CS Research Talk– “Rooting Generative AI in Cultural Knowledge: Artist-Centric Pipelines for Representing Diverse Hair Types on Screen,” Sarah Jobalia
November 16, 2026 4:30–5:30 p.m.
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Galileo Hall, McAlister
240 Platt Blvd.
Claremont, CA 91711
Contact
Morgan McArdle
mmcardle@g.hmc.edu
909.607.0299
Details
Machine Learning often relies on massive amounts of data to capture relevant patterns. In contexts where experts are performing highly-skilled tasks, however, large datasets can be hard to create, and seemingly small miscalculations on the model's part can be disproportionately problematic.
Sarah Jobalia, a Stanford University PhD candidate, will focus on the design of virtual 3D hair as a case study to show how grounding AI pipelines in cultural, scientific and social knowledge produces more realistic, diverse and reliable results. Virtual hair, which is both computationally complex and culturally important to represent faithfully, is central to adding depth and nuance to the stories we see on screen. In her research, she draws upon interdisciplinary insights to define strand texture as the various distinctive patterns that are formed by forces internal to a hair strand, presenting a novel taxonomy for rigorously and concisely describing texture. Mirroring social understandings of hair, Jobalia disentangles this texture from the hair’s overall style, which describes where the strands fall in relation to the head. Through learning and generating texture and style separately, she highlights two fundamental but separate aspects of hair, enabling generation that can capture the essence of desired hairstyles. This both yields fast generation of the curly and afro-textured hair types that previous works struggle to capture and allows for intuitive user interaction and compatibility with existing artist workflows. Broadly, these insights show how grounding AI tools in existing knowledge not only improves results but allows tools to support, rather than replace, experts.
Speaker
Sarah Jobalia is a PhD candidate in Stanford University's Computer Science Department, advised by Ron Fedkiw. Her research centers on building more accessible tools for animation artists to represent characters of all backgrounds on screen. Specifically, through the study of hair- both on- and off-screen, Jobalia uses a combination of computer graphics and machine learning to automatically generate 3D hair styles from just a few images of any subject. By focusing on how hair type affects the way hair looks and moves, she builds tools that are equitably representative of all styles.
This event is for: faculty, staff, students
faculty, staff, studentsCommunity Connections events provide opportunities for HMC faculty, students and staff to cultivate community, foster open conversations and share important information as together we live out our mission and shape the future of the College.
Calendars
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
This faculty panel will explore “dangerous questions” from a variety of disciplines to understand and respond to challenges facing American universities. The discussion will address the erosion of knowledge and expertise, as well as political forces that may attempt to limit intellectual inquiry and creativity.
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“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the U.S., 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through ‘bridging’ that helps us communicate, coexist and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (description courtesy of Othering and Belonging Institute)
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This learning community is for everyone, from those who are already experienced in community engagement to those who are curious about learning more about this high-impact educational practice. Faculty participants will discuss readings, meet with outside speakers, share ideas, and think collaboratively about implementing community engagement into the 5C students’ experience.
Welcome to HMC’s Community Conversations for the fall 2025.
HMC Community Conversations* use conversation guides with a structured format to help people with different viewpoints and experiences build understanding. There will be 3–5 other people in a table group. It is not a debate, and the goal is not to change one another’s opinions. There are Conversation Agreements like “Listen and Be Curious” and “Show Respect and Suspend Judgement” that create the framework for diving into the questions. The questions are designed to draw out our personal experiences rather than opinions around the topic.
The overall purpose is to learn more about the experiences others have around the topic and build a sense of community.
Community Conversations will take place on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to noon in Shanahan 1480; and each gathering will be on a separate topic. Gatherings will be in person only.
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
Learn about HMC’s approved study abroad programs and how to study abroad your junior year.
The Great ShakeOut is an opportunity for our community to practice what to do during an earthquake (drop, cover, and hold on). In the event of a real earthquake, a notification will be sent via Mudd Alert containing important information and instructions.
In most situations, if you feel shaking or receive an earthquake alert, you should immediately:
Drop where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling or flying objects.
Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter. If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall. Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs.
Hold on until the shaking stops. If you’re under shelter, hold on to it with one hand and be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts. If you are not under shelter, cover your head and neck with both arms and hands.
For the purpose of this exercise, we encourage community members to practice these steps for one minute upon receiving the Mudd Alert notification. Thank you for your time and participation in this important emergency preparedness exercise.
“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (taken from Othering and Belonging Institute)
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) will be hosting a guilt-free book club this fall semester on john a. powell’s book The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong. Our first gathering is on Friday, October 3rd.
This learning community is for everyone, from those who are already experienced in community engagement to those who are curious about learning more about this high-impact educational practice. Faculty participants will discuss readings, meet with outside speakers, share ideas, and think collaboratively about implementing community engagement into the 5C students’ experience.
Welcome to HMC’s Community Conversations for the fall 2025.
HMC Community Conversations* use conversation guides with a structured format to help people with different viewpoints and experiences build understanding. There will be 3–5 other people in a table group. It is not a debate, and the goal is not to change one another’s opinions. There are Conversation Agreements like “Listen and Be Curious” and “Show Respect and Suspend Judgement” that create the framework for diving into the questions. The questions are designed to draw out our personal experiences rather than opinions around the topic.
The overall purpose is to learn more about the experiences others have around the topic and build a sense of community.
Community Conversations will take place on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to noon in Shanahan 1480; and each gathering will be on a separate topic. Gatherings will be in person only.
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
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All are welcome to stop by as schedules allow.
“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (taken from Othering and Belonging Institute)
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) will be hosting a guilt-free book club this fall semester on john a. powell’s book The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong. Our first gathering is on Friday, October 3rd.
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