Victoria and Weta Digital power growth in Wellington

A new PhD scholarship in computer graphics at Victoria University, established by Weta Digital, will strengthen the drive by the two organisations to develop graduates who can power growth in Wellington’s digital industries.

The Weta scholarship, which covers PhD fees for three years and offers an annual $25,000 stipend, is also expected to provide opportunities for the successful recipient to work on research projects at and with Weta Digital.

Professor Neil Quigley, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), says the PhD scholarship is both an exciting opportunity for an individual and an excellent example of the benefits of universities and industry working together.

“Input from Weta Digital, an international leader in its field, helps ensure that the computer graphics programme that we offer is not only academically challenging, but also relevant to what industry needs.”

Weta Digital’s Chief Technology Officer, Sebastian Sylwan, says the PhD scholarship is part of Weta’s commitment to building a strong eco-system in the capital’s entertainment and digital industries.

“For anyone looking for a university where they will be supported to carry out leading-edge Computer Graphics research at the PhD level, a driving factor is the relevance and applicability of the research itself.

“This scholarship will allow someone to do high quality research and have a connection to an international leader in computer graphics.”

Victoria’s computer graphics programme is unique in Australasia in the way it blends computer science and design.

The content is also unique with students investigating a combination of technical and visual innovation that is ideally suited to the needs of New Zealand’s entertainment and digital technologies industries.

Weta Digital, together with other technology companies, has played a key role in developing the specialisation at Victoria, which is now in its second year. To initiate the programme, in 2011, Weta Digital organised a lecture series which brought top computer graphics researchers from leading research labs worldwide to speak at Victoria.

Courses in the computer graphics programme have been taught by staff from Weta Digital and PikPok (formerly Sidhe Interactive).

Computer graphics students have had feedback from staff at Weta Digital about their projects and Weta Digital expects to hire graduates from the programme. PikPok and Unlimited Realities, another digital industry technology leader, are also expected to consider graduates from the programme.

The successful applicant for the scholarship will be supervised by staff at Victoria University and will report regularly to Weta Digital.

Applications for the scholarship are open. To find out more, visit:

http://www.fis.org.nz/BreakOut/vuw/schols.phtml?detail+500707

Visit http://www.computergraphics.ac.nz for more on Victoria’s computer graphics programme.

To read the article posted on the Stuff website, click on the link below:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/8755921/Weta-Digital-offers-scholarship