Born in Knoxville, TN; educated at Duke University & Cornell University. During the late 1970s Don Greenberg at Cornell University created a computer graphics lab that produced new methods of simulating realistic surfaces. Rob Cook at Cornell realized that the lighting model everyone had been using best approximated plastic. Cook wanted to create a new lighting model that allowed computers to simulate objects like polished metal. This new model took into account the energy of the light source rather than the light's intensity or brightness. Cook is senior scientist at Pixar Animation Studios, known as Lucasfilm when he joined it in 1981. He left in 1989, returned in 1997. * Scientific and Engineering Award (Plaque) 1992: For development of "RenderMan" software which produces images used in motion pictures from 3D computer descriptions of shape and appearance. (w. Loren Carpenter, Ed Catmull, Thomas Porter, Pat Hanrahan, Tony Apodaca & Darwyn Peachey) * Academy Award of Merit (Statuette) 2000: For their significant advancements to the field of motion picture rendering as exemplified in Pixar's "Renderman." ( w. Loren Carpenter and Ed Catmull) 2 Scientific/Technical Awards