Faculty & Staff
Founders, Anne Deane Berman, PhD & Dr. Steven Lee Berman
Since 1998, DIGIVATIONS INSTITUTE Founders have invested their decades of experience acquired in Academia (UCLA, UBC), Government, Creative Arts, and Technology Industries, in establishing and positively enabling an international community of thousands of youth, educators and professionals to exponentially advance the fabric of society paralleling the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Founders of DIGIVATIONS Education Ventures (Canada) DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD INSTITUTE (US Federal 501(C)3) and DIGIVATIONS XGENS (Model UN) are Anne Deane Berman, Ph.D. and Dr. Steven Lee Berman. Both were former professors at UCSB and UCLA, respectively. They represented the entire University of California establishing one of the most successful industry-university matching grants programs in digital technologies and content (Advanced Computing- SETI@home, AI, Precision Agriculture,Drug Discovery, Energy, Intelligent Infrastructure, Remote Medicine, 21st Century Entertainment, among others) generating over $300 million in revenue for the State of California from the late 90’s through the mid-2000’s. Dr. Anne Deane Berman is also an internationally performed composer and a former faculty member at UCSB, Iowa State University and University of British Columbia.
Heavily influenced by the United States and U.S.S.R. Space Race, Dr. Steven Lee Berman has served as a materials and computation engineer writing computer programs to analyze some of the first moon rock samples, and he also contributed to the research and design for some of the most advanced engineering and bioengineering applications including the Space Shuttle's heat shield. For the past 30 years, he has actively served as an Intellectual Property, Entertainment, Corporate and Non-Profit Attorney in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. He continues to be involved in numerous educational, technology and interactive media content start-ups and established the first formal enterprise to connect Silicon Valley technologists and creatives with the then more established entertainment corporate and talent communities in Hollywood (see Wired Magazine Article). He also co-designed the curriculum for the first Digital Media Masters Degree program in Canada at the Great Northern Way Consortium Campus in British Columbia, Canada (ECU, UBC, BCIT and SFU).
Dr. Steve has also established economic partnerships and designed innovation pipeline programs for cities, governments, states, universities, and countries including founding the California-Canada Strategic Innovation Partnership which focused on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Nanotechnology, as well as Advanced Transportation and Energy.
Both Drs. Steve and Anne Berman established a NASA award winning STEM+ARTS+MOVEMENT 501(c)(3) educational non-profit in the United States, DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD INSTITUTE, and Innovation & Literary Camps featuring the world’s first and only overnight Camp Half-Blood (for which Jacob Berman was the creative force and a Founder); Harry Potter Campincluding Harry Potter Sustainable Universe focused on teaching students and adults about the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals and how to implement creative works and innovations supporting them, and Camp Fandom. To date, Drs. Berman through DIGIVATIONS have taught over 5,000 students, ages 5-25. DIGIVATIONS also established and operates its educational programs in BC, Canada through an entity known as DIGIVATIONS EDUCATION VENTURES. The collective programs also focus on professional development having taught 2,000 educators and community innovation entities.
Through our organizations, many high school and college students have received substantial benefits ranging from service credit hours and other awards, positions in our organizations and other professional enterprises, and university scholarships based on their work in our programs. Drs. Bermans’ current focus is on further developing its high school, Running Start, university and young professionals Model UN non-profit initiatives, DIGIVATIONS XGENS, and its academic and industry programs focused on the application and implementation of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Founders of DIGIVATIONS Education Ventures (Canada) DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD INSTITUTE (US Federal 501(C)3) and DIGIVATIONS XGENS (Model UN) are Anne Deane Berman, Ph.D. and Dr. Steven Lee Berman. Both were former professors at UCSB and UCLA, respectively. They represented the entire University of California establishing one of the most successful industry-university matching grants programs in digital technologies and content (Advanced Computing- SETI@home, AI, Precision Agriculture,Drug Discovery, Energy, Intelligent Infrastructure, Remote Medicine, 21st Century Entertainment, among others) generating over $300 million in revenue for the State of California from the late 90’s through the mid-2000’s. Dr. Anne Deane Berman is also an internationally performed composer and a former faculty member at UCSB, Iowa State University and University of British Columbia.
Heavily influenced by the United States and U.S.S.R. Space Race, Dr. Steven Lee Berman has served as a materials and computation engineer writing computer programs to analyze some of the first moon rock samples, and he also contributed to the research and design for some of the most advanced engineering and bioengineering applications including the Space Shuttle's heat shield. For the past 30 years, he has actively served as an Intellectual Property, Entertainment, Corporate and Non-Profit Attorney in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. He continues to be involved in numerous educational, technology and interactive media content start-ups and established the first formal enterprise to connect Silicon Valley technologists and creatives with the then more established entertainment corporate and talent communities in Hollywood (see Wired Magazine Article). He also co-designed the curriculum for the first Digital Media Masters Degree program in Canada at the Great Northern Way Consortium Campus in British Columbia, Canada (ECU, UBC, BCIT and SFU).
Dr. Steve has also established economic partnerships and designed innovation pipeline programs for cities, governments, states, universities, and countries including founding the California-Canada Strategic Innovation Partnership which focused on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Nanotechnology, as well as Advanced Transportation and Energy.
Both Drs. Steve and Anne Berman established a NASA award winning STEM+ARTS+MOVEMENT 501(c)(3) educational non-profit in the United States, DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD INSTITUTE, and Innovation & Literary Camps featuring the world’s first and only overnight Camp Half-Blood (for which Jacob Berman was the creative force and a Founder); Harry Potter Campincluding Harry Potter Sustainable Universe focused on teaching students and adults about the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals and how to implement creative works and innovations supporting them, and Camp Fandom. To date, Drs. Berman through DIGIVATIONS have taught over 5,000 students, ages 5-25. DIGIVATIONS also established and operates its educational programs in BC, Canada through an entity known as DIGIVATIONS EDUCATION VENTURES. The collective programs also focus on professional development having taught 2,000 educators and community innovation entities.
