Perry Kivolowitz

Chair, Computer Science Department; Professor of Practice in Computer Science

Email Address:

pkivolowitz@carthage.edu

Office location:

Straz Center 90

Phone

262-551-6317

Professor Perry Kivolowitz brings broad and deep academic and entrepreneurial experience in computer science to Carthage College. He has co-founded five tech companies principally in the computer graphics and visual effects fields. His contributions to filmmaking were recognized in 1996 with an Academy Award® for Scientific and Technical Achievement. His software, SilhouetteFX earned an Academy Award in 2018. His contributions to the television series “Babylon 5” earned Prof. Kivolowitz an Emmy certificate in 1992. In 2019, Professor Kivolowitz received the Emmy Award for Engineering statue for his contributions to SilhouetteFX.

Notable early work featuring Prof. Kivolowitz’s inventions include “Forrest Gump” and “Titanic.” More recently he was a partner in SilhouetteFX, LLC, a maker of widely used software for rotoscoping, paint, and 2D to 3D motion picture conversion. Today, most high-profile motion pictures, much of television, and some graphic arts are touched by his inventions.

Prof. Kivolowitz joined Carthage in 2015 after 10 years as a faculty associate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Computer Sciences Department, where he was awarded the student’s trophy for Excellence in Teaching in May 2015. During the UW–Madison Sesquicentennial Celebration, Prof. Kivolowitz was selected by the chancellor’s office as being one of the “150 Ways the University of Wisconsin has touched the World.” Also related to the Wisconsin Idea, that the work of the University of Wisconsin should impact the world, Prof. Kivolowitz wrote a zombie apocalypse novel, “Get Off My L@wn,” in which the end of humanity starts on the Madison campus.

3D stereo plus something less obvious. Prof. Kivolowitz is a partner in the company that made the software that assisted the preparation of the 3D version of “Avatar.” Plus something else. Can you spot it?

Did the President really say that? Prof. Kivolowitz's invention was used to add the lip movements in “Forrest Gump” as well as make the handshake and feather happen.

Stony Brook University

CSC 1810 Principles of Computer Science I
CSC 1820 Principles of Computer Science II
CSC 3510 Computer Organization
CSC 3600 Data Communication
CSC 4000 Senior Seminar
CSC 4730 Operating Systems
CSC 4770 Introduction to Computer Graphics
CSC 4900 Senior Thesis Completion