Thomson Reuters named Stevens as having one of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds” for 2014. The honor recognizes the authors of the top 1 percent most-cited articles in their field. His numerous research accolades include the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Young Investigator Award, Beckman Foundation’s Young Investigator Award, the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Outstanding Performance Award, the Jouan Robotics Award, the Sidhu Award, a Chinese Academy of Sciences Distinguished Visiting Professorship at Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, the Qian Ren Award, the Zhao Chenggu SIMM Award for International Drug Discovery and USC Alumnus of the Year.

Richard Weinberg, Ph.D., is a research associate professor in DADA at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He earned a B.S. in computer science and psychology at Cornell University, an M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science from the University of Minnesota, and received their Computer Science and Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003. Prior to joining USC, he developed computer graphics software for tropical storm analysis at Control Data, produced 3D computer animation software and animated films simulating future flights and operations of the space shuttle at NASA and Lockheed Electronics, and founded the Computer Graphics Group at supercomputer manufacturer Cray Research. He joined USC in 1985 as the founding director of the USC Computer Animation Laboratory, and has been instrumental in expanding the role of computer animation and digital technology at the School ever since.

Alex McDowell RDI studied Fine Art (Painting) at Central School of Art in London, where he collided with the music industry at the beginning of the punk era. He started designing record sleeves and music videos for musicians from the Cure to Madonna, which led to his work in commercials and cinema as a renowned production designer with more than 20 feature films to his credit, working with directors Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, Terry Gilliam, Anthony Minghella, Tim Burton, Zack Snyder, and many others. His awards include Royal Designer for Industry by the UK’s RSA (2006), the President's Award (UK Designers & Art Directors, 2013), the Future Voice Award (Interaction Awards, 2014), the ADG Excellence in Production Design (2005), and SDFCS (2002); and nominations for BAFTA (2006), Saturn (2010), OFTA (2003, 2006), and VES (2003). He serves on the IDEAS board at Autodesk, the Freeman Design Council, the Technicolor Technology Committee, the Science and Entertainment Exchange at the Academy of Science.

By day Todd Richmond is the director of the Mixed Reality Lab and Advanced Prototypes Group at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, as well as the Mixed Reality Studio at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. By night he is a musician and conceptual troublemaker. In a previous life Todd was a chemistry professor at The Claremont Colleges. Early-on he incorporated multimedia and web technologies into his teaching and research, leading him to pursue a broader understanding of technology and content at USC. He works in emerging technologies and their implications/applications for training, learning, operations, and humanity. On the music tip he has studied with Grammy-winning bassist Victor Wooten, and performs regularly around southern California in a variety of ensembles. Todd earned a B.A. in chemistry from the University of San Diego, Ph.D in chemistry from Caltech, and was a post-doctoral fellow in protein engineering at U.C. San Francisco. At USC he has also taught in the School for Cinematic Arts and Marshall School MBA program. As an invited speaker at TEDx, SxSW and other events, he often serves as a reality-check for AR, VR, AI, IoT, and other emerging disruptive technologies with abbreviations.

toddr@usc.edu

Helen Berman is a Board of Governors Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University and a former director of the RCSB Protein Data Bank (one of the member organizations of the Worldwide Protein Data Bank). A structural biologist, her work includes structural analysis of protein-nucleic acid complexes, and the role of water in molecular interactions. She is also the founder and director of the Nucleic Acid Database, and leads the Protein Structure Initiative Structural Genomics Knowledgebase.

berman@rcsb.rutgers.edu

Gotsis has a broad background in arts, design and engineering with a special interest in interactive entertainment applications for health, happiness and rehabilitation. She founded and leads USC's Games for Health Initiative since 2007, connecting health professionals with innovation in various forms of interactive media. She is co-founder and director of the Creative Media & Behavioral Health Center, an organized research unit between the School of Cinematic Arts and the Keck School of Medicine, which was established in 2010. This center designs, develops and evaluates entertainment applications at the intersection of behavioral science, medicine and public health.

mgotsis@cinema.usc.edu

Rick Loverd directs a program of the National Academy of Sciences called The Science & Entertainment Exchange. The Exchange's mission is to inspire better science in Hollywood by introducing entertainment professionals to great science communicators. Since launching in 2008, they have completed more than 1,400 consults including IRON MAN 2, THOR, TRON: LEGACY, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, STAR TREK: INTO THE DARKNESS, MAN OF STEEL, Fringe, CASTLE, BOURNE: LEGACY, The Good Wife, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, BIG HERO SIX, and 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE.

rloverd@nas.edu

Angela Walker is the Assistant Director of the Bridge Institute, a multidisciplinary research institute that connects scientists, engineers, and artists from all backgrounds. At the Bridge Institute, Angela leads efforts for program design, policy development, personnel administration, budget, intellectual property management; regulatory compliance; research dissemination; marketing and public relations, fundraising and teaching or research directly related to program.

walkeran@usc.edu