Through our organizations, many high school and college students have received substantial benefits ranging from service credit hours and other awards, positions in our organizations and other professional enterprises, and university scholarships based on their work in our programs. Drs. Bermans’ current focus is on further developing its high school, Running Start, university and young professionals Model UN non-profit initiatives, DIGIVATIONS XGENS, and its academic and industry programs focused on the application and implementation of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Jacob Alan Berman, Associate Director, Faculty and Part Time Chef (Environmental Science, Sustainability and Anthropology, Cornell 2025). His course of study revolves around Conservation Bioacoustics; which is the collection and interpretation of sounds in nature by developing and applying innovative conservation technologies across ecologically relevant scales to inspire and inform the conservation of wildlife and habitats. His focus as an Undergraduate Research Assistant uses these technologies (specifically RavenPro and BirdNET) to understand how wildfire smoke in Bornean forests affect threatened primates' behavior and biophony. He is a film maker, composes music, enjoys writing, works for social justice and in a TA at the local Temple, teaching Bar/Bat Mitzvah students. His documentary film, "A Rainy Day in Nowhere", was shown at the 35th anniversary of Sub-Basement Cinema, Cornell University in 2023. Recent publications include: "Disorientation Guide: Section on Antisemitism at Cornell Disorientation Guide: Section on Antisemitism at Cornell", 2023; “Summary of Modern Hebrew, Esperanto, and the Quest for Universal Language”, 2022; "The Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery’s Effect on Icicle Creek. Department of Interior", 2019; and “Summary of Modern Hebrew, Esperanto, and the Quest for Universal Language.” 2020. Jacob launched the the World's First Overnight Camp Half-Blood at the age of nine after read the book series and inspires the continued development of DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD INSTITUTE and Model UN DIGIVATIONS XGENS Delegation.
Jacob Lehman (right), DIGIVATIONS Theatrical Combat Instructor and Fight Choreographer (Ithaca, NY, Cornell, 2008 and University of Michgan Law School 2009). Jacob helps clients grow: personally, professionally, and organizationally. He has helped Fortune 500 companies identify attractive new verticals, early stage startups build out their leadership teams or prepare for a raise, and hundreds of job-seekers find their next role. He brings a consultant's head for numbers, a lawyer's attention to language, and an educator's commitment to people development to every project, helping clients feel confident in the face of their most challenging decisions.
In his spare time, He is an active stage combat instructor and fight choreographer, creating realistic, evocative, and safe scenes of violence for stage and film. He solves the New York Times crossword puzzle every day, and is a three-time winner of the Finger Lake Crossword Competition (2016, 2017, 2020), and occasional startup investor. The Times’ website stopped tracking overall rankings, but in February 2017, he was 16th out of 790,555 people who had solved at least one puzzle during the month.The Ithaca Times ran an article about his many talents, "Lehman teaches stage-fighting with the Ithaca Shakespeare Company, a lifelong interest that led him to found Ring of Steel, a stage-fighting club at Cornell that still exists to this day and also the forum by which he met his wife, Jennifer, [who will also be working with students this summer]. Even more so than when discussing puzzles, his voice becomes palpably excited talking about the intricacies of the art form, how different sword hits must sound and their cadence to please the audience, which he fell into after fencing in high school in Michigan."
In his spare time, He is an active stage combat instructor and fight choreographer, creating realistic, evocative, and safe scenes of violence for stage and film. He solves the New York Times crossword puzzle every day, and is a three-time winner of the Finger Lake Crossword Competition (2016, 2017, 2020), and occasional startup investor. The Times’ website stopped tracking overall rankings, but in February 2017, he was 16th out of 790,555 people who had solved at least one puzzle during the month.The Ithaca Times ran an article about his many talents, "Lehman teaches stage-fighting with the Ithaca Shakespeare Company, a lifelong interest that led him to found Ring of Steel, a stage-fighting club at Cornell that still exists to this day and also the forum by which he met his wife, Jennifer, [who will also be working with students this summer]. Even more so than when discussing puzzles, his voice becomes palpably excited talking about the intricacies of the art form, how different sword hits must sound and their cadence to please the audience, which he fell into after fencing in high school in Michigan."
Phoebe Turner (University of Southern California and US Navy) is an Electrical and Computer Engineering Undergraduate major with a minor in Physics. As a U.S. Navy Midshipman, she has learned marine combat tactics, ethics development, large mechanics science, and her favorite part has been getting to meet different people and go on adventures. She hopes to learn from people of other disciplines about their passions to gain a more multifaceted understanding, especially at the intersection of art and science. She also looks forward to learning from the students because "they often have an open-minded curiosity and imagination for the world that we can sometimes lose as we get older." She is involved in multiple clubs including Makers Robotics and Innovation Club, CoCa Art and Technology Club, Chess Club, and she recently founded and is President of the USC Wargaming Club. She has also been a part of the USC Society of Physics Students Mentorship program, where she studied with Biophysicist Peter J. Foster.
A Ferrofluid: iron nano particles which react to magnetism. Phoebe was in charge of the 3D printing portion and audio processing. Audio input, like a song, would be split up into volume and beat fluctuations which would be converted to magnetic pulses which, in turn, moved the ferrofluid in the flask. The magnets are behind the flask in the structure. The circuitry is on the back of the device. Phoebe also worked on the LED set up. USC Club Project.
Katie Guttenberg, Counselor and Subject Matter Expert (Marvel & Ancient Cultures) (They/He). At DIGIVATIONS, he hopes to work on strengthening his leadership skills and get better at thinking on his feet. He loved his experience as a camper at Camp Demigod in their inaugural summer 2013 and want to pass on his love of fandom, LARP, and classics. In fact, because of Dr. Steve's multidisciplinary curriculum and teaching approach, Katie was the one who came up with the original idea that inspired DIGIVATIONS Camp Fandom, an idea which Jacob concurred and has overseen for the past 11 years. He would like to work with neurodivergent kids and help improve both their and his confidence. He would also enjoy learning how to play D&D and/or other TTRPGs.
