Pixar Animation Studios’ Bob Peterson to Speak at Ohio Northern University

Bob Peterson, award-winning director and screenwriter for Pixar Animation Studios, will be the featured speaker for the Ohio Northern University Spotts Lecture in the Sports Center Gym at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 15.

The event is free and open to the public.

Most recently, Peterson co-wrote and co-directed Disney-Pixar’s feature film “Up,” the 2010 Golden Globe winner for Best Animated Feature Film and the 2010 Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature Film.

Bob Peterson received his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Ohio Northern in 1983 and has been a key player at Pixar Animation Studios since 1994. His first assignment was that of layout artist and animator on “Toy Story.” He later served as story artist on “A Bug’s Life” and “Toy Story 2,” story supervisor on “Monsters, Inc.,” and one of the screenwriters for the Academy Award-winning feature “Finding Nemo.”

In addition to his story work, Peterson has voiced several of Pixar’s memorable animated characters: the aged chess-playing hero of “Geri’s Game,” paperwork-obsessed slug-woman Roz in “Monsters, Inc.,” and the tuneful teacher Mr. Ray in “Finding Nemo.” He also lends his voice talents to “Up” for the character of Dug the dog.

The Spotts Lecture series was established by the T.J. Smull College of Engineering in 1986 to bring distinguished speakers to the ONU campus on an annual basis to inform students of the probable professional conditions and challenges that engineers and computer scientists will face in the future.

Published: Fri, 02/26/2010 - 11:17am