Siggraph--A blurb by Lauren for those interested or in the dark...

Hi guys, So I've noticed that Siggraph 2011 as started accepting applications for their student volunteer positions. Yay! It runs from August 7 - 11, 2011.

In summary, Siggraph is one of the largest Computer Graphics Conferences in the US (and now for the very first time out of the country in Vancouver). It's hosted by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) which is pretty much the entire computer research and development community at large. ACM is separated into different categories depending on what type of research occurs.

For example, there's SIGART for artificial intelligence, SIGEVO for genetic computations, and SIGGRAPH for computer graphics and interactive techniques.

Every year, SIGGRAPH hosts a conference, which bring us back to the open application for student volunteers. If you're accepted as a volunteer, it's a 5 day conference and they pay for your entrance fee. The catch is you work for 18 hours throughout the week as a volunteer assisting with the conference. They don't cover room or board, but if we have enough friends we can make a decent room much cheaper.

At this conference it's not so much about traditional animation and illustration but more about current and emerging technologies and explanations how they created the more technology savvy parts of films and games as well as about new ways of interactivity.

I'd still suggest any CG animator to go because it's a great experience, and guess what: it's in VANCOUVER! totally excited about that. I've never been to Canada, but Vancouver is morphing into one of the key hotspots for the animation industry at the moment.

Here's the link to the student volunteer portion of their site:
http://www.siggraph.org/s2011/for_volunteers/student-volunteers

The deadline is February 14th, but be aware that to be a student volunteer at this event is insanely competitive and a bit of priority goes to those who apply first.... granted even if you don't get accepted you won't find out until maybe in spring, so it doesn't hurt to apply just in case.

Good luck to those who apply!