With DIGIVATIONS faculty member Charis Martin, he wants to learn Ancient Greek language and research media studies. His interest in mythology drew him to taking Latin in middle school, where he fell in love with Classics. He ended up earning a Latin award his senior year of high school for his dedication and passion to the subject. He chose Fordham University because he wanted to continue learning about ancient history and languages. This allowed him to explore areas of history that he had previously overlooked, such as the rise of democracy in Athens. While the Ancient Greek courses didn’t fit into his schedule, he was able to continue his study of Latin at Lincoln Center.
Additionally, Katie loves analyzing media and talking about different properties; his media studies classes were some of his favorite in undergrad. There’s no question that Classics and Media Studies are two of the degree concentrations he would go on to study if he decides graduate school is in his future.
Katie recently graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Classical Studies from Fordham University. He took Latin from 7th grade all the way through sophomore year of college. In undergrad he took a variety of classes focused on ancient history and cultures in addition to classes about Greek/Roman mythology.
In addition to his Classics major, Katie minored in Communications, with a focus on media studies. He is well versed in topics such as fandom, fandom history, pop culture, and metatextual analysis. Some of his favorite projects/papers were on Destiel/Supernatural, Good Omens, and Smallville. For his comic book history class, he did a final research paper on Marvel’s Civil War comic event and the sociopolitical context that influenced it. Lastly, Katie is on a personal mission to read every Marvel comic ever published and he has read everything from 1939-1941.
With DIGIVATIONS faculty member Charis Martin, he wants to learn Ancient Greek language and research media studies. His interest in mythology drew him to taking Latin in middle school, where he fell in love with Classics. He ended up earning a Latin award his senior year of high school for his dedication and passion to the subject. He chose Fordham University because he wanted to continue learning about ancient history and languages. This allowed him to explore areas of history that he had previously overlooked, such as the rise of democracy in Athens. While the Ancient Greek courses didn’t fit into his schedule, he was able to continue his study of Latin at Lincoln Center.
Additionally, Katie loves analyzing media and talking about different properties; his media studies classes were some of his favorite in undergrad. There’s no question that Classics and Media Studies are two of the degree concentrations he would go on to study if he decides graduate school is in his future.
Katie recently graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Classical Studies from Fordham University. He took Latin from 7th grade all the way through sophomore year of college. In undergrad he took a variety of classes focused on ancient history and cultures in addition to classes about Greek/Roman mythology.
In addition to his Classics major, Katie minored in Communications, with a focus on media studies. He is well versed in topics such as fandom, fandom history, pop culture, and metatextual analysis. Some of his favorite projects/papers were on Destiel/Supernatural, Good Omens, and Smallville. For his comic book history class, he did a final research paper on Marvel’s Civil War comic event and the sociopolitical context that influenced it. Lastly, Katie is on a personal mission to read every Marvel comic ever published and he has read everything from 1939-1941.
William Best, Counselor, Texas, is a dedicated scholar whose academic focus incorporates a multidisciplinary approach to studying the natural sciences and humanities, with a love of language, culture, history, and sciences. His personal interests include all things Star Wars, with a profound appreciation to Vivaldi for his ‘Four Seasons’ which served as the soundtrack to Will’s Senior year studies. For the past three years, William has been a co-researcher for Dr. Ralph Zehnder at Angelo State University studying the containment of radioactive f-element compounds, and feels honored to have been able to participate in presenting the team’s findings to the Texas Academy of Science in 2023 on research entitled, “Improvement of Synthetic Pathways for the Creation of f-Element 2-bromoterephthalate glutarates” and “Attempts to Characterize a Mysterious Plutonium Compound.” A third paper in this research series was published in the Fall of 2023: “Structural Properties of a Three-Dimensional Inorganic Coordination Network, K5Na[Pr2(SO4)6],” Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research (2023) 22(4).
William enjoys the mechanics and musical lyricism of languages, and hopes to one day speak fluent French so that he might order a baguette with a flawless French accént. He may be one of the few people who actually enjoys diagramming sentences. William’s appreciation for civics, history, the U.S. Constitution, and U.S. case law led him to the 2024 State Finals of the Texas State Citizen Bee sponsored by the State Bar of Texas.
William is excited to join DIGIVATIONS XGENS and DIGIVATIONS INSTITUTE as a camp counselor after his past participation as a summer camper and XGENS delegate on the 2022 and 2023 Yale Model United Nations XGENS Delegation. “Being at summer camp listening to world-renowned expert Dr. Paul Weiss introduce the concepts of nanotechnology helped me to realize that the scientific community is just that: a community. This experience encouraged me to seek out opportunities and ask questions without the fear of being ridiculed for admitting I
didn’t know something. The truth is that scientists want us to learn. I think this is true of all fields of study. Because of my XGENS camp experience, I felt empowered to seek out similar opportunities in my own community which has resulted in my participation in research meaningful to me on both a personal and professional level.
William enjoys the mechanics and musical lyricism of languages, and hopes to one day speak fluent French so that he might order a baguette with a flawless French accént. He may be one of the few people who actually enjoys diagramming sentences. William’s appreciation for civics, history, the U.S. Constitution, and U.S. case law led him to the 2024 State Finals of the Texas State Citizen Bee sponsored by the State Bar of Texas.
William is excited to join DIGIVATIONS XGENS and DIGIVATIONS INSTITUTE as a camp counselor after his past participation as a summer camper and XGENS delegate on the 2022 and 2023 Yale Model United Nations XGENS Delegation. “Being at summer camp listening to world-renowned expert Dr. Paul Weiss introduce the concepts of nanotechnology helped me to realize that the scientific community is just that: a community. This experience encouraged me to seek out opportunities and ask questions without the fear of being ridiculed for admitting I
didn’t know something. The truth is that scientists want us to learn. I think this is true of all fields of study. Because of my XGENS camp experience, I felt empowered to seek out similar opportunities in my own community which has resulted in my participation in research meaningful to me on both a personal and professional level.
