Parent Profile
Samuel ’16 and Tony DeRose P16.
Tony DeRose P16
WITHOUT THE MATH, there would be no cascading hair, flowing garments and sparkling
scenery in Pixar movies. The art is important, to be sure, but it is made possible by trigonometry that helps revolve and move characters, by integral calculus that helps light the scenes and by algebra that helps create special effects that make images shine and sparkle. These and other secrets of the trade were shared at the Shanahan Celebration Sept. 28 during a talk by Tony DeRose P16, senior scientist and lead of the Research Group at Pixar Animation Studios. DeRose was a major contributor to the Oscar-winning short film Geri’s Game and has been lauded for his work on surface representations. DeRose also is involved in STEM initiatives, including the Young Makers Program that supports youth in building their own ambitious, hands-on projects. Harvey Mudd College Magazine spoke to DeRose—who is parent with wife, Cynthia, of sophomore Samuel—during his September visit to campus.
How long has Harvey Mudd been on the DeRose family radar? My stepfather went to Claremont McKenna. He knew I had an interest in math and science, and we talked about Harvey Mudd, but I ended up staying in northern California for school (UC Davis). When my son started shopping for colleges, his counselor brought Harvey Mudd up as a great match. We came to campus, and it was love at first sight for Samuel. He’s really hands-on; he learns best by doing, so that emphasis here at Mudd was really the turning point for him. Favorite things about Harvey Mudd? It’s undergraduate and the professors here really love to teach. There’s a research component, so it keeps a lot of fresh material coming into the classroom. Harvey Mudd has a beautiful blend of theory and practice; I couldn’t imagine a better match for our son. Which Pixar movie is Harvey Mudd College most like? Wall-E is the closest Pixar film to Harvey Mudd because the underlying technology needed for the automation, robotics and space travel depicted in the movie is being or will be developed by Mudders.
Harvey Mudd College will host a Feb. 1 campaign launch celebration as well as a series of regional events for alumni, parents and friends who have made a gift to the College’s comprehensive campaign during the past two and a half years. Regional Campaign Events
Our mission is clear. We’re educating the next generation of passionate problem solvers.
Campaign Launch Event | Saturday, Feb. 1 2 p.m. at Harvey Mudd College
Feb. 5
Portland
March 11 Seattle
Feb. 11
Orange County, Calif.
March 25 New York City
Feb. 20
Chicago
March 26 Boston
Feb. 26
South Bay
March 27 Washington, D.C.
Feb. 27
San Francisco
April 5
March 3
San Diego
Los Angeles
For more information, contact stewardship@hmc.edu
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