From formulas to film

Behind every animated movie is a lot of interesting math. Yale computer scientist Theodore Kim can tell you all about it. Co-leader of the Yale Computer Graphics Group and a former senior research scientist at Pixar Research, he and his team within the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science (SEAS) are focused on the mathematical problem-solving involved in replicating “the diversity of hair” in computer animation. A two-time Academy Award winner for innovative technical achievements in computer animation, Kim is a SEAS associate professor of computer science.