Rebecca Cross is a textile based artist who employs the traditional techniques of Japanese shibori, a shape and color resist immersion dye process. She works primarily in silk, creating wall installations and three dimensional sculptures. Her work is strong and delicate, translating the permanence of beauty and the persistence of memory. Cross is a graduate of Oberlin College and Kent State University. Her work has been exhibited internationally and featured in many print publications. This will be her second residency at DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD INSTITUTE. Her first visit was in 2015 when she taught indigo dyeing techniques.
"Rebecca Cross: Suspended Animations" will continue in the Massillon Museum’s Studio M through June 16. Through large-scale drawings and an installation, "Suspended Animations" considers the current moment, in the context of an environmentally fragile world. Find a podcast interview with the artist at https://www.massillonmuseum.org/533
Randolph 'Randy' Coleman (born 1937) is an American composer and educator. He is Emeritus Professor at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Oberlin College. He was the first chairman of the national council of the American Society of University Composers, now called The Society of Composers, Inc. DIGIVATIONS Co-Founder Anne Deane Berman, PhD, studied with Professor Coleman during her college years at Oberlin. It was Randy who encouraged her to seek out colleagues from different background and interests in order to create interdiciplinary works. She has carried this ideology throughout her compositional career which eventually led her to be a pioneer in Interactive Immersive Environments with her husband and DIGIVATIONS Co-Founder, Dr. Steve Berman. The ultimate goal of the creative work at DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD INSTITUTE is for the community to create new works which are multidisciplinary and interactive. We are honored to host Dr. Coleman and to learn about his music.
Medical Director & Associate Director
Virginia Lester, RN, MSN, ARNP, (Point Roberts, WA: DIGIVATIONS Camp Demigod Medical Director and Nurse Practitioner (2013-present) INTERESTS IN MENTORSHIP, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, MUSIC & MEDICINE) has more than 35 years experience as a Nurse Practitioner and director of clinics in both California and most recently developed and managed the Point Roberts Clinic. She developed and managed the Nurse Practitioner program at California State University Fresno. She was on several different national committees helping to develop the health care plan under the Clinton Administration, the precursor to Obama Care.
Jamie Pollak, Associate Medical Director and Young Scholar, is a dedicated student currently pursuing a degree in Human Biology, Health, and Society at Cornell University. Certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Jamie will work under the guidance of DIGIVATIONS Medical Director and Nurse Practitioner, Virginia Lester. Jamie's passion for community service is evident through her volunteer work as an EMT and at the local children's hospital, where she provides compassionate care for medically complex children at Sunshine Home. During her high school senior project, Jamie worked as a caregiver at an assisted living community, actively promoting and participating in exercise programs for senior citizens. At Cornell, Jamie also shines in sports as a club lacrosse player and has recently embraced a coaching role to teach youth in Ithaca the sport she loves. Beyond academics and athletics, Jamie is an ardent animal lover, caring for two rescue rabbits and volunteering at the local animal rescue during her first year of college. She is also deeply committed to mental health advocacy and holistic wellness. Jamie's advocacy work includes mental health awareness, a cause she championed as a three-time class president in high school. She even spoke at a NAMI conference to guide parents on effective communication strategies with their children. Currently serving on the Dean's Undergraduate Advisory Council at the College of Human Ecology and the community service board, Jamie continues to make a positive impact in various ways, from maintaining botanical gardens to honing her CPR skills. Her future aspirations lie in medicine, specifically focusing on autoimmune and endocrine-related health issues and their intersection with mental health. Jamie's unwavering dedication to service and advocacy underscores her commitment to improving healthcare and wellness for all. Jamie is excited to work with campers, providing comfort to both parents and kids by ensuring she is well-prepared for any medical emergency. She is also excited about taking the kids on daily runs, interacting with them, and offering insights into the pre-medical path and guidance. Additionally, Jamie hopes to engage with a Cornell laboratory on campus while being a young scholar at DIGIVATIONS INSTITUTE.
Distinquished Remote Faculty
Professor Paul S. Weiss, DIGIVATIONS BOARD MEMBER AND GUEST SPEAKER. University of California Presidential ChairDistinguished Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, BioengineeringDistinguished Professor of Materials Science & EngineeringCalifornia NanoSystems Institute, DIGIVATIONS Board Member. Paul S. Weiss graduated from MIT with S.B. and S.M. degrees in chemistry in 1980 and from the University of California at Berkeley with a Ph.D. in chemistry in 1986. He is a nanoscientist and holds a UC Presidential Chair and a distinguished professor of chemistry & biochemistry, bioengineering, and materials science & engineering at UCLA, where he was previously director of the California NanoSystems Institute. He also currently holds visiting appointments at Harvard’s Wyss Institute and several universities in Australia, China, and South Korea. He studies the ultimate limits of miniaturization, developing and applying new tools and methods for atomic-resolution and spectroscopic imaging and patterning of chemical functionality. He and his group apply these advances in other areas including neuroscience, microbiome studies, tissue engineering, and high-throughput gene editing. He led, coauthored, and published the technology roadmaps for the BRAIN Initiative and the U.S. Microbiome Initiative. He has won a number of awards in science, engineering, teaching, publishing, and communications. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the American Physical Society, the American Vacuum Society, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Materials Research Society, and an honorary fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society and the Chemical Research Society of India. He is the founding and current editor-in-chief of ACS Nano.
Steven Morely, DIGIVATIONS ADVISORY BOARD, is a proven senior technology executive, inventor, and business mentor/advisor/educator who is passionate about turning great ideas into successful businesses that help people. His 45-year career as a serial startup entrepreneur, senior technology executive, and entrepreneurial mentor/advisor/instructor has successfully proven this dedication working with companies large and small. He has been part of founding six startups, including Qualcomm, where he spent 20 years as a Vice President starting and growing several business units including their integrated circuits and cellular phone development. He has a MSEE degree with a business minor from Stanford University and a BSEE degree from the University of California, Irvine. He holds more than 35 patents and was recognized as one of the top 1% of the mentors in the Founder Institute global accelerator program.
