The Grainger College of Engineering

Shuang Zhao

Shuang Zhao
Shuang Zhao he/him/his
  • Associate Professor
4102B National Center for Supercomputing Applications

For More Information

Education

  • Ph.D., Computer Science, Cornell University, 2014.

Academic Positions

  • Assistant Professor, University of California, Irvine, 7/2015--6/2023
  • Associate Professor, University of California, Irvine, 7/2023--6/2025
  • Associate Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 8/2025--Present

Research Interests

  • Scientific computing
  • Computer vision
  • Computer graphics

Research Areas

Selected Articles in Journals

  • Peiyu Xu, Lifan Wu, Benedikt Bitterli, Ravi Ramamoorthi, Shuang Zhao. Robust Computation of Boundary Path Integrals Using Kernel-Density Estimation. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2026), 45(4), July 2026.
  • Bowen Xue, Giuseppe Claudio Guarnera, Shuang Zhao, Zahra Montazeri. PBR-Inspired Controllable Diffusion for Image Generation. Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics 2026), 45(2), May 2026.
  • Yu-Chen Wang, Markus Kettunen, Daqi Lin, Chris Wyman, Lifan Wu, Shuang Zhao. Gradient-Domain ReSTIR Path Tracing. Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics 2026), 45(2), May 2026.
  • Zihan Yu, Rohan Sawhney, Bailey Miller, Lifan Wu, Shuang Zhao. Robust Derivative Estimation with Walk on Stars. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2025), 44(6), December 2025.
  • Lifan Wu, Nathan Morrical, Sai Bangaru, Rohan Sawhney, Shuang Zhao, Chris Wyman, Ravi Ramamoorthi, Aaron Lefohn. Unbiased Differential Visibility Using Fixed-Step Walk-on-Spherical-Caps And Closest Silhouettes. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2025), 44(4), August 2025.
  • Bowen Xue, Shuang Zhao, Henrik Wann Jensen, Zahra Montazeri. A Hierarchical Architecture for Neural Materials. Computer Graphics Forum, 43(6), September 2024.
  • Peiyu Xu, Sai Bangaru, Tzu-Mao Li, Shuang Zