Shree K. Nayar

Shree K. Nayar serves as the T. C. Chang Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, where he directs the Columbia Vision Laboratory (CAVE). A Columbia faculty member since 1991, he held the Computer Science Department Chair position from 2009-2012 and concurrently served as Director of NYC Research at Snap Inc. until April 2024.

His academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (1990)
• M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University (1986)
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, India (1984)

Nayar's research pioneers three interconnected domains: novel camera architectures for enhanced visual data capture, physics-based computational models for vision and graphics, and advanced algorithms for scene interpretation. These innovations drive applications across digital imaging, robotics, virtual/augmented reality, human-computer interfaces, and computer graphics, establishing him as a foundational figure in computational imaging. His laboratory's output includes commercially deployed technologies and open educational tools.

His exceptional contributions are recognized through comprehensive honors:

• Okawa Prize (2023), Indian National Academy of Engineering (2022), SPIE Luminary (2021)
• Funai Achievement Award (2021), IEEE PAMI Distinguished Researcher Award (2019)
• National Academy of Inventors (2014), American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2011)
• National Academy of Engineering (2008), Packard Fellowship (1992)
• Multiple David Marr Prizes and 14+ Best Paper Awards across SIGGRAPH, CVPR, and ECCV

While specific student mentorship details aren't documented in available sources, his educational impact is evident through initiatives like the Bigshot camera project. Nayar's research program has secured substantial funding through mechanisms including the National Young Investigator Award and Packard Fellowship, enabling sustained innovation at the CAVE laboratory.

The Columbia Vision Laboratory (CAVE) functions as an interdisciplinary hub developing computational imaging systems that bridge theoretical vision models with practical applications, evidenced by media coverage in The New York Times, BBC, and Scientific American regarding self-powered cameras, flexible imaging systems, and educational technologies.