Michael Clark

Michael Clark is an Associate in Digital Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida’s Digital Worlds Institute, where he has held a faculty appointment since 2017, initially as a dual appointment with the School of Theatre and Dance. Now fully integrated into Digital Worlds, Clark brings more than thirty years of professional practice in projection and scenic design — including multiple industry firsts on Broadway — to his academic work, with memberships in USA 829, IATSE, and IEEE.

Clark recently developed and now instructs a course in virtual production that utilizes industry practices and tools, including Unreal Engine. This work positions students in current industry practices. Additionally, he is introducing students to Digital Worlds through foundational classes in technology, UI/UX, and design.

His research focuses on mediated spatial systems: the capture, reconstruction, and real-time rendering of physical environments and their atmospheric qualities. The Digital Worlds Virtual Production Studio — a professional-grade facility with a tracked cinema camera and photorealistic rendering capabilities — serves as his primary research environment. Three University of Florida Faculty Research Incentive Grants support this work, covering light field research, virtual production pipeline integration, and professional development. He holds the Epic Games Unreal Academic Partner designation and will serve as Faculty Council Chair for the 2026–27 academic year of the College of the Arts.