User:Skydeas

Skydeas is the web name for Jacquelyn Ford Morie, a researcher at the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies. She was instrumental in the startup of this prestigious research lab, which began in 1999 as an Army sponosred "University Affiliated Research Center (UARC)".

Before ICT, she spent six years in the animation and effects industry at Disney Feature Animation, Blue Sky|VIFX and the award winning Rhythm & Hues, creating specialized training programs for both traditional and digital aspects of production. From 1990 to 1994, Morie worked as an artist, researcher and educator in Virtual Reality technologies at the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Simulation and Training in Orlando. Her Virtual Reality work involved creating scenarios and environments designed to evoke emotional responses from their participants. In addition, she served as a Visiting Assistant Professor for UCF’s new Film and Animation Program, developing a complete Computer Animation degree specialization.

Morie has been an active member of the ACM SIGGRAPH Community since 1984 and is currently Director at Large on the Executive Council of ACM SIGGRAPH. Morie was also responsible for the startup of the ACM SIGGRAPH Digital Arts Committee, whose focus is to expand and enhance the arts community presence within SIGGRAPH.

She is a member of ACM, ACM SIGGRAPH, the International Digital Games Association (IDGA), the International Visual Effects Society, Women and Games International, the International Society for the Arts, Sciences, and Technology, the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA), and the International Society of Presence Research (ISPR). She is an active speaker on all aspects of Virtual Reality and Virtual Worlds, especially in their potential for real world good. She earned her doctorate from the University of East London on theories of space and embodiment in immersive virtual environments.