Dinesh Manocha Inducted into IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Academy

Distinguished University Professor Dinesh Manocha has been inducted into the IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Academy in recognition of his fundamental contributions to virtual reality. His work, spanning research and services, aligns with the academy's goal of acknowledging individuals who have profoundly impacted virtual reality through their professional endeavors. 

Manocha is among a select group of only five other distinguished inductees this year, and his induction into the IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Academy underscores his profound impact on the field.

Established in 2022, the academy serves as a beacon for recognizing pioneers who have significantly propelled the boundaries of virtual reality forward. Inductees are selected based on their extensive contributions to research and development, their capacity to positively shape the field and their active engagement and service within the specialized community. Previous notable inductees include Michael Antonov, Brendan Iribe and Distinguished University Professor Ming Lin. 

Manocha holds the Paul Chrisman Iribe Endowed E-Nnovate Computer Science Professorship and appointments at the University of Maryland's Institute for Advanced Computer Studies and the A. James Clark School of Engineering. He is affiliated with the Institute for Systems Research (ISR), the Maryland Robotics Center (MRC) and the Brain and Behavior Institute.

Manocha co-leads the GAMMA research group, which has developed many widely used software systems. With over 750 papers and 11 books and monographs to his name, Manocha's scholarly output exemplifies his dedication to advancing knowledge in virtual reality and related fields. Moreover, his group's remarkable record of 8 best paper or honorable mention awards at top-tier conferences on virtual and augmented reality underscores the caliber of his contributions to the scientific community.

The impact of Manocha's work extends beyond academia, with more than 60 companies from diverse sectors, such as computer graphics, gaming, robotics and virtual reality, licensing his innovations. Notable acquisitions, such as Valve's procurement of his spinoff company Impulsonic and Meta's integration of his audio simulation algorithms and patents into their products, further underscore the practical significance of his research.

Manocha's distinguished career has been punctuated by numerous accolades, including the NSF CAREER Award, Sloan Fellowship, Bézier Award, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award and the Hettleman Prize for scholarly achievement. His fellowships with esteemed organizations like the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), AAAI, AAAS, ACM and IEEE and his membership in the ACM SIGGRAPH Academy reflect his influence in the scientific community.

Manocha's work transcends the boundaries of virtual reality, extending into computer graphics, robotics and artificial intelligence. His induction into the IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Academy stands as a testament to his far-reaching influence and transformative impact on these domains.

—Story by Samuel Malede Zewdu, CS Communications