Reza is a freelance computational designer, graphics engineer, and visual artist. Reza enjoys making creative tools that allow him and others to push the boundaries of visual art and design.
Reza cares about design, creative direction, software architecture, performance, graphics, augmented reality, virtual reality, and all things interactive, and user facing. He notices things that others do not and crafts experiences that bring joy and delight to users.
When he isn't "working", Reza is outside exploring nature with his camera. Or he's watching the latest episodes of Arrested Developement or finding inspiration on Pinterest. Reza enjoys tea and fun conversations, so if you're interested in collaborating or talking about art / design / code / life, reach out.
Email: syed.reza.ali@gmail.com
Twitter: @rezaali
Instagram: syedrezaali
Location: Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, New York, Miami
2018
- Started Hi-Rez, a studio dedicated to creating the best user experiences and pushing the boundaries of creative tools on macOS & iOS.
- Permanently left the Bay Area and moved to Marina Del Rey (Los Angeles) to have more sun and fun.
- Help Google publish "Augmented Reality with WebXR, now available in Chrome Canary". Press: Engadget, Next Reality, SlashGear
- Left his full-time job at Google where he was working as a VR / AR UX Engineer & Designer.
- Created the world's first WebAR demo running on Chrome Canary, shown at Google I/O. Check out the Engadget summary video here.
- Designed, implemented, open sourced "Article", a WebAR 3D model viewer. Google, TheVerge, VRScout, FastCoDesign, VentureBeat
2017
- Gave a talk at Pitch Interactive on Crafting Web Based AR Experiences on Dec 8th
- Gave a talk at SIGGRAPH Asia on Crafting Web Based AR Experiences on Nov 29th
- Gave a talk at Frog Design (SF) on Creative Coding on Nov 9th
- Researched and prototyped how to design for multi-material 3D printing using signed distance fields @ Autodesk Pier 9
- Open sourced Fragment, a live coding environment for creating graphics and animations using GPU fragment shaders.
- Created and open sourced Transform, a live coding environment for exploring GPU particle physics and rendering.
- Help with the launch of WebAR @ Google
- Started working at Google (Daydream)!
- Shut down Reza Studios.
2016
- Finished Guest Researcher Residency on Computational Geometry & Design in Yamaguchi, Japan (YCAM Interlab)
- Integrated Complex Motion Planning Algorithms into Skycatch's pipeline
- Help architect and develop software for Skycatch along side his badass brother, Haris Ali
- Was one of the best men at his older brother's wedding in Singapore!
- Moved Reza Studio from San Francisco to Berkeley
- Turned 30
- Launched F3 [Live Code 3D Form] Mac App
- Got obsessed with CNC Milling @ Autodesk Pier 9
- Lived in Barcelona (December)
- Ported Fragment to Windows
- Collaborated with Jeff Linnell to make magic on a top secret project
2015
- Exhibited work at Autodesk's Pier 9 AIR Show. Made a 3D Printer with a custom extruder for chocolate / food printing.
- Went to FITC (Japan) and NVScene (San Jose).
- Created a new UI library for Cinder
- Created a new Tiler Render library for Cinder
- Designed and coded various data visualization using C++, GLSL, Cinder (glNext), OpenGL 4.0 for CSA (BCG)
- Featured in Viewpoint Magazine as an innovative designer in the design & data space.
- Spoke at Eyeo Festival about going from the virtual to the physical (software to digital fabrication)
- Created an immersive installation for Dolby Laboratories' new headquarters (1275 Market St, SF, CA)
- Fell in love.
- Was a Guest Researcher @ YCAM (December 2015 - February 2016).
- Created logo designs and intro animation cards for Vrse.
- Wrote complex computational geometry route planning algorithms in C++ for Skycatch.
- Released Fragment, a design tool that utilizes GLSL and live coding to allow anyone to create spectacular imagery with math(s)!
2014
- Worked at Patten Studio on a Giant Video Mirror Wall Installation for Intel @ CES
- Designed & Produced 6 Generative Music Videos for OK GO's 2014-2015 World Tour
- Bonnaroo Clock Tower Visuals w/ GMUNK
- Artist Residency @ Autodesk, Pier 9
- Won Urban Data Canvas Hackathon (w/ Johan Bichel Lindegaard, Jasper Speicher, Erik van der Molen)
- Rise App Clone @ Famo.us Featured in Forbes (w/ Tim Chin)
- Art/Design Work Featured in New Move Trend Diary 2014-2016
- Spoke at CCRMA @ Stanford. Guest Visual Artist @ CCRMA Modulation's 2014
2013
- Worked at Miselu (Hardware / Software Music Startup, SoMA, SF)
- Worked at Famo.us (Web Technology Startup, SoMA, SF)
- Worked on CLOUDS (w/ James George, Jonathan Minard + GMUNK + Pato)
- Worked on ofxUI
- VJed for LL Cool J @ SXSW
- Collaborated with GMUNK on an art project for Vine
- Heron Arts Residency
- GAFFTA Workshop (w/ Josh Nimoy)
- Showed work at Art by Code (Codame + Public Works)
- Made a WebGL Renderer (for Famo.us)
- Moved from Palo Alto to San Francisco
2012
- Won Art Hack Day (Audio Shader Toy) w/ Gabe Dunne + Ryan Alexander
- Audio Shader Toy was shown at Creator's Project)
- OMG - Shepard Fairey
- Drawnetic Android App - Razorfish
- Nokia Freelance (wearables + cloud + web apps)
- Nexleaf (wireless sensor networks + cloud + data visualization (D3.js)
- Moved from Santa Monica to Palo Alto
2011
- Worked for Motion Theory under Mathew Cullen, Kaan Atilla, and Chris Riehl
- Worked at Nokia Research Center under Rebecca Allen (Founding Chair of Design Media Arts @ UCLA) and Sean White.
- Freelanced for POSSIBLE (created an audio-visual VJ app for Deadmau5)
- Freelanced for Santa Barbara Museum of Art (created an iPad app, iCubist, that augmented the museum's Analytic Cubist Exhibit featuring works from Picasso and Braque).
- Gave presentations at Nokia Design, Google Data Arts Center, NIME 2010, and NIME 2011.
- Was featured in two books: Visual Complexity by Manuel Lima and Generative Art by Matt Pearson
- Was featured on www.creativeapplications.net and www.thecreatorsproject.vice.com.
- Worked on a gallery installation, and various other personal new media art projects.
2008 - 2010
- Moved to California from New York
- Earned a Master of Science in Multimedia Engineering (with a focus in Visual and Spatial Arts) from the Media Arts and Technology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Advisors were George Legrady (Data Visualization Artist), Casey Reas (Co-Creator of Processing, MIT Media Lab), and Matthew Turk (MIT Media Lab).
- His research and projects at MAT were shown at various venues around the world: NIME 2011 (Oslo, Norway), NIME 2010 (Sydney, Australia), Mindshare (Los Angeles, California), Mixed Greens Gallery (New York, New York).
- Moved from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles (Venice)
2004 - 2008
- Graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with two B.S. (Mechanical and Electrical Engineering)
- Earned Minors in Electronic Art and Product Design) studying under Curtis Bahn, Shawn Lawson and Kenneth Conner.
- Was the top student in the electrical engineering department (GPA 3.96)
- Won merits in the Electronic Arts classes he took throughout his time at RPI.
- Won a prestigious scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute