Students and Postdocs of Professor Demetri Terzopoulos


I have had the privilege of advising and working with some incomparable graduate students and postdocs, and I am proud of the diversity of outstanding dissertations that my students have produced (linked below), among them several that won the following major awards:

* ACM Doctoral Dissertation Award
* UCLA HSSEAS Edward K. Rice Outstanding Doctoral Student Award
* UCLA HSSEAS Edward K. Rice Outstanding Master's Student Award
* UCLA CSD Outstanding Graduating PhD Student Award
* UCLA CSD Outstanding Graduating MS Student Award
* UCLA CSD Northrop Grumman Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award
* UCLA CSD Google Graduate Student Research Award
* UCLA CSD Cisco Graduate Student Research Award
* UCLA CSD Outstanding Mentorship Award
* MIT Technology Review TR100 / Innovators Under 35

Current PhD Students

Yadi Cao
Nanxi Chen
Danfeng Guo
Alex Ling Yu Hung
Arulsaravana Jeyaraj
Wuyue Lu
Noor Nakhaei *
Yuxin Qiu
Ziheng (Joseph) Zhou

Graduated Doctoral Students

  1. Yuxing Qiu - "Scalable and efficient material point methods on modern computational platforms" (2024) UCLA CS
  2. Andrew Sang-Jin Choi - "Simulation of deformable objects for sim2real applications in robotics" (2023) UCLA CS
  3. Alan U. Litteneker - "Towards intelligent computational tools for virtual cinematography" (2022) UCLA CS
  4. Xiao Zeng - "Bio-inspired simulation with learning-based automatic motion control" (2022) UCLA CS
  5. Ali Hatamizadeh * - "Deep learning of unified region, edge, and contour models for automated image segmentation" (2020) UCLA CS
  6. Abdullah-Al-Zubaer Imran - "From fully-supervised, single-task to scarcely-supervised, multi-task deep learning for medical image analysis" (2020) UCLA CS
  7. Tao Zhou * - "Core training: Learning deep neuromuscular control of the torso for anthropomimetic animation" (2019) UCLA CS
  8. Garett D. Ridge - "An online collaborative ecosystem for educational computer graphics" (2018) UCLA CS
  9. Tomer Weiss - "A constraint-based approach to crowd simulation and layout synthesis" (2018) UCLA CS
  10. Masaki Nakada * - "Deep learning of neuromuscular and sensorimotor control with biomimetic perception..." (2017) UCLA CS (JASSO Scholar)
  11. Noah Duncan - "...New computational tools for open-ended geometric design" (2017) UCLA CS
  12. Eduardo Ribeiro Poyart - "Parallel, data-driven simulation and visualization of the heart" (2016) UCLA CS
  13. Matthew Wang - "Simulation, stitching, and interaction techniques for large-scale ultrasound datasets" (2016) UCLA CS
  14. Sharath Kumar Gopal - "Unified deterministic/statistical deformable models for cardiac image analysis" (2016) UCLA CS
  15. Gergely Klár - "Simulation of granular media with the material point method" (2016) UCLA CS (Fullbright Fellow)
  16. Xiaowei Ding - "Automated quantitative analysis of cardiac medical images" (2015) UCLA CS
  17. Chenfanfu Jiang * - "The material point method for the physics-based simulation of solids and fluids" (2015) UCLA CS
  18. Jingyi (Franklin) Fang - "The modeling and animation of myriapoda" (2015) UCLA CS
  19. Wenjia Huang - "Door and doorway etiquette for virtual humans" (2014) UCLA CS
  20. Jin Kyu Gahm - "Microstructural feature-based processing and analysis of diffusion tensor MRI" (2014) UCLA CS
  21. Krešimir Petrinec - "Patient-specific interactive ultrasound image simulation with soft-tissue deformation" (2013) UCLA CS
  22. Weiguang (Justin) Si - "Realistic simulation and control of human swimming and underwater movement" (2013) UCLA CS
  23. William R. Hewlett II - "Creating a cognitive agent in a virtual world: Planning, navigation, and natural language generation" (2013) UCLA CS
  24. Lap-Fai (Craig) Yu * - "Data-driven optimization for modeling in computer graphics and vision" (2013) UCLA CS
  25. Gautam Prasad - "Brain mapping methods: Segmentation, registration, and connectivity analysis" (2013) UCLA CS
  26. M. Alex O. Vasilescu * - "A multilinear (tensor) algebraic framework for computer graphics, computer vision, and machine learning" (2009) UofT CS
  27. Sung-Hee Lee * * - "Biomechanical modeling and control of the human body for computer animation" (2008) UCLA CS
  28. Faisal Z. Qureshi - "Intelligent perception in virtual sensor networks and space robotics" (2007) UofT CS
  29. Qinxin Yu - "A decision network framework for the behavioral animation of virtual humans" (2007) UofT CS (NSERC Postgraduate Scholar)
  30. Wei Shao - "Animating autonomous pedestrians" (2006) NYU CS
  31. Sageev Oore - "Digital marionette: Augmenting kinematics with physics for multi-track desktop performance animation" (2001) UofT CS
  32. Petros Faloutsos - "Composable controllers for physics-based character animation" (2001) UofT CS
  33. Tamer F. Rabie - "Animat vision: Active vision in artificial animals" (1999) UofT ECE
  34. David L. Tonnesen - "Dynamically coupled particle systems for geometric modeling" (1998) UofT CS
  35. Radek Grzeszczuk - "NeuroAnimator: Fast neural network emulation and control of physics-based models" (1998) UofT CS
  36. Timothy J. McInerney - "Topologically adaptable deformable models for medical image analysis" (1997) UofT CS (NSERC Postgraduate Scholar)
  37. Xiaoyuan Tu * - "Artificial animals for computer animation: Biomechanics, locomotion, perception, and behavior" (1996) UofT CS
  38. Hong Qin - "D-NURBS: Dynamic non-uniform rational B-splines" (1995) UofT CS
  39. Luiz Velho - "Piecewise descriptions of implicit surfaces and solids" (1994) UofT CS
  40. Dimitris N. Metaxas - "Physics based modeling of nonrigid objects for vision and graphics" (1992) UofT CS

