Dan Sandin

Daniel J. Sandin is an internationally recognized pioneer in the field of electronic art and visualization. Born in 1942, he has significantly contributed to the development of digital media tools and the creation of content for electronic media since 1969. Sandin holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Shimer College and a master's degree in nuclear physics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is currently a professor emeritus in the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he has been an influential figure in the Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL).

Sandin's work spans various areas, including the development of the Sandin Image Processor, a highly programmable analog computer for processing video images in real-time. He has also collaborated with Tom DeFanti on the CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) virtual reality theater, which has revolutionized the field of VR. Additionally, Sandin has focused on the design of auto-steregraphic displays and has continued to create VR installations and video animations.

Throughout his career, Sandin has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field of electronic art and visualization. These honors include the Guggenheim Fellowships award, the National Endowment for the Arts,  the Inventor of the Year from the University of Illinois, the Rockefeller Foundation Media Arts Fellowship. He is an inaugural member of the IEEE Virtual Reality Academy. His work has been exhibited worldwide, and he has been a prominent figure in the development of educational facilities and programs related to the use of electronic screens.

In summary, Daniel J. Sandin is a pioneering artist and researcher in the field of electronic art and visualization, with a significant impact on the development of digital media tools and the advancement of virtual reality technology.

“About creativity—my personal view of it is kind of like I’m a pipe or conduit. And all this stuff just happens to be flowing through me because I’ve chosen to position myself in that flow.  I have no problem with the word ‘creation’ as long as people don’t lay too much molasses on it.”
—Dan Sandin

Also see:

Dan Sandin: An Interview