allô. I develop action-oriented systems for digital fabrication applications informed by craft workflows through collaboration with domain experts. I recently defended my Ph.D. in Media Arts and Technology at the University of California Santa Barbara, where I worked with Professor Jennifer Jacobs in the Expressive Computation Lab. I am now beginning my postdoctoral research at Princeton University with Professor Daniela Mitterberger in the XAIA Lab.
I also make art and perform with various materials.
You can reach out to samuelle.bourgault [at] gmail.com
I also make art and perform with various materials.
You can reach out to samuelle.bourgault [at] gmail.com
education
2025_ ︎︎︎ Princeton Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, XAIA Lab, Princeton, NJ, USA
2019_2025 ︎︎︎ Ph.D. in Media Arts and Technology, Expressive Computation Lab, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2019_2022 ︎︎︎ Master of Science in Media Arts and Technology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2016_2019 ︎︎︎ Bacchelor of Fine Arts in Computation Arts, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2011_2015 ︎︎︎ Bacchelor of Engineering in Physics Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, CAN
2013_2014 ︎︎︎ International Student Exchange, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
2019_2025 ︎︎︎ Ph.D. in Media Arts and Technology, Expressive Computation Lab, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2019_2022 ︎︎︎ Master of Science in Media Arts and Technology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2016_2019 ︎︎︎ Bacchelor of Fine Arts in Computation Arts, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2011_2015 ︎︎︎ Bacchelor of Engineering in Physics Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, CAN
2013_2014 ︎︎︎ International Student Exchange, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
publications
Bourgault, S., Aponte, A., Ondo, M., Yu, E., and Jacobs, J., WORM: Programming Collaborative Robots Through Manual Actions for Craft-Aligned Digital Fabrication. ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2025, Busan, KR. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3746059.3747616
Bourgault, S., Wei, L.-Y., Jacobs, J., and Habib Kazi, R., Narrative Motion Blocks: Combining Direct Manipulation and Natural Language Interactions for Animation Creation, ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS)
2025, Funchal, PT. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3715336.3735766 🏆 Best Paper Award (top 1%)
Moyer, I., Bourgault, S., Frost, D., and Jacobs J., Don't Mesh Around: Streamlining Manual-Digital Fabrication Workflows with Domain-Specific 3D Scanning, ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST), 2024, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3654777.3676385 🏆 Best Demo Award
Bourgault, S., and Jacobs J., Millipath: Bridging Materialist Theory and System Development for Surface Texture Fabrication, ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS) 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark. doi: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3643834.3661599
Toka*, M., Frost* D., Bourgault, S., Farber, A., Friedman-Gerlicz, C., Paek, E.-H., Lee, R., Wiley, P., Jacobs, J., Practice-driven Software Development: A Collaborative Method for Digital Fabrication Systems Research in a Residency Program, ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS) 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark. doi: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3643834.3661522
Moyer, I., Bourgault, S., Frost, D., and Jacobs, J., Throwing Out Conventions: Reimagining Craft-Centered CNC Tool Design through the Digital Pottery Wheel, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing System (CHI) 2024, Hawai’i, USA. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642361 🏆 Best Paper Award (top 1%)
Toka*, M., Bourgault*, S., Friedman-Gerlicz, C., and Jacobs, J., An Adaptable Workflow for Manual-Computational Ceramic Surface Ornamentation, ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2023, San Francisco, USA. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3586183.3606726 *Equal Contribution
Bourgault, S., Wiley, P., Farber, A., and Jacobs, J., CoilCAM: Enabling Parametric Design for Clay 3D Printing Through an Action-Oriented Toolpath Programming System, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing System (CHI) 2023, Hamburg, Germany. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3544548.3580745 ⭐️ Best Paper Honorable Mention (top 5%)
Bourgault, S., and Jacobs, J., Preserving Hand-Drawn Qualities in Audiovisual Performance Through Sketch-Based Interaction, Journal of Computation Languages, 2023, Elsevier (Extended Version of the VL/HCC paper) doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cola.2022.101186
Bourgault, S., and Jacobs, J., Preserving Hand-Drawn Qualities in Audiovisual Performance Through Sketch-Based Interaction, IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC) 2021, St. Louis, MO, USA (Virtual Event) doi: 10.1109/VL/HCC51201.2021.9576315
Benabdallah*, G., Bourgault*, S., Peek, N., and Jacobs, J., Remote Learners, Home Makers: How Digital Fabrication Was Taught Online, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing System (CHI) 2021, Tokyo, Japan (Virtual Event) doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445450 ⭐️ Best Paper Honorable Mention (top 5%) *Equal Contribution
Bourgault, S., Forgues, E., and Jacobs, J., Experimenting with Robotic Softness, International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA) 2020, Montreal, CAN (Virtual Event). Available here.