Bernard Frischer is a digital archaeologist who writes about virtual heritage, Classics, and the survival of the Classical world. He received his B.A. in Classics from Wesleyan University (CT) in 1971 and his Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Heidelberg in 1975. From 1974 to 1976, he had a two-year Prix de Rome fellowship at the American Academy in Rome, where he studied Roman topography and archaeology, worked in the Fototeca Unione as a photographer and topographer and served two summers as assistant professor in the Academy's summer program on Roman topography. He taught Classics at UCLA from 1976 until 2004, when he became a Professor Emeritus. In the fall of 2004, he moved to the University of Virginia, where he directed a digital humanities research center and was Professor of Art History and Classics. In 2013, he became Professor Emeritus at Virginia and he moved to the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University, where he directed the Virtual Heritage track. Virtual Heritage is a new field studying ways of applying the new 3D technologies to research and instruction in fields such as anthropology, art and architectural history, and conservation science. He retired from Indiana University on December 31, 2023 and was made a Professor Emeritus. He is now devoting himself to research and writing.
He was a guest professor at the University of Pennsylvania (1992), the University of Bologna (1993), and Beijing Normal University (2009) and in 2001-2002 held the post of Professor-in-Charge of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa (inducted in 1970), a Fellow of the Michigan Society of Fellows (1971-1974), a Fellow (1974-76), Resident (1996) and Trustee (2009-2012) of the American Academy in Rome. He also won research fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies (1981-82, 1996-97), the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, (1997) and the Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz (2010-11).
From 1996 to 2003, he directed the excavations of Horace's Villa (Licenza, Italy) sponsored by the American Academy in Rome, and from 1996 to 2004 he was founding director of the UCLA Cultural Virtual Reality Laboratory. The lab was one of the first in the world to use 3D computer modeling to reconstruct cultural heritage sites. In 2008 he started the Virtual World Heritage Laboratory (https://vwhl.luddy.indiana.edu/). Through his labs and with the help of many technical and scholarly collaborators, Frischer oversaw many 3D modeling projects, including “Rome Reborn,” the digital recreation of the entire city of ancient Rome within the Aurelian Walls, the "Digital Hadrian's Villa Project," and the "Uffizi-Indiana University 3D Digitization Project."
In 2022, Frischer founded Flyover Zone, Inc., an ed-tech company based in Bloomington, Indiana. The company's mission is to commercialize products and services using 3D digital technologies to present cultural heritage sites and monuments to the general public. The company has marketed two streaming services: a Virtual Museum with an extensive collection of interactive 3D models of classical sculptures; and Yorescape, its platform for virtual tours that take you across space to see ruins in countries like Egypt, Greece, and Italy and back in time to see the ruins spring to life in computer reconstructions. The same experts who work with the company's 3D modeling team to recreate the ruins also help to craft the scripts which are recorded and can be heard at each stop of a tour.
In 2005 he was given the Pioneer Award of the International Society on Virtual Systems and Multimedia. In 2009, he was the recipient of the Tartessus Lifetime Achievement Prize from the Spanish Society of Virtual Archaeology. Flyover Zone: www.flyoverzone.com
He was a guest professor at the University of Pennsylvania (1992), the University of Bologna (1993), and Beijing Normal University (2009) and in 2001-2002 held the post of Professor-in-Charge of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa (inducted in 1970), a Fellow of the Michigan Society of Fellows (1971-1974), a Fellow (1974-76), Resident (1996) and Trustee (2009-2012) of the American Academy in Rome. He also won research fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies (1981-82, 1996-97), the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, (1997) and the Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz (2010-11).
From 1996 to 2003, he directed the excavations of Horace's Villa (Licenza, Italy) sponsored by the American Academy in Rome, and from 1996 to 2004 he was founding director of the UCLA Cultural Virtual Reality Laboratory. The lab was one of the first in the world to use 3D computer modeling to reconstruct cultural heritage sites. In 2008 he started the Virtual World Heritage Laboratory (https://vwhl.luddy.indiana.edu/). Through his labs and with the help of many technical and scholarly collaborators, Frischer oversaw many 3D modeling projects, including “Rome Reborn,” the digital recreation of the entire city of ancient Rome within the Aurelian Walls, the "Digital Hadrian's Villa Project," and the "Uffizi-Indiana University 3D Digitization Project."
In 2022, Frischer founded Flyover Zone, Inc., an ed-tech company based in Bloomington, Indiana. The company's mission is to commercialize products and services using 3D digital technologies to present cultural heritage sites and monuments to the general public. The company has marketed two streaming services: a Virtual Museum with an extensive collection of interactive 3D models of classical sculptures; and Yorescape, its platform for virtual tours that take you across space to see ruins in countries like Egypt, Greece, and Italy and back in time to see the ruins spring to life in computer reconstructions. The same experts who work with the company's 3D modeling team to recreate the ruins also help to craft the scripts which are recorded and can be heard at each stop of a tour.
In 2005 he was given the Pioneer Award of the International Society on Virtual Systems and Multimedia. In 2009, he was the recipient of the Tartessus Lifetime Achievement Prize from the Spanish Society of Virtual Archaeology. Flyover Zone: www.flyoverzone.com
Charles L. Dages, II DIGIVATIONS BOARD OF ADVISORS & GUEST SPEAKER is the former chairman of the Board of Trustees for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Dages' industry experience includes more than 35 years as an entertainment executive at Warner Bros. and CBS.
