Jernej Barbič

Jernej Barbič is a Slovenian mathematician and professor at the University of Southern California, recognized for his significant contributions to computer graphics and visual effects in the film industry. He has recently gained prominence for receiving an Oscar for Scientific and Technical Achievement for his work on the software ziva VFX, which has been utilized in over 60 blockbuster films. Barbič, who hails from a small village near Most na Soči, previously gained attention for his nomination for an Oscar in 2014 for special effects in 'The Hobbit.' His academic background includes a degree in mathematics and a postgraduate study in computer science, driven by a fascination with modeling natural phenomena, particularly the movement of trees, which he aspired to capture mathematically since childhood. Barbič has also been recognized as one of MIT Technology Review's 35 Innovators Under 35 in 2011.