Khaled, R., Sych, S., Bourgault, S., and Barr, P., NEO//QAB: Creating a World Through Speculative Play, International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA) 2020, Montreal, CAN (Virtual Event).
Bourgault, S., Wei, L.-Y., Jacobs, J., and Habib Kazi, R., Narrative Motion Blocks: Combining Direct Manipulation and Natural Language Interactions for Animation Creation, ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS)
2025, Funchal, PT. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3715336.3735766 🏆 Best Paper Award (top 1%)
Moyer, I., Bourgault, S., Frost, D., and Jacobs J., Don't Mesh Around: Streamlining Manual-Digital Fabrication Workflows with Domain-Specific 3D Scanning, ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST), 2024, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3654777.3676385 🏆 Best Demo Award
Bourgault, S., and Jacobs J., Millipath: Bridging Materialist Theory and System Development for Surface Texture Fabrication, ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS) 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark. doi: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3643834.3661599
Toka*, M., Frost* D., Bourgault, S., Farber, A., Friedman-Gerlicz, C., Paek, E.-H., Lee, R., Wiley, P., Jacobs, J., Practice-driven Software Development: A Collaborative Method for Digital Fabrication Systems Research in a Residency Program, ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS) 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark. doi: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3643834.3661522
Moyer, I., Bourgault, S., Frost, D., and Jacobs, J., Throwing Out Conventions: Reimagining Craft-Centered CNC Tool Design through the Digital Pottery Wheel, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing System (CHI) 2024, Hawai’i, USA. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642361 🏆 Best Paper Award (top 1%)
Toka*, M., Bourgault*, S., Friedman-Gerlicz, C., and Jacobs, J., An Adaptable Workflow for Manual-Computational Ceramic Surface Ornamentation, ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2023, San Francisco, USA. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3586183.3606726 *Equal Contribution
Bourgault, S., Wiley, P., Farber, A., and Jacobs, J., CoilCAM: Enabling Parametric Design for Clay 3D Printing Through an Action-Oriented Toolpath Programming System, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing System (CHI) 2023, Hamburg, Germany. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3544548.3580745 ⭐️ Best Paper Honorable Mention (top 5%)
Bourgault, S., and Jacobs, J., Preserving Hand-Drawn Qualities in Audiovisual Performance Through Sketch-Based Interaction, Journal of Computation Languages, 2023, Elsevier (Extended Version of the VL/HCC paper) doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cola.2022.101186
Bourgault, S., and Jacobs, J., Preserving Hand-Drawn Qualities in Audiovisual Performance Through Sketch-Based Interaction, IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC) 2021, St. Louis, MO, USA (Virtual Event) doi: 10.1109/VL/HCC51201.2021.9576315
Benabdallah*, G., Bourgault*, S., Peek, N., and Jacobs, J., Remote Learners, Home Makers: How Digital Fabrication Was Taught Online, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing System (CHI) 2021, Tokyo, Japan (Virtual Event) doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445450 ⭐️ Best Paper Honorable Mention (top 5%) *Equal Contribution
Bourgault, S., Forgues, E., and Jacobs, J., Experimenting with Robotic Softness, International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA) 2020, Montreal, CAN (Virtual Event). Available here.
