Bring 3D Graphics Skills into Robotics & Digital Twins| Physical AI Day at SIGGRAPH 2026

In this talk

1. 3:36

   Creative and technical careers can change direction

   The panelists describe careers that crossed fields: Anthony moved from art and business into robotics, Lori combined computer graphics with work at DreamWorks and Nike, and Fatima built experience across online learning, games, and animation. They say curiosity and openness to opportunities helped connect those steps.

2. 9:56

   Robotics needs better simulation and 3D worlds

   Anthony says early humanoid robotics work relied on teleoperation, which was time-consuming and limited by how long operators could work. He saw a need for stronger simulation stacks to train many policies. Lori adds that visualization and training now matter across industries, beyond animation and visual effects.

3. 15:48

   Transferable skills include communication and learning

   Lori emphasizes listening and explaining ideas across teams with different backgrounds. Anthony says technical skills can be learned, while humility about mistakes and the ability to communicate across disciplines help teams avoid costly problems. Fatima recommends staying curious and making time to learn.

4. 21:11

   Use varied experience to make career transitions

   The panelists describe imposter feelings as common during career changes and recommend treating unfamiliar work as something learnable. Anthony advises changing either industry or role at a time and accepting that early performance may be modest. He also says candidates can show their range by explaining how experience in one field shaped a solution in another.

5. 32:29

   Connect 3D education to new applications

   Ashley asks how people can demonstrate that their 3D skills apply to new fields. The panel recommends exploring opportunities, networking, and sharing work publicly. They point to SCAD students' Gaussian splatting project, Splat Garden, as an example of visual effects skills connecting to robotics simulation; Ashley also describes a boot camp linking Omniverse, Blender, and Isaac.