Graduated Master's Students

  1. Xinyu Zhao - "Synergizing active learning with heterogeneous neural networks for enhanced graph analysis" (2023) UCLA CS
  2. Nuocheng Pan - "Dimension-aligned adaptive projector: A zero-shot method for transferring fine-tuned weights to larger LLMs" (2023) UCLA CS
  3. Yijun Chen - "CellScanGuard: A precision battery collapse detection model" (2023) UCLA CS
  4. Arulsaravana Jeyaraj - "Algorithm for mathematical modeling of virtual microphone array" (2023) UCLA CS
  5. Penghai Wei - "GPU-driven rendering optimization" (2023) UCLA CS
  6. Tanmay Sanjay Hukkeri - "Boundary-aware SwinUNETR for medical image segmentation" (2023) UCLA CS
  7. Zhuoran Liao - "A mesh distance field alternative to representing 3D models for path tracing" (2023) UCLA CS
  8. Tingfeng Xia - "Eye area facial expression recognition with self-attention-based convolutional neural networks" (2023) UCLA CS
  9. William R. Varcho - "Minimal distances in pentagonal tilings" (2023) UCLA CS
  10. Tianyi Xie - "A contact proxy splitting method for Lagrangian solid-fluid coupling" (2023) UCLA CS
  11. Chang Xu - "Repeat buyers prediction competition" (2023) UCLA CS
  12. Feiyang Chen - "Revisiting unsupervised deep-learning-based saliency detection in biomedical images" (2022) UCLA CS
  13. Tomoyori Iwao - "A deep learning approach to facial 3D reconstruction and super-resolution rendering" (2022) UCLA CS
  14. Xiaoyang Yu - "Physical simulation of a dynamical fluid" (2022) UCLA CS
  15. Yingge He - "A low-bandwidth smart surveillance system" (2022) UCLA CS
  16. Daniel Ahn - "Mesh image manipulation" (2022) UCLA CS
  17. Dennis Van Ee - "Path guiding for direct environment light sampling" (2022) UCLA CS
  18. Daisy Haiting Zheng - "JellySim: Modeling, simulation, and control of artificial jellyfish" (2022) UCLA CS
  19. Candice Zhang - "An LSTM-based RNN model for stock pairs trading prediction" (2022) UCLA CS
  20. Noor Nakhaei - "Spatial matching of 2D mammography images and specimen radiographs" (2022) UCLA CS
  21. Taasin Saquib - "Visual tracking with spiking neural networks in an oculomotor controller for a biomimetic model of the eye" (2022) UCLA CS
  22. Wuyue Lu - "Surface reconstruction via cooperative evolutions" (2022) UCLA CS
  23. Adrien Hadj-Chaib - "Upgrading Tiny Graphics to WebGL 2.0 and modern rendering standards" (2021) UCLA CS
  24. Ximing Chen - "Random network distillation for avoiding procrastination in reinforcement learning based autonomous agents" (2021) UCLA CS
  25. Surya Dwarakanath - "Neuromuscular animation of the face-head-neck biomechanical complex and FACS-based expression transfer from video via deep learning" (2021) UCLA CS
  26. Xiuxian Xu - "Efficient, coarse point-cloud registration of small objects based on image matching" (2021) UCLA CS
  27. Yuhui Huang - "Stock price prediction using a deep neural network" (2021) UCLA CS
  28. Andrew Choi - "An implicit contact method for tying discrete elastic knots" (2021) UCLA CS
  29. Jihoon Kim - "Dressing a SMPLified model with digital 3D garments" (2021) UCLA CS
  30. Yang Guo - "A web and mobile application framework for deep learning based image segmentation of cell nuclei" (2020) UCLA CS
  31. Attiano Purpura-Pontoniere - "Lugnut identification using state of the art regional and fully convolutional neural networks" (2020) UCLA CS
  32. Ali Hatamizadeh - "An artificial intelligence framework for the automated segmentation and quantitative analysis of retinal vasculature" (2020) UCLA CS
  33. Arnav Garg - "Virtualization for computer clusters" (2020) UCLA CS
  34. Xiao Zeng - "Semi-supervised object recognition in the tensor framework" (2019) UCLA CS
  35. Debleena Sengupta - "Deep learning architectures for automated image segmentation" (2019) UCLA CS
  36. Yajun Shi - "Neuromuscular control of a biomechanical human model performing sit-to-stand actions" (2019) UCLA CS
  37. Di Ma - "Projecting political ideology into photographs" (2019) UCLA CS