Khaled, R., Sych, S., Bourgault, S., and Barr, P., NEO//QAB: Creating a World Through Speculative Play, International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA) 2020, Montreal, CAN (Virtual Event).
other writings
Bourgault, S., Developing Action-Oriented Systems for Manual-Computational Craft Workflows, ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2023 Adjunct, Doctoral Symposium, San Francisco, USA. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3586182.3616708
Bourgault, S. and E, J., Exploring the Horizon of Computation for Creativity, XRDS 29, 4 (Summer 2023), doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3596921
Bourgault, S. and E, J., Exploring the Horizon of Computation for Creativity, XRDS 29, 4 (Summer 2023), doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3596921
Bourgault, S., Frost, D., Wiley, P., Farber, A., and Jacobs, J., Demonstration of CoilCAM: an Action-Oriented Toolpath Programming System for Clay 3D Printing. ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing System (CHI) 2023 Extended Abstracts, Hamburg, Germany. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3583921
exhibitions
2025 ︎︎︎ Deep Cut, EoYS 2025 in Media Arts and Technology, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2024 ︎︎︎ Materials Collection, Center for Craft, Asheville, NC, USA
2024 ︎︎︎ soft AI+M, EoYS 2024 in Media Arts and Technology, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2023 ︎︎︎ ISEA 2023, Forum des Images, Paris, FR
2022 ︎︎︎ PHUSIS: Projet Emergent, perte de signal, Montreal, QC, CAN
2022 ︎︎︎ Eco(Systems) of Hope @ Anteism Books, Montreal, QC, CAN [as somme]
2022 ︎︎︎ SYMADES, EoYS 2022 in Media Arts and Technology, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2019 ︎︎︎ ELEKTRA XX at Oboro, Montreal, QC, CAN [as somme]
2019 ︎︎︎ Sight+Sound, Eastern Bloc, Montreal, QC, CAN
2019 ︎︎︎ ICRA-X: Robotic Art Program, ICRA 2019, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ You are here, Computation Arts Graduation Show, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN [as somme]
2018 ︎︎︎ Winter Programming 2018, VAV Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ Art Crush in Time, Art Matters 2018, Galerie Articule, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017 ︎︎︎ Mutek - Next Era, Maison du développement durable, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017 ︎︎︎ May Contain, Computation Arts Graduation Show - Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2024 ︎︎︎ Materials Collection, Center for Craft, Asheville, NC, USA
2024 ︎︎︎ soft AI+M, EoYS 2024 in Media Arts and Technology, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2023 ︎︎︎ ISEA 2023, Forum des Images, Paris, FR
2022 ︎︎︎ PHUSIS: Projet Emergent, perte de signal, Montreal, QC, CAN
2022 ︎︎︎ Eco(Systems) of Hope @ Anteism Books, Montreal, QC, CAN [as somme]
2022 ︎︎︎ SYMADES, EoYS 2022 in Media Arts and Technology, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2019 ︎︎︎ ELEKTRA XX at Oboro, Montreal, QC, CAN [as somme]
2019 ︎︎︎ Sight+Sound, Eastern Bloc, Montreal, QC, CAN
2019 ︎︎︎ ICRA-X: Robotic Art Program, ICRA 2019, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ You are here, Computation Arts Graduation Show, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN [as somme]
2018 ︎︎︎ Winter Programming 2018, VAV Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ Art Crush in Time, Art Matters 2018, Galerie Articule, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017 ︎︎︎ Mutek - Next Era, Maison du développement durable, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017 ︎︎︎ May Contain, Computation Arts Graduation Show - Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
performances
2024 ︎︎︎ HOUSE SHOW, Red Barn, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2021 ︎︎︎ Mutek with GOLPESAR (Rouzbeh Shadpey), Cinquième Salle, Montreal, QC, CAN
2019 ︎︎︎ sun sets, OFFTA 2019, Édifice Wilder—Espace danse, Montreal, QC, CAN
2019 ︎︎︎ RIPA 2019, Fonderie Darling, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ pedagogy, Art Matters 2018, Espace Projet, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ IN BLOOM, Eastern Bloc, Montreal, QC, CAN
2021 ︎︎︎ Mutek with GOLPESAR (Rouzbeh Shadpey), Cinquième Salle, Montreal, QC, CAN
2019 ︎︎︎ sun sets, OFFTA 2019, Édifice Wilder—Espace danse, Montreal, QC, CAN
2019 ︎︎︎ RIPA 2019, Fonderie Darling, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ pedagogy, Art Matters 2018, Espace Projet, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ IN BLOOM, Eastern Bloc, Montreal, QC, CAN
talks
2025 ︎︎︎ UIST 2025, Busan, KR (demo+talk)
2025 ︎︎︎ DIS 2025, Funchal, Madeira, PT
2025 ︎︎︎ Grasshopper in Architecture class, University of New Mexico, Virtual Event.