Dages joined Warner Bros. in 1994 as senior vice president of Technology. During his tenure at Warner Bros., he was responsible for implementing new innovative technologies to the production, post-production, and distribution of feature films, television, and interactive entertainment. He led the creation of a complete digital facility for The Ellen DeGeneres Show at the studio’s Burbank, California, lot. He also managed the launch of the Warner International Channel, Extra, as well as The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and designed and built the innovative WB TV Network digital infrastructure, which was later recognized with a technical Emmy.
Prior to joining Warner Bros., Dages worked at CBS in a number of positions including vice president of east coast operations, vice president of engineering, and vice president of development. Major projects under his purview included the Ed Sullivan Theater for Late Show with David Letterman; CBS Evening News studio; 60 Minutes post; CBS Broadcast Ops Center; and technical facilities for the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympic Games, among others.
Dages has served as a board member or chair for several companies and organizations including start-up Content Guard, a patent pool holder for protection of entertainment property; the Partnership for an HIV-Free Generation in Africa; DIGIVATIONS, summer camps dedicated to promoting STEM arts education; and is currently technology board advisor to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
Dages joined Warner Bros. in 1994 as senior vice president of Technology. During his tenure at Warner Bros., he was responsible for implementing new innovative technologies to the production, post-production, and distribution of feature films, television, and interactive entertainment. He led the creation of a complete digital facility for The Ellen DeGeneres Show at the studio’s Burbank, California, lot. He also managed the launch of the Warner International Channel, Extra, as well as The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and designed and built the innovative WB TV Network digital infrastructure, which was later recognized with a technical Emmy.
Prior to joining Warner Bros., Dages worked at CBS in a number of positions including vice president of east coast operations, vice president of engineering, and vice president of development. Major projects under his purview included the Ed Sullivan Theater for Late Show with David Letterman; CBS Evening News studio; 60 Minutes post; CBS Broadcast Ops Center; and technical facilities for the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympic Games, among others.
Dages has served as a board member or chair for several companies and organizations including start-up Content Guard, a patent pool holder for protection of entertainment property; the Partnership for an HIV-Free Generation in Africa; DIGIVATIONS, summer camps dedicated to promoting STEM arts education; and is currently technology board advisor to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
Jacquelyn Ford Morie, DIGIVATIONS BOARD OF ADVISORS & GUEST SPEAKER, currently advises several forward-thinking companies. As a senior technical advisor to XPRIZE's ANA Avatar Prize (awarded in 2023), she helped shape the challenge of creating a robotic avatar individuals could inhabit from a distance. Her 2020 co-edited book "The Handbook of Research on the Global Impacts and Roles of Immersive Media," offered comprehensive explorations into the emerging landscape of immersive technologies. She was presented with the Accenture Lifetime Achievement Award for her VR work at the 2022 AIXR Awards and is currently working on two books that explore a more inclusive history of Virtual Reality. In addition to running her company and writing, she currently teaches Immersive Experience Design for UCLA’s Extension Program, and supervises PhD candidates at University College in Dublin, Ireland.
Larry Tuch, DIGIVATIONS BOARD OF ADVISORS & FACULTY, is a writer and creative consultant working in the fields of place making, theme parks, cultural heritage and museums. He has written for primetime television series produced by Universal Studios for NBC, worked as a freelance writer and consultant for Walt Disney Imagineering, and was the head writer for Paramount Pictures’ StoryDrive™ Engine Project, an experimental project focused on interactive storytelling. PLACE MAKING AND THEMED ATTRACTIONSIn the fields of place making and themed entertainment, Larry’s work focuses on shaping the concepts and narratives that inform the design, branding, and master planning of visitor destinations. These projects have included resorts, theme parks and attractions slated for locations in North and South America, Asia, and the Middle East. He has also designed and facilitated workshops on story-driven design for Walt Disney Imagineering and Netherlands-based Jora Vision BV, one of Europe’s foremost designers of museum exhibits and theme park attractions.
MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE Larry’s museum projects include exhibit concept development for The Franklin Institute Science Museum and narrative design for the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. His cultural heritage projects include visitor experience design for the Tatev medieval monastery in Armenia and scripts for prototype virtual reality tours of China’s Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
INTERACTIVE AND IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTS Some of Larry’s most cutting-edge work has been in the field of interactive entertainment and immersive environments. In addition to his work as head writer and co-designer for Paramount Pictures’ StoryDrive™ Engine Project, he has scripted virtual reality projects for Walt Disney Imagineering and the USC Institute for Creative Technologies. He also served as the technical editor for The Immersive Worlds Handbook by Scott A. Lukas (Focal Press/Taylor & Francis Group). Larry’s interactive and virtual reality projects have been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune and Digital Storytelling: A Creator’s Guide to Interactive Entertainment written by Carolyn Miller (CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group).
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND ACADEMIALarry is a past vice president and member of the International Board of Directors of the Themed Entertainment Association and a longstanding member of the Writers Guild of America, west. He has served on industry advisory committees for the University of California and taught graduate and undergraduate courses as a visiting assistant professor and lecturer at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television.
MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE Larry’s museum projects include exhibit concept development for The Franklin Institute Science Museum and narrative design for the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. His cultural heritage projects include visitor experience design for the Tatev medieval monastery in Armenia and scripts for prototype virtual reality tours of China’s Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
INTERACTIVE AND IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTS Some of Larry’s most cutting-edge work has been in the field of interactive entertainment and immersive environments. In addition to his work as head writer and co-designer for Paramount Pictures’ StoryDrive™ Engine Project, he has scripted virtual reality projects for Walt Disney Imagineering and the USC Institute for Creative Technologies. He also served as the technical editor for The Immersive Worlds Handbook by Scott A. Lukas (Focal Press/Taylor & Francis Group). Larry’s interactive and virtual reality projects have been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune and Digital Storytelling: A Creator’s Guide to Interactive Entertainment written by Carolyn Miller (CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group).
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND ACADEMIALarry is a past vice president and member of the International Board of Directors of the Themed Entertainment Association and a longstanding member of the Writers Guild of America, west. He has served on industry advisory committees for the University of California and taught graduate and undergraduate courses as a visiting assistant professor and lecturer at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television.