  38. Zhengyuan Liu - "Image patch data augmentation for retinal vessel segmentation based on fully convolutional networks" (2019) UCLA CS
  39. Arjun Lakshmipathy - "Biomimetic modeling of the eye and deep neuromuscular oculomotor control" (2018) UCLA CS
  40. Weichen (Reggie) Huang - "Skin lesion segmentation using U-nets" (2018) UCLA CS
  41. Yutian Zhang - "Ship detection in aerial images using a fine-tuned U-Net with a VGG16 encoder" (2018) UCLA CS
  42. Yingyue Qiu - "ONV2SEQ: Biomimetic perception learning for sketch generation." (2018) UCLA CS
  43. Kevin Huynh - "Solving the problem of whole-language simulation: A case study from Tongan loanword adaptation" (2018) UCLA CS
  44. Xingjian Yan - "Fast and accurate self-supervised CNNs for affine and deformable lung registration" (2018) UCLA CS
  45. Dan Fang - "MVFR: Multiple viewpoint face recognition" (2018) UCLA CS
  46. Ziran Ling - "Deep learning for human biomechanical doodling" (2018) UCLA CS
  47. Qi Qu - "See-Flower: Fine-grained flower image classification using deep transfer learning" (2018) UCLA CS
  48. Taylor Caulfield - "YOLOTrainer: Automatic training set creation with distance information and object tracking" (2018) UCLA CS
  49. Luna X. Li - "Predicting mobile handovers using domain knowledge independent models" (2018) UCLA CS
  50. Therese Horey - "An augmented reality android application utilizing named data networking" (2018) UCLA CS
  51. Zhihao Wu - "Pulmonary nodule detection via 3D convnets in Tensorflow" (2018) UCLA CS
  52. Pranav Sodhani - "Face recognition using space variant sensors" (2017) UCLA CS
  53. Theresa Tong - "Evolution of prey and predator behavior in a simulated environment" (2017) UCLA CS
  54. Tonislav Ivanov - "Early prediction of viable blastocysts using automatically extracted embryo division timings" (2017) UCLA CS (Nat Def Sci & Eng Fellow)
  55. Tianlin Chen - "The anxiety mitigator: Finding, classifying, and presenting helpful web-based articles" (2017) UCLA CS
  56. Praveen Sundar Govindarajan - "Learning-based AI for autonomous combat games" (2016) UCLA CS
  57. Yuxi Zhang - "Simulation of an ecosystem involving predators and prey" (2016) UCLA CS
  58. Brian Kim - "Virtual keyboard: An alternative to physical keyboards with a touchless interface based on finger movements" (2016) UCLA CS
  59. Huan-Sony Nguyen - "An implementation of ray tracing and path tracing" (2016) UCLA CS
  60. Alan Ulfers Litteneker - "Virtual cinematography using optimization and temporal smoothing" (2016) UCLA CS
  61. Eric Kim - "A part-based, multiresolution, tensorfaces approach to image-based facial verification" (2016) UCLA CS
  62. Han Wang - "AcFR: Active face recognition using convolutional neural networks" (2016) UCLA CS
  63. Tomer Weiss - "Optimizing the design of physical objects for fabrication" (2016) UCLA CS
  64. Ziqiang Shi - "Creating low-poly art the easy way" (2016) UCLA CS
  65. Ali Kouhzadi - "A comprehensive study of the seminal Monte-Carlo-based image synthesis algorithms" (2016) UCLA CS
  66. Timothy David Chan - "A self-calibrating zoom stereo system" (2015) UCLA CS
  67. Sunny Suthar - "Crowd-sourced 3D reconstruction using uncalibrated stereo correspondence" (2015) UCLA CS
  68. Zhinan Xu * - "Stereo visual odometry with windowed bundle adjustment" (2015) UCLA CS
  69. Daniel Roshan Doolabh - "An object-oriented approach to Lindenmayer systems using recursion" (2015) UCLA CS
  70. Justin Allan Bass - "DNA sequence alignment non-gap penalties and gains" (2015) UCLA CS
  71. Nicholas Brett Marcott - "Digit detection using adaptive spline models" (2015) UCLA CS
  72. Tianyuan Qin - "Dynamic destruction of geometry using Voronoi-based fracture patterns" (2015) UCLA CS
  73. Jorge Ivan Munoz - "An autonomous motor-based biomechanical model of a salamander" (2014) UCLA CS
  74. Dhavalkumar Suthar - "Simulating ants: Behavior modeling and pheromone-based communication" (2014) UCLA CS
  75. Xiaolong Jiang - "Kinematic modeling and simulation for human reaching behaviors" (2014) UCLA CS