Host: Camila Friedman-Gerlicz
2024 ︎︎︎ Computational Fabrication class, University of New Mexico, Virtual Event.
Host: Leah Buechley
2024 ︎︎︎ DIS 2024, IT University, Copenhagen, DK
2024 ︎︎︎ UCSD Vis Arts Seminar Series, University of California San Diego, Virtual Event.
Host: Sölen Kiratli
2024 ︎︎︎ Open Source Arts Contributors Conference, Denver, USA
2024 ︎︎︎ ATLAS Colloquium, Boulder, USA.
Host: Ellen Do
2023 ︎︎︎ Doctoral Symposium, UIST 2023, Fairmont, San Francisco, USA
2023 ︎︎︎ Focus Québec, ISEA 2023, Forum des images, Paris, FR
2023 ︎︎︎ CHI 2023, HHC, Hamburg, GE
2021 ︎︎︎ VL/HCC 2021, Virtual Event
2021 ︎︎︎ CHI 2021, Virtual Event
2020 ︎︎︎ ISEA 2020, Virtual Event
2019 ︎︎︎ MIAN – International Marketplace for Digital Art, Centre Phi, Montreal, QC, CAN
2025 ︎︎︎ DIS 2025, Funchal, Madeira, PT
2025 ︎︎︎ Grasshopper in Architecture class, University of New Mexico, Virtual Event.
Host: Camila Friedman-Gerlicz
2024 ︎︎︎ Computational Fabrication class, University of New Mexico, Virtual Event.
Host: Leah Buechley
2024 ︎︎︎ DIS 2024, IT University, Copenhagen, DK
2024 ︎︎︎ UCSD Vis Arts Seminar Series, University of California San Diego, Virtual Event.
Host: Sölen Kiratli
2024 ︎︎︎ Open Source Arts Contributors Conference, Denver, USA
2024 ︎︎︎ ATLAS Colloquium, Boulder, USA.
Host: Ellen Do
2023 ︎︎︎ Doctoral Symposium, UIST 2023, Fairmont, San Francisco, USA
2023 ︎︎︎ Focus Québec, ISEA 2023, Forum des images, Paris, FR
2023 ︎︎︎ CHI 2023, HHC, Hamburg, GE
2021 ︎︎︎ VL/HCC 2021, Virtual Event
2021 ︎︎︎ CHI 2021, Virtual Event
2020 ︎︎︎ ISEA 2020, Virtual Event
2019 ︎︎︎ MIAN – International Marketplace for Digital Art, Centre Phi, Montreal, QC, CAN
academic service
2026 ︎︎︎ Associate Chair for TEI 2026 Paper and Pictorial Tracks, Reviewer for CHI 2026
2025 ︎︎︎ Associate Chair for CHI 2025 Paper Track and TEI 2025 Paper Track, Reviewer for DIS 2025, UIST 2025, and the Personal and Ubiquitous Computing Journal
2024 ︎︎︎ Associate Chair for DIS 2024 Pictorial Track, Reviewer for IEEE VR 2024
2023 ︎︎︎ Guest Editor for the XRDS Magazine, Summer 2023 edition
2023 ︎︎︎ Reviewer for CHI 2023, and SCF 2023
2022 ︎︎︎ Reviewer for UIST 2022, SCF 2022 and C&C 2022
2021 ︎︎︎ Reviewer for DIS 2021
2025 ︎︎︎ Associate Chair for CHI 2025 Paper Track and TEI 2025 Paper Track, Reviewer for DIS 2025, UIST 2025, and the Personal and Ubiquitous Computing Journal
2024 ︎︎︎ Associate Chair for DIS 2024 Pictorial Track, Reviewer for IEEE VR 2024
2023 ︎︎︎ Guest Editor for the XRDS Magazine, Summer 2023 edition
2023 ︎︎︎ Reviewer for CHI 2023, and SCF 2023
2022 ︎︎︎ Reviewer for UIST 2022, SCF 2022 and C&C 2022
2021 ︎︎︎ Reviewer for DIS 2021
work
2020_2025 ︎︎︎ Graduate Student Researcher with Professor Jennifer Jacobs, Expressive Computation Lab, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2024 ︎︎︎ Research Scientist/Engineer Intern with Rubaiat Habib, Li-Yi Wei, Wilmot Li, Adobe Research, Adobe Inc, Seattle, WA, USA
