New ICT Executive Director

Marina del Rey, California—October 9, 2006—The USC Provost announced the selection of a distinguished artificial intelligence researcher and former U.S. Army officer to lead Institute for Creative Technologies.
Randall W. Hill, Jr. has been chosen to lead the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), USC Vice Provost for Research Advancement Randolph Hall announced this week on behalf of Provost C. L. Max Nikias.
“I am delighted and honored to be given the responsibility for leading the ICT in its next phase of its growth,” Hill said. “ICT is performing pioneering research on the creation of interactive digital media that will benefit Army training systems as well as classrooms throughout America.”
The appointment concludes an extensive search, during which more than 100 candidates were interviewed and evaluated.
“His combined experience in computer science, the military, and the development of films for leadership development make him uniquely qualified to lead the Institute for Creative Technologies, which was established to bring together the Army, university research scientists and the entertainment industry in the development of immersive training environments,” Hall stated.
Hill has served USC over the last 11 years, first as a project leader at the Information Sciences Institute, and later rising to the position of Director of Applied Research and Transition at ICT. In this position, one of his overarching goals has been to forge ties between the entertainment industry and technology developers to create more engaging learning environments.
Hill worked with Hollywood filmmakers to create an on-line leader development system known as Army Excellence in Leadership (AXL).  He is also directing the development of an interactive learning game for bi-lateral negotiation.
“In making this appointment, I would like to restate the university’s commitment to exhibiting world leadership in interactive digital media and cinematic arts through the ICT,” Hall added.
“Toward this end, USC is committed to attracting additional creative leadership to the ICT in the coming year. In addition, in the next few months, Randall will be developing new strategies for the ICT to strengthen collaborations with the university community and expand the impact of the ICT’s core talents in new areas.”
Prior to joining ICT, Randall spent 11 years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, conducting applied research in artificial intelligence to support military intelligence analysis.  He also managed the research program to automate the monitor-and-control system for the Deep Space Network.
He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science at USC, and a B.S. degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Upon graduation from West Point, Hill was trained as a field artillery officer at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma and was then assigned to the 7th Infantry Division at Ft. Ord, California, where he was a fire direction officer for a heavy artillery battery. Hill’s last two years in the Army were spent in military intelligence at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, where he developed automated intelligence analysis systems.
Randall is an avid mountaineer and lives in Pasadena with his wife, Marianne, and children Austin and Aria.
Hill’s appointment as executive director became effective October 9.
USC Public Relations
Carl Marziali