Robert L. Cook(December 10, 1952) is acomputer graphicsresearcher and developer, and the co-creator of theRenderManrenderingsoftware.His contributions are considered to be highly influential in the field of animated arts.[2][3]

Robert L. Cook
Born(1952-12-10)December 10, 1952(age 71)
NationalityAmerican
Scientific career
FieldsComputer science

In 2009, Cook was elected a member of theNational Academy of Engineeringfor building the motion picture industry's standard rendering tool.

Cook was born inKnoxville, Tennesseeand educated atDuke UniversityandCornell University.While at Cornell, Cook worked withDonald P. Greenberg.

Education

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  • B.S. in physics, 1973, Duke University, N.C.
  • M.S. in computer graphics, 1981, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.

Career

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Robert Cook at Stanford University in February 2010.

Robert Cook was involved withLucasfilmand later had the position as Vice President ofSoftware DevelopmentatPixar Animation Studios,which he left in 1989.[4]In November 2016, he became the Commissioner of theTechnology Transformation Serviceof the U.S.General Services Administration.[5]

Computer Animation Rendering

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Awards

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References

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  1. ^"Rob Cook - Commissioner, TTS".U.S. General Services Administration. Archived fromthe originalon 2017-05-14.Retrieved2017-04-13.
  2. ^abc"Rob Cook".Academy Awards Database.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
  3. ^"Once a Physicist: Rob Cook".Institute of Physics. 2017-02-06.
  4. ^Former Pixar Exec Heads to GSA's Technology Transformation Service
  5. ^"Former Pixar Exec Rob Cook Named GSA Tech Transformation Service Chief".ExecutiveGov. 2016.Retrieved2016-11-01.
  6. ^"Robert L Cook".ACM Fellows.ACM. 1999. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-03-01.Retrieved2010-01-23.Cook invented Monte-Carlo rendering methods for antialiasing, motion blur, depth-of-field, glossy reflections, and translucency. Cook pioneered shading languages and physics-based shading, and co-authored the Renderman software.