Michael Neff

Michael Neff is a joint professor of Computer Science and Cinema and Digital Media at the University of California, Davis, and the director of the Motion Lab. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and is a certified Laban Movement Analyst. His research focuses on character animation, motion modeling, and nonverbal communication, with a particular emphasis on applying knowledge from the performing arts to the development of animation tools. His work spans the intersection of computing and human motion, involving areas such as virtual reality, motion perception, interaction technologies, and biomechanics. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, the Alain Fournier Award, and the Isadora Duncan Award for Visual Design, and has presented influential research at numerous international conferences.

• 2009–Present·University of California, Davis·Professor
  • Leads research at the Motion Lab, focusing on areas such as character animation, nonverbal communication, virtual reality, and motion modeling.
  • Fostered collaboration among arts and technology communities on campus, integrating fields such as computer science, dance, and geology.
• 2005–2009·Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Germany·Postdoctoral Researcher
  • Conducted research on gesture modeling and nonverbal communication, developing statistical models for generating nonverbal behaviors.

• 2000–2005·University of Toronto·Ph.D.
  • Specialized in computer graphics and character animation; doctoral thesis received the Alain Fournier Award.
• 1995–1999·University of British Columbia·B.Sc.
  • Majored in Computer Science, building a broad technical foundation.