Colin Smith

Last updated March 7th 2011
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Colin Smith

Burbank, CA USA


http://zkwarl.blogspot.com

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SUMMARY

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I am a computer scientist, with research experience in computer graphics with applications to geometric and biological modelling and industrial experience with hardware-accelerated and cluster-based solutions for electromagnetic simulations

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SKILLS

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research, computer science, biology, programming, C++, C, OpenGL, Python, modelling, biological modelling, procedural modelling, geometric modelling, L-systems, entertainment, animation

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WORK EXPERIENCE

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October, 2008
Software Engineer

DreamWorks Animation

Glendale, CA, USA

Development of character rigging and animation tools

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August, 2007 - July, 2008
Software Developer

Acceleware Corp.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Worked on the FDTD product, used for simulating electromagnetic fields, including the development of features using hardware acceleration on graphics hardware and design and implementation of cluster-based solutions

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March 10, 2007 - July 24, 2007
Research Assistant

UC Davis, Plant Sciences

Davis, California, USA

Maintenance and development of new features for the L-PEACH model, an L-system model of hydrocarbon distribution in peach trees.

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January 15, 2006 - January 15, 2007
Post-doctoral researcher

ENSAM/INRA Montpellier

Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillion, France

Development of a simulation of a growing apple tree based on statistical and biomechanical principles. This simulation is an L-system implemented in L+C. Analysis of the results was done using Python.

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May, 2001 - December, 2006
Research Assistant

University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Maintenance and development of the VLAB for Linux, and maintenance for L-Studio, software suites used for developping models using L-systems (information on this software available at http://algorithmicbotany.org/virtual_laboratory).

Creation of the digital edition of The Algorithmic Beauty of Plants (available for free download at http://algorithmicbotany.org/papers/#abop)

Assistance in creating assets and models for various publications and research projects.

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September, 2001 - December, 2001
Teacher Assistant

University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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1999 - 2000
Programmer

Mount Royal College

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Migration of a legacy database and maintenance of database reports

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May, 1998 - August, 1998
Assistant Technician

Microserve

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Assistant PC hardware technician for custom-built computers, hardware problem diagnoses and warranty repairs

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MOVIE AND TV CREDITS

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Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space (2009; credit on DVD release)

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PUBLICATIONS

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Refereed Publications

Faramarz Samavati, Hamid-Reza Pakdel, Colin Smith and Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz. Reverse Loop Subdivision. To appear in the Iranian Journal of Mathematical Sciences and Informatics, 1(3), 2006.

D. da Silva, and F. Boudon. and C. Godin. and O. Puech, and C. Smith and H. Sinoquet. A Critical Appraisal of the Box Counting Method to Assess the Fractal Dimension of Tree Crowns. Lecture Notes in Computer Sciences (Proceedings of ISVC 2006), 9241:751-760, 2006.

Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, Faramarz Samavati, Colin Smith, and Radoslaw Karwowski. L-system description of subdivision curves. International Journal of Shape Modeling, 9(1):41-59, June 2003.

Colin Smith, Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, and Faramarz Samavati. Local specification of surface subdivision algorithms. Presented at the Workshop on Applications of Graph Transformations with Industrial Relevance AGTIVE 2003, in Charlottesville, VA, September 27 to October 1, 2003. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 3062:313-327 (Springer).
Note: Versions of L-system description of subdivision curves and Relational specification of surface subdivision algorithms have appeared as part of notes for the SIGGRAPH 2003 course L-systems and beyond.

Refereed Presented Abstracts

Colin Smith and Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz. Simulation Modeling of Growing Tissues. Presented at the 4th International Workshop on Functional-Structural Plant Models in Montpellier, France, June 7-11.

Doctoral Dissertation

Colin Smith. On Vertex-Vertex Systems and Their Use in Geometric and Biological Modelling. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Calgary. 2006.

Technical Reports

Faramarz Samavati, Hamid-Reza Pakdel, Colin Smith and Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz. _Reverse
Loop Subdivision_. Technical Report 2003-730-33 for the Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary. November 4, 2003.

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RESEARCH

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I have been involved in with the L-PEACH project, an L-system simulation of hydrocarbon distribution in peach trees. My work primarily involves the addition of statistical descriptions of the trees' architecture.

In my post-doctoral research, I have developped a simulation of a growing apple tree. The simulation is based on statistical descriptions, by use of Markov chains, of the branching patterns of apple trees and biomechanical principles to calculate the form of the tree based on the properties of the wood.

My doctoral research was on developping a methodology for modelling dynamic, discrete surfaces. This research has applications in geometric modelling (e.g., to implement subdivision surfaces) and in biological modelling (e.g., to implement growing cellular tissues).

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AWARDS AND HONORS

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Best Long Presentation at the Workshop on Applications of Graph Transformations with Industrial Relevance. October, 2003. Awarded for the presentation of the paper Local Specification of Surface Subdivision Algorithms

Alberta Heritage Graduate Student Scholarship. $2000.00, awarded by the government of Alberta, 2003.

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EDUCATION

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September, 2001 - June, 2006

University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta

Doctor of Philosophy

  • Computer Science

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September, 1997 - August, 2001

University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta

Bachelor of Science

  • Computer Science

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COURSE WORK

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Graduate Course Work

  • Information Storage and Processing in Biological Systems
  • Modeling and Visualization of Plants
  • Geometric Modelling
  • Modeling and Visualization of Biological Systems
  • Information Visualisation

Notable Undergraduate Course Work

  • Computer Graphics I & II
  • Introduction to Image Analysis and Computer Vision
  • Games Programming

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