Daniela Rus
Director of MIT's Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) | Pioneering Roboticist & AI Researcher | MacArthur Fellow & Author of The Heart and the Chip
Markus Gross
Professor at ETH Zurich | Chief Scientist, Walt Disney Studios & Director of DisneyResearch|Studios | Two-Time Academy Award Winner (Technical Achievement)
Markus Gross is one of the world's most influential computer scientists and the mind behind much of the technology powering modern movie magic. A professor at ETH Zurich and Chief Scientist at The Walt Disney Studios, he directs Disney Research and has twice won an Academy Technical Achievement Award. A pioneer of computer graphics and digital humans, he reveals how cutting-edge science creates the magic we see on screen.
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Markus Gross biography
Technology speaker Dr. Markus Gross is one of the most influential computer scientists of his generation and the scientific mind behind much of the technology that powers modern movie magic. A Professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich, where he heads the Computer Graphics Laboratory, he is also Chief Scientist at The Walt Disney Studios and the Director of DisneyResearch|Studios, placing him at the exact intersection of frontier science and blockbuster storytelling.
Gross has spent his career inventing the tools that make the impossible look real on screen. A pioneer of computer graphics, physically based modeling, digital humans, stereoscopic 3D, and visual computing, he has published more than 430 scientific papers and holds over 30 patents, and he founded Disney Research Zurich, growing it into one of the world’s leading labs for the science of entertainment. His work has been honored with two Technical Achievement Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which welcomed him as a member in 2020.
The Science to Create the Magic
Beyond his two technical Academy Awards, Gross has received nearly every major honor in his field, including the Steven Anson Coons Award, computer graphics’ highest distinction, the IEEE Visualization Career Award, and the Konrad Zuse Medal. He is a Fellow of the ACM, a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded more than ten technology startups, several of which, including the physics-engine and sports-graphics companies behind technologies now used across gaming and broadcasting, have been acquired by industry giants.
As a speaker, Markus Gross pulls back the curtain on how cutting-edge science becomes the magic audiences see in films, games, and immersive experiences, with the rare authority of someone who has invented much of it. He speaks on the future of visual computing and filmmaking, AI and digital humans, the science behind movie magic, and what it takes to turn breakthrough research into real-world products. Audiences leave dazzled, enlightened, and with a vivid sense of where technology and creativity are heading next.
Markus Gross Speaking Videos
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Markus Gross Keynote Topics
How does cutting-edge science become the magic we see on screen? In his signature keynote, Dr. Markus Gross takes audiences behind the scenes of modern filmmaking, revealing how breakthroughs in computer graphics, digital humans, and visual computing bring impossible worlds and characters to life. Drawing on his work directing Disney Research and his two technical Academy Awards, he blends dazzling demonstrations with deep scientific insight, and shares what the fusion of research and creativity means for the future of entertainment and far beyond.
Artificial intelligence is transforming how stories are told and how characters are created, and few people understand that frontier better than Markus Gross. In this keynote he explores the rise of digital humans and AI-driven characters, how machine learning is reshaping film, games, and immersive media, and the creative and ethical questions this raises. A fascinating, forward-looking talk from a scientist building the technologies that will define the next era of visual storytelling.
Having founded Disney Research and co-founded more than ten startups, Dr. Markus Gross is a master of a notoriously hard challenge: turning breakthrough research into products that reach millions. In this keynote he shares his insights into the fundamental differences between academic and corporate research, how to build cultures where invention thrives, and what it really takes to move technology from the lab into the world. A valuable, candid session for innovation, R&D, and technology leaders.
Screens, images, and immersive experiences are being reinvented, and Markus Gross has helped drive many of the breakthroughs behind them, from 3D video and stereoscopic displays to real-time graphics and immersive telepresence. In this keynote he maps where visual computing is heading, the technologies that will reshape how we create and experience media, and the opportunities they open for business and society. A visionary, scientifically grounded look at the future of how we see and interact with the digital world.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Markus Gross
Why Markus Gross?
Booking Dr. Markus Gross brings audiences one of the world’s foremost computer scientists and a genuine architect of the technology behind modern movie magic. As a professor at ETH Zurich, Chief Scientist at The Walt Disney Studios, and the director of Disney Research, he offers a rare combination of deep scientific authority and the showmanship of someone immersed in the world of blockbuster entertainment. A two-time technical Academy Award winner who has founded more than ten startups, he dazzles and enlightens in equal measure, giving audiences an unforgettable look at where science, AI, and creativity collide. He is ideal for events on technology, innovation, AI, the future, and entertainment. To bring Dr. Markus Gross to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Markus Gross?
Dr. Markus Gross is a German-born, Switzerland-based computer scientist, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in computer graphics and visual computing. He is a Professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich, where he heads the Computer Graphics Laboratory, and serves as Chief Scientist at The Walt Disney Studios and Director of DisneyResearch|Studios. He has published more than 430 scientific papers, holds over 30 patents, and founded Disney Research Zurich. His research has earned two Technical Achievement Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (2013 and 2019), and he was welcomed as an Academy member in 2020. Among many honors, he received the Steven Anson Coons Award, the highest distinction in computer graphics, in 2021. He has also co-founded more than ten technology startups, several since acquired by major companies.
What has Markus Gross contributed to film and technology?
Markus Gross has spent his career inventing the science that makes modern visual effects, animation, and digital characters possible. Working at the intersection of ETH Zurich and Disney Research, which he founded in Zurich in 2008, he and his teams have pioneered advances across computer graphics, physically based modeling, stereoscopic and 3D video, facial and digital-human modeling, and immersive displays, including influential projects such as “blue-c” immersive telepresence and point-based graphics. These technologies underpin the realism and spectacle audiences now expect from films, games, and interactive media. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his work with two Technical Achievement Awards, the same category of honor that celebrates the engineering behind the movies. Beyond the lab, Gross is a prolific entrepreneur: he has co-founded more than ten startups, including companies whose physics-simulation and real-time sports-graphics technologies were acquired by major players and are now used across gaming and broadcasting. In short, he is one of a small group of people whose scientific breakthroughs have fundamentally shaped both how movies are made and how we experience digital media.
What topics does technology speaker Markus Gross cover?
Dr. Markus Gross speaks on the science behind movie magic, AI and digital humans, the future of visual computing and immersive media, and turning research into real-world products. His keynotes suit events on technology, innovation, AI, science, entertainment, and the future, for corporate, technical, and general audiences. To book Dr. Markus Gross as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Markus Gross as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Markus Gross as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Markus Gross's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Markus Gross or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Markus Gross speaking fee?
Markus Gross speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Markus Gross to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Markus Gross.
How can I contact Markus Gross?
We only work with Markus Gross on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Markus Gross and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Markus Gross speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Markus Gross for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Markus Gross for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Markus Gross is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Markus Gross for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