2017_2019 ︎︎︎ Research Assistant with Professor Rilla Khaled, Technoculture, Art, and Games (TAG), Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017_2019 ︎︎︎ Research Assistant with Professor Jason Lewis, Obx Labs, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017_2019 ︎︎︎ Teacher Assistant in Creative Computing with Professor Pippin Barr, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ Lead Programmer and Programming Instructor for Skins 6.0 Workshop, The Initiative for Indigenous Future, Montreal, QC, CAN and Kanaeokana, Honolulu, HW, USA
2024 ︎︎︎ Research Scientist/Engineer Intern with Rubaiat Habib, Li-Yi Wei, Wilmot Li, Adobe Research, Adobe Inc, Seattle, WA, USA
2017_2019 ︎︎︎ Research Assistant with Professor Rilla Khaled, Technoculture, Art, and Games (TAG), Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017_2019 ︎︎︎ Research Assistant with Professor Jason Lewis, Obx Labs, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2017_2019 ︎︎︎ Teacher Assistant in Creative Computing with Professor Pippin Barr, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CAN
2018 ︎︎︎ Lead Programmer and Programming Instructor for Skins 6.0 Workshop, The Initiative for Indigenous Future, Montreal, QC, CAN and Kanaeokana, Honolulu, HW, USA
notable awards
2025 ︎︎︎ UCSB winner of WAGS/ProQuest Innovation in Technology Dissertation Award
2025 ︎︎︎ Princeton Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship
2021 ︎︎︎ Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowships, Canada
2020 ︎︎︎ William and Meredith Saunderson Prizes for Emerging Artists from the Hnatyshyn Foundation
2019 ︎︎︎ Chancellor’s Fellowship from the University of California Santa-Barbara
2019 ︎︎︎ Master’s Scholarship, Fond de Recherche du Québec - Société et Culture
2019 ︎︎︎ Computation Arts Prize at Concordia University Convocation
2017 ︎︎︎ Public Award at Mutek Next Era Competition
2014 ︎︎︎ Feynman Award for best student in Contemporary Physics from University of New Mexico Albuquerque
2014 ︎︎︎ Roger-Lessard Scholarship for best student in Mathematics from Polytechnique Montreal
2025 ︎︎︎ Princeton Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship
2021 ︎︎︎ Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowships, Canada
2020 ︎︎︎ William and Meredith Saunderson Prizes for Emerging Artists from the Hnatyshyn Foundation
2019 ︎︎︎ Chancellor’s Fellowship from the University of California Santa-Barbara
2019 ︎︎︎ Master’s Scholarship, Fond de Recherche du Québec - Société et Culture
2019 ︎︎︎ Computation Arts Prize at Concordia University Convocation
2017 ︎︎︎ Public Award at Mutek Next Era Competition
2014 ︎︎︎ Feynman Award for best student in Contemporary Physics from University of New Mexico Albuquerque
2014 ︎︎︎ Roger-Lessard Scholarship for best student in Mathematics from Polytechnique Montreal
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