  76. Andre Abrahamian - "Shallow water simulation for swimming creatures" (2014) UCLA CS
  77. Jing Li - "Realistic water and complex scene rendering" (2014) UCLA EE
  78. Vanna Bushong - "Facial feature detection for automatic head modeling" (2013) UCLA CS
  79. Ming Gao - "FEM simulation of 3D deformable solids and collision handling" (2013) UCLA CS
  80. Xinli Cai - "The development of VSIM: Triggering embedded resources and new features for 3D content management" (2013) UCLA CS
  81. Alexander Rickett - "Position based cloth simulation" (2013) UCLA CS
  82. Ali Gunes - "An implementation of separate human eye blink detection in real time using online templates" (2013) UCLA CS
  83. Kevin Broom - "Real-time two-dimensional fluid dynamics using the CPU" (2013) UCLA CS
  84. Matthew Wang - "Vision evolution: Adapting body and brain in a competitive virtual environment" (2012) UCLA CS
  85. Konstantinos Sideris - "Parallelized Incomplete Poisson Preconditioned Cloth Simulation" (2012) UCLA CS
  86. Alexander Lee - "Shopping mall site plan generation using simulated annealing" (2012) UCLA CS
  87. Jason Au - "An L-system evolutionary algorithm for motion synthesis" (2012) UCLA CS
  88. Damian Ancukiewicz - "GPU implementation of an exemplar-based image inpainting algorithm" (2012) UCLA CS
  89. Joyce Kuo - "Making a splash: Rendering realistic water splashes in a swimming pool" (2012) UCLA CS
  90. Miri Kim - "Generating door opening and entering motions for virtual humans" (2012) UCLA CS
  91. Palash Agrawal - "Internet services for collaborative data sharing (ISCDS)" (2012) UCLA CS
  92. Wilson Yan - "Biomechanical simulation of the human hand and forearm" (2012) UCLA CS
  93. Chenfanfu Jiang - "Simulation of elastic solids with efficient self-collision handling" (2012) UCLA CS
  94. Ankit Arora - "Data-driven locomotion of virtual humans in the unity game development tool" (2011) UCLA CS
  95. Jasleen Singh - "A framework for non-photorealistic 2D animation" (2011) UCLA CS
  96. Michael Au-Yeung - "Real-time photometric stereo using a computer screen" (2011) UCLA CS
  97. Xiao Lei - "Multi-layer construction of KD-trees for dynamic ray tracing" (2011) UCLA CS
  98. Gautam Prasad - "Segmentation of brain MR images using a PCA atlas and nonrigid registration" (2010) UCLA CS
  99. Krešimir Petrinec - "Ultrasound trainer: Data acquisition, volume reconstruction, simulation and visualization" (2010) UCLA CS
  100. Thomas Wolfley - "Genetic programming for image compression" (2010) UCLA CS
  101. Kangwon Lee - "The simulation of swarm behavior in ant colonies" (2009) UCLA CS
  102. Michelle Fang - "Playing animation under time and space constraints in a virtual world" (2009) UCLA CS
  103. Sean Thompson - "Interactive image-source techniques for virtual acoustics" (2002) UofT CS (NSERC Postgraduate Scholar)
  104. Howard Zhang - "Physics-based muscle effects for real-time character animation" (2002) UofT CS
  105. Grigore Pintilie - "Interactive cutting of surface meshes for computer-aided surgical planning" (2001) UofT CS (NSERC Postgraduate Scholar)
  106. Stewart Andrews - "Interactive generation of feature curves on surfaces: A minimal path approach" (2000) UofT CS
  107. Faisal Z. Qureshi - "Constructing anatomically accurate face models using computed tomography and cyberware data" (2000) UofT CS
  108. Qinxin Yu - "Synthetic motion capture for real-time virtual worlds" (1998) UofT CS (NSERC Postgraduate Scholar)
  109. Petros Faloutsos - "Physics-based animation and control of flexible characters" (1995) UofT CS
  110. Radek Grzeszczuk - "Automatic learning of muscle-based locomotion through control abstraction" (1994) UofT CS
  111. Yuencheng Lee - "Construction and animation of functional facial models from range/reflectance data" (1993) UofT CS
  112. M. Alex O. Vasilescu - "Dynamic adaptive meshes for visual reconstruction" (1993) MIT EECS
  113. Timothy J. McInerney - "Finite element techniques for fitting deformable models to 3D data" (1992) UofT CS (NSERC Postgraduate Scholar)