Michael Zyda, DIGIVATIONS BOARD OF ADVISORS & GUEST SPEAKER, is a Professor of Engineering Practice and was the Founding Director of USC's Computer Science Games Program in the USC Department of Computer Science. At USC, he founded the Computer Science Games Program and the year-long advanced game projects course that forms the core of USC Games and took that program from no program to the #1 Games program in the world. That program has been rated #1 by the Princeton Review for ten of the last eleven years. His alums have shipped games played by over 5 billion players, about $250B in revenue and $2.5B in payroll to those alums. Zyda is an ACM Fellow, IEEE Fellow, an IEEE Virtual Reality Technical Achievement Award winner, a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, a Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA) and a National Associate of the National Academies. Zyda is a member of the Editorial Board & Games Column Editor, IEEE Computer magazine. Zyda is a Distinguished Collaborator for the Stanford Human Perception Laboratory affiliated with the Institute for Human-Centered AI.
From Fall 2000 to Fall 2004, he was the Founding Director of the MOVES (modeling, virtual environments, and simulation) Institute located at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, and a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at NPS as well. At NPS, Zyda’s NPSNET Research Group built the first networked virtual environment with fully instrumented body suits that played across the Internet. His work on the networking of virtual environments contributed to the development of the IEEE 1278.1 standard for distributed interactive simulation. He helped found the subspecialty in modeling and simulation for the United States Navy, the simulation operations functional area (57) for the US Army and the simulation operations area (MOS-9625) for the US Marine Corps. While at NPS, Zyda was Associate Editor and then Senior Editor for the MIT Press Journal Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments from 1993 - 2004. With Fred Brooks, Henry Fuchs and Mary Whitton, he co-founded the ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics in 1990.
He was a member of the National Research Council Committee that put out the report “Virtual Reality - Scientific and Technological Challenges”. He chaired the NRC Committee that put out the study “Modeling and Simulation - Linking Entertainment and Defense”. That NRC report changed the entire Department of Defense towards the usage of games and entertainment technology for its future modeling and simulation systems. From that report, Zyda wrote the operating plan and research agenda that founded USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies.
For the National Research Council, he has served on committees for the Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Commission, the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, the Mathematical Sciences and Their Applications Board, the Naval Studies Board, the Air Force Studies Board, the Army Research Laboratory Technical Assessment Board, the Board on Higher Education and Workforce, the Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences, and the Board on Earth Sciences and Resources.
Zyda holds a lifetime appointment as a National Associate of the National Academies, an appointment made by the Council of the National Academy of Sciences in November 2003, awarded in recognition of “extraordinary service” to the National Academies. In August 2019, Zyda was appointed Distinguished Collaborator for the Stanford Human Perception Laboratory affiliated with the Institute for Human-Centered AI.
From Fall 2000 to Fall 2004, he was the Founding Director of the MOVES (modeling, virtual environments, and simulation) Institute located at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, and a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at NPS as well. At NPS, Zyda’s NPSNET Research Group built the first networked virtual environment with fully instrumented body suits that played across the Internet. His work on the networking of virtual environments contributed to the development of the IEEE 1278.1 standard for distributed interactive simulation. He helped found the subspecialty in modeling and simulation for the United States Navy, the simulation operations functional area (57) for the US Army and the simulation operations area (MOS-9625) for the US Marine Corps. While at NPS, Zyda was Associate Editor and then Senior Editor for the MIT Press Journal Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments from 1993 - 2004. With Fred Brooks, Henry Fuchs and Mary Whitton, he co-founded the ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics in 1990.
He was a member of the National Research Council Committee that put out the report “Virtual Reality - Scientific and Technological Challenges”. He chaired the NRC Committee that put out the study “Modeling and Simulation - Linking Entertainment and Defense”. That NRC report changed the entire Department of Defense towards the usage of games and entertainment technology for its future modeling and simulation systems. From that report, Zyda wrote the operating plan and research agenda that founded USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies.
For the National Research Council, he has served on committees for the Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Commission, the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, the Mathematical Sciences and Their Applications Board, the Naval Studies Board, the Air Force Studies Board, the Army Research Laboratory Technical Assessment Board, the Board on Higher Education and Workforce, the Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences, and the Board on Earth Sciences and Resources.
Zyda holds a lifetime appointment as a National Associate of the National Academies, an appointment made by the Council of the National Academy of Sciences in November 2003, awarded in recognition of “extraordinary service” to the National Academies. In August 2019, Zyda was appointed Distinguished Collaborator for the Stanford Human Perception Laboratory affiliated with the Institute for Human-Centered AI.
International Faculty
Charis Martin (Cyprus and Scotland: 2015-2021 UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON CENTER FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN STUDIES DIGIVATIONS CAMP DEMIGOD YOUNG SCHOLAR IN ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN CULTURES & MYTHOLOGY, CREATIVE WRITING & INNOVATION) graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2018 with a Masters Degree in Ancient History, focussing on the Ancient Greek and Roman Civilizations. She credits growing up on the island of Cyprus, steeped in Greek culture and mythology, with nurturing her love for the ancient world and the tales that formed and inspired it. She has spent eleven years working with children from the ages of three to fifteen and loves the opportunity to share her knowledge with them and see them develop interests of their own. Her own interests include writing original stories and fan fiction, reading, sailing, scuba-diving, archery and acting. She also speaks Greek and often attempts cooking traditional Greek foods. She shares her love for mythology with demigods through questions, writing, workshops, innovation classes and roleplaying. This will be her 11th summer at Camp Demigod as an advisor and SKYPE guest scholar.
