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Overview/Structure

Program Overview

ACE is a new transdisciplinary Graduate Program in Arts, Computation and Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, supported by the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences.

Pedagogy for Digital Cultural Practices. Simon Penny Interview, May 2003

ACE addresses emerging practices and career paths that combine skills and sensibilities of technical and scientific disciplines with arts and humanities. ACE exists at the intersection of Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Computer Sciences, Engineering and other disciplines. ACE is rigorously interdisciplinary. The ACE program is oriented towards informed production. ACE students make things that work, and they understand the technical, historical and socio-cultural locations of their work.  ACE favors originators of novel techno-cultural formations, makers of machines, responsive environments, socio-politically situated action and non-standard technological systems.

Theoretical and historical perspectives from the Arts, Cultural Studies, Critical Theory, Science and Technology Studies, Human-Computer Interaction, Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science, and a variety of other sources are combined to provide students an intellectual and practical foundation that combines analytic and practical perspectives germane to their practice.

The sensibilities of sculpture, installation and performance art, graphics, improvisatory dance, drama and music are central in the production of new cultural forms. Real time computation, robotics and motion control, microcontroller and sensor technologies, immersive media technologies, computer graphics, networking/telematics, gaming, embedded and wireless technologies are key technical areas.

The ACE program moves beyond works whose final form is non-interactive linear image streams (such as traditional film, video) and sedentary desktop interaction (such as conventional web design.) Instead, the central focus of our program is computational techniques involving embodied, emergent and generative real-time performance, including immersive installations, artificial life, autonomous agents, and social simulation.

Program Structure and Curriculum

The ACE program consists of three masters level degrees: ACE MS Engineering concentration; ACE MFA Fine Arts concentration; ACE MS Information & Computer Science concentration. An ACE Double Masters (MS and MFA) and an ACE Ph.D. are planned. Candidates may take the masters level as a terminal degree. Transition to School-based Ph.D. programs are available to qualifying ACE students.

The ACE concentrations in all three fields consist of a six quarters (two year) curriculum. All candidates take the ACE core for a total of 48 units. The ACE core consists of Interdisciplinary Seminars, StudioLabs, Internships, Breadth Electives and Thesis Research and Professional Development. In addition, Students take four graduate courses (16 credits) in the student’s home school.

ACE Interdisciplinary Seminar provides the interdisciplinary theoretical basis of the program. StudioLabs are a hybrid of art studio and technical lab or project-type class, in which students are introduced to a particular technology or area of practice and proceed to develop independent projects.

Graduation is by a publicly presented thesis project and a written thesis. Thesis will demonstrate both creative and technical achievement; project demonstrates theoretical and historical contextualization.

Core Faculty and Staff

Ward Smith – Technician : web and multimedia
Tom Jennings – Technician: Electronics, Mechanics and Network
Dustin Utt – Adminstative assistant.
Paul Dourish – Professor, Informatics, Computer Science, Anthropology
Beatriz da Costa – Assistant Professor, Studio Art , Electrical Engineering & Computer, Science, Informatics.
Robert Nideffer Associate Professor, Studio Art, Informatics
Simon Penny – Professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer, Science, Studio Art, Informatics

Program Faculty

ACE Program Faculty are based in:

• Anthropology


• Biomedical Engineering


• Computer Science


• Criminology, Law & Society


• Dance


• Developmental and Cell Biology


• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science


• Film and Media Studies


• History


• Informatics


• Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering


• Music


• Studio Art


• Women’s Studies

Admissions

Applications Deadline is January 15. Applicants submit applications to ACE, including a statement of purpose, transcripts, resume, letters of recommendation, and portfolio (standard CD/DVD formats or websites preferred). Late admissions and other inquiries should be directed to .

Student funding

ACE has offered full funding in the first year to most students and ongoing funding based on merit and need. TA-ships, RA-ships and Fellowships have been available. Out of state and international students are encouraged to seek outside funding and will be assisted by the program to achieve this.

Alumni placement

ACE prepares a new kind of professional ideally equipped to innovate and to provide leadership in emerging techno-culture. ACE alumni hold academic positions, positions in computer and digital entertainment industry, and go on to PhD programs and independent artist careers.