, to the 3D design and manufacture of prosthetic limbs, to developing video games for physical therapy, interactive training for nurses, and AI-powered immersive platforms and technical standards for XR in healthcare.
The Panel is open to all ACM/SIGGRAPH Pioneers and their associates, you can register at this zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_we_7IrECRdSJV7Tekybg5A
The ACM/SIGGRAPH Pioneers are a seasoned group of computer graphics influencers from the fields of education, research, engineering, and entertainment. The group originated in 1980 with one requirement for membership – 20 or more years of professional experience in the computer graphics or interactive techniques industries. The Pioneers have committed to serve the worldwide computer graphics community in a variety of year-round ways, including presenting panels with experts on wide-ranging topics of interest. For links to all previous panels and other videos, click this link: Pioneers Panels and other Videos
Ed Kramer
Chair, ACM/SIGGRAPH Pioneers
PANELIST BIOS:
NELSON MAX received a PhD in Mathematics from Harvard University in 1967, and started working on computer animation for mathematics visualization in 1969. He has worked for most of his career at the University of California (Berkeley and Davis campuses, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory). His research interests are in the areas of scientific visualization, computer animation, realistic computer graphics rendering, multi-view stereo reconstruction, and augmented reality. In visualization he worked on molecular graphics, and on volume and flow visualization, particularly on irregular finite element meshes. He has rendered realistic lighting effects in clouds, trees, and water waves, and has produced numerous computer animations, shown at the annual ACM SIGGRAPH conferences, and in OMNIMAX stereo at the Fujitsu Pavilions at Expo ’85 in Tsukuba Japan, and Expo ’90 in Osaka Japan. He is a Fellow of the ACM, and the winner of its 2007 Steven A. Coons award.
RAYMOND (RANDY) NELSON: Illustration is in my DNA. I’m fascinated with all things microscopic. The extraordinary capabilities of today’s 3D applications coupled with my imagination has led to a range of explorations that merge fantasy, biology, and everything in between. I have been an animator and illustrator for over 30 years, specializing in medical animation — anatomy, surgical procedures, medical devices, and VR panoramic imagery. I created original artwork for Fortune 500 companies including Abbot, Medtronic, and Johnson & Johnson. https://www.raymondnelsen.com
PAUL DIEFENBACH, PhD, is Associate Professor in Drexel University’s Digital Media department and founder of the RePlay Lab. He leads research in BCI, neuroplasticity, healthcare games, and serious games, and co-founded two healthcare tech companies focused on active video games for physical therapy and medical simulation training for nurses. His groundbreaking 1996 Ph.D. on multi-pass rendering shaped the foundation of modern real-time graphics. He has worked with NASA, the Army, Lockheed, Sony, Microsoft, and Boeing, and has presented worldwide, including at SIGGRAPH.
MATT DOMBROWSKI is a Professor of Emerging Media at UCF and Creative Director at Limbitless Solutions, a nonprofit that provides prosthetic arms at no cost to children. He develops EMG-powered training video games, video game–based therapy tools, mixed-reality medical experiences, and CGI for bionic design. Limbitless partners with Marvel, 343 Industries, Ubisoft, and Riot Games, and collaborates with hospitals on clinical trials. Learn more: Limbitless Solutions Overview
LAURA KUSUMOTO is a technology strategist and innovation leader whose career spans immersive computing, enterprise innovation, and digital health. She pioneered multi-user virtual environments for medical simulation at Forterra Systems and has led AR/VR/AI initiatives across Meta, Deloitte, Disney, LEGO, Intuit, Kaiser Permanente, and the VA. She now advises startups building AI-powered immersive health platforms and serves on multiple boards advancing XR in healthcare. https://www.iterationzero.io/
Moderator:
Dr. William J. Joel, Professor Emeritus at Western Connecticut State University, recently retired after thirty-nine years in academia. He directs the Computer Graphics & Animation Research Projects initiative and serves on the Steering Committee for the Massive Collaborative Animation Projects Initiative.
