Edwin Catmull

Date of Birth: March 31, 1945

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Biography

Edwin Catmull is a pioneering computer scientist and a co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios. Born on March 31, 1945, in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Catmull showed an early interest in mathematics, physics, and computer science. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and computer science from the University of Utah, where he later completed a Ph.D. in computer science. During his time at the University of Utah, Catmull developed several foundational technologies in the field of computer graphics, including texture mapping and the Catmull-Rom spline. In 1979, Catmull joined Lucasfilm’s Computer Division, where he worked on various groundbreaking technologies that would later be used in the film industry. In 1986, he co-founded Pixar Animation Studios alongside Steve Jobs and John Lasseter. Under his technical leadership, Pixar produced a series of critically acclaimed films, including “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” and “The Incredibles.” Catmull’s work has earned him numerous awards, including several Academy Awards for technical achievement and a Turing Award, often considered the “Nobel Prize of Computing.”

5 Interesting Facts about Edwin Catmull

1. Edwin Catmull developed the first algorithm for Z-buffering, a crucial technology in 3D computer graphics.

2. Catmull was instrumental in the development of RenderMan, a rendering software used extensively in the film industry.

3. He received five Academy Awards for his technical contributions to the field of computer graphics.

4. Catmull retired as President of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2019.

5. He co-authored the book “Creativity, Inc.,” which provides insights into managing creative organizations.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Edwin Catmull

1. “It’s not the manager’s job to prevent risks. It’s the manager’s job to make it safe for others to take them.”

2. “Failure isn’t a necessary evil. In fact, it isn’t evil at all. It is a necessary consequence of doing something new.”

3. “We must constantly challenge all of our assumptions and search for the flaws that could destroy our culture.”

4. “Getting the team right is the necessary precursor to getting the ideas right.”

5. “Do not confuse the process with the goal. Working on our processes to make them better, easier, and more efficient is an indispensable activity and something we should continually work on—but it is not the goal. Making the product great is the goal.”