Graduated Bachelor's (Thesis) Students

  1. Emily Whiting - "Realism in 3D virtual spaces: Improving texture quality ... through application of HDR imagery" (2004) UofT Eng. Sci.
  2. Desmond Rivet - "Human animats and active vision systems in realistic 3D virtual worlds" (2001) UofT Eng. Sci.
  3. Daniel Horner - "A practical framework for the extraction and visualization of slices from volumentric data" (1998) UofT Eng. Sci.
  4. Charlton Wang - "Implementation of the live wire technique for the segmentation of medical images" (1998) UofT Eng. Sci.
  5. Kristin Hofstee - "Simulation of diffusion in 3D virtual worlds" (1997) UofT Eng. Sci.
  6. Oliver Bengtsson - "Computational biological model of the physiology and behavior of aquatic animals" (1995) UofT Eng. Sci.

Former Postdoctoral Scholars, Fellows, and Research Scientists

  1. Masaki Nakada - Posdoctoral Scholar (2018–19) UCLA CS
  2. Xiaowei Ding - Research Scientist (2016–18) UCLA CS
  3. Theodore F. Gast - Postdoctoral Scholar (2017–18) UCLA Math/CS
  4. Chenfanfu Jiang - Postdoctoral Scholar (2015–17) UCLA CS/Math
  5. Antonio Roque - CIA Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Scientist (2010–12) UCLA CS
  6. M. Alex O. Vasilescu - Research Scientist (2009–13) UCLA CS (2001–05) NYU CS
  7. Eftychios Sifakis - Postdoctoral Scholar (2007–10) UCLA CS/Math
  8. Sung-Hee Lee - Postdoctoral Scholar (2008–09) UCLA CS
  9. Jinho Park - Korea Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow (2008–09) UCLA CS
  10. Tatsuo Yotsukura - Postdoctoral Scholar (2006–07) UCLA CS
  11. Jinwook Kim - Postdoctoral Fellow (2005–06) UCLA CS, NYU CS
  12. Mauricio Plaza-Villegas - Research Scientist (2003–04) NYU CS
  13. Jared M. Silver - Research Scientist (2003–04) NYU CS
  14. Yuencheng Lee - Research Scientist (2001–03) NYU CS
  15. Ghassan Hamarneh - Research Scholar (2000–01) UofT CS
  16. Michel Pitermann - Postdoctoral Scholar (1998–00) UofT CS & Queens U
  17. Jacques-Olivier Lachaud - Lavoisier Fellow (1998–99) UofT CS
  18. Tamer F. Rabie - Postdoctoral Scholar (1999–99) UofT CS
  19. Jianming Liang - Research Scholar (1998–99) UofT CS
  20. Timothy J. McInerney - NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow (1998–99) UofT CS
  21. Jorge C. Lucero - Postdoctoral Scholar (1996–97) UofT CS & Queens U
  22. Paul Fieguth - NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow (1996–96) UofT CS

Demetri Terzopoulos