Weihao Qiu
PhD Candidate @ UC Santa Barbara
Weihao (US) is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher with a dual background in image production and digital computation. His early work focused on exploring the Internet of Things during his undergraduate studies in computer science, where he investigated how the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds can be transcended. This exploration led him to the practice and study of photographic culture, eventually expanding into algorithmic images and new media art.
Currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Media Arts and Technology (MAT) program at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Weihao’s research centers on advancing the modularity, customizability, and interactivity of generative AI tools. His goal is to enhance the diversity, expressiveness, and audience engagement of AI-based artworks. His innovative research has been featured in leading conferences, including Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), The ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), and The International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).
In his artistic practice, Weihao explores diverse forms of media art, such as interactive installations, information visualization, and algorithmic images and sculptures. His work has been showcased in prestigious venues, including the Beijing Times Art Museum, FeraFile, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation (MOXI), SIGGRAPH, and the UCSB MAT End of Year Shows.