Edward Buendia (New Jersey: DRAWING, PAINTING, WEAPON DESIGN, INTERESTS IN SCIENCE, HISTORY, HUMAN RIGHTS, & ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN) For a decade, Artist Edward Buendia has collaborated with Drs. Steve and Anne to visually express Dr. Steve's ideas which often juxtapose seemingly disparate concepts. The result is a repertoire of dozens of new works, from intimate drawings, to acrylic paintings and large murals, which help define many DIGIVATIONS Innovation Class topics, including Ancient Greek History to Commercial Space; Artificial Intelligence to Language, among many others.
DIGIVATIONS™ Camp Demigod Artist and Senior Faculty (2010-present), has created over a hundred images in collaboration with Co-Founders Steven Lee Berman and Anne Deane Berman, PhD. “His collaborative relationship with Dr. Steve is extraordinary. Eddie is able to interpret Steve’s complex concepts to create evocative images.” These images include illustrations for their “Rocketry Playbook”, “Sphere of Influence Game”, and murals, paintings and drawings created at Camp Demigod. He teaches drawing and painting and illustrates the camper’s characters and worlds.
DIGIVATIONS™ Camp Demigod Artist and Senior Faculty (2010-present), has created over a hundred images in collaboration with Co-Founders Steven Lee Berman and Anne Deane Berman, PhD. “His collaborative relationship with Dr. Steve is extraordinary. Eddie is able to interpret Steve’s complex concepts to create evocative images.” These images include illustrations for their “Rocketry Playbook”, “Sphere of Influence Game”, and murals, paintings and drawings created at Camp Demigod. He teaches drawing and painting and illustrates the camper’s characters and worlds.
Jesus Miguel Lopez, Post Doctorate Candidate, MIT (Mexico) Improving cancer screening through optical biosensors (a fifth-year doctoral student in the lab of Professor Qiuming Yu in the Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE), Cornell University). Baltazar has always had a penchant for mathematics and chemistry and possessed a drive to tackle complex questions. An early experience competing in the National Chemistry Olympiad in high school for his hometown Ciudad Guzmán team in the Mexican state of Jalisco solidified his passion for science. It also confirmed for Lopez Baltazar his goal of pursuing a doctorate. Now at Cornell, Lopez Baltazar hopes to solve a highly impactful multidisciplinary problem: a fast, accurate, and noninvasive means of testing for certain cancers. “I am developing the surface chemistry for a type of biosensor that would allow for early-stage cancer screening via the detection of membrane proteins found in vesicles that all cancer cells release,” Lopez Baltazar said. Growing up in Guzmán with parents who were both teachers, Lopez Baltazar knew that he wanted to go to grad school and eventually become a professor. Once he took his first high school chemistry and physics classes his path started to become a little clearer. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career that combines math, chemistry, and physics,” explained Lopez Baltazar, “and chemical engineering was a great field for me to do just that.” Jesus is currently a Pos Doctoral Fellow at MIT.
Alumni Participants:
Adam Boyd (Prince Edward Island, Canada): INTERESTED IN INNOVATION/ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AI, ANIMATION, VOICE-OVER ACTING & 3-D PRINTING) has been a DIGIVATOR since he was 8. This will be his 10th summer at Camp Demigod. In 2020, Adam was a member of the Virtual Camp Demigod staff appearing as "The All Consuming" character whose identity was not revealed until the last day of Harry Potter Camp when Dr. Steve explained why it was mission critical that all the wizards understood neuroscience and biology because the entire ZOOM experience took place inside The All Consuming's BRAIN - his connectome! Adam is a student at the SelfDesign Learning Community, a distance/distributed learning school located in Vancouver, BC. Adam is a born innovator, he creates new inventions for 3D printing. He is a voice actor for games and animations. He also has an extensive nurf gun collection which he amplifies with devices he designs and makes using his 3D printer.
Emily Grunnert, Pursuing a BS in Biology with a minor in Anthropology and Psychology. she plans to use this degree to work in research, discovering more about our wonderful natural world! She is passionate about finding unity between the different branches of science and science communication. Currently doing research focusing on cilia positioning in mammalian cells and how organelles and cilia interact with one another. Recently presented her Cilia-Calcium research at Western Washington University Scholars Week Poster Session. This summer, Emily is an Amgen Scholar at UCLA. Emily has been deeply involved with DIGIVATIONS since she was 9 years old and most recently as Head Counselor.
Ari Turobiner, Elon University, 2025, Cinema and Television Arts, has been an honorary member of the Berman family since he was six years old. He is a seasoned camp counselor at various arts, theater, Jewish camps in addition to DIGIVATIONS. Ari is a filmmaker, musician and writer and is studying Cinema and Television Arts at Elon University. He has been working for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research since he was 13. His first feature length film, “Back to the Future: Project 85” was a fanmade remake of the original film made during COVID starring original cast members. He has a love of 80s movies, jazz, grunge, rock, country and all kinds of music. Ever since he was a kid he has loved The Legend of Zelda, Lord of the Rings, and of course Percy Jackson. He is an Alto Saxophonist at Elon’s Jazz Band and plays both acoustic and electric guitar. He has been at Camp Demigod for two years as a conselor. In his free time he loves to be with his friends and family and is owner of the website AllTheClassics, a film and music review website.
|
Turobiner is the director, co-organizer, and producer of BTTF: Project 85. His inspiration for the film came about when he saw a fan-made remake of Back to the Future Part II called “BTTF Too” on YouTube. Turobiner gathered a team of over 250 people from around the world, including his assistant director from London to raise money and celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original movie. “We have a FaceBook group where all 250 members operate, and a scene list,” said Turobiner. “I also have group chats with every team involved.”
|
Our 2024 Staff Recruitment Deadline is Open learn more
XGENS
DIGIVATIONS XGENS Global College Preparatory, Model UN Academies, and Cascadia Conferences (DXCIMUN) is a non-profit North American affiliate of NASA award winning DIGIVATIONS’ family of K-25 educational entities. XGENS.org offers global, multidisciplinary career, professional development and leadership programs in fields encompassing the creative arts, cultural heritage, diplomacy, technology policy and scientific exploration.