Pixar: Where Math Meets Reality

by Lisa P | More from this Blogger

01 Apr 2008 08:04 PM

I remember being in high school algebra class and wondering: "how am I really going to use this in the real world?" I don't think I was the first math student to wonder such a thing, nor was I the last. It seems that there are even more reasons to take those math classes today than there were in the 1980's.

On Thursday, April 3rd, a scientist from Walt Disney's Pixar Animation Studios will talk to Hamilton College students about "Math in the Movies". Tony DeRose heads the research group at Pixar. He has a bachelor's degree in physics and a Ph.D. in computer science.

Who would guess that someone with those credentials would be working in entertainment?

In his talk at the college chapel, DeRose will use several examples to explain to students exactly how they'll use math and science in the real world and, specifically, in the movie industry. He'll discuss the roles of computer technology, computational physics, geometry and approximation theory in filmmaking. Now math and science have never been my forte but that sounds like a very interesting talk!

On January 24, 2006, The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Studios decided to merge Pixar with The Walt Disney Company. Pixar shareholders approved the deal and the merger became effective on May 5, 2006. Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary of the Disney Company, is an Academy Award-winning computer animation studio. If you have children, then you're familiar with the name Pixar. They are responsible for creating Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars and Ratatouille. These eight movies have earned them 20 Academy Awards and over $4 billion at the box office.

If you are the kind of computer and math whiz that was born to create fantastic family movies, check out the Pixar employment site.

Learn more about Lisa P

Lisa used to be a freelance writer and Community Manager for Families.com, but she has finally made the jump to novelist.

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Michele Cheplic (37339) 07 Apr 2008 03:37 AM

What an incredible opportunity. Though I was the worst student in my math class--up until Algebra II (for some reason I was good at that), though the scientist's talk would probably still go over my head. Still, I'm sure it is right up the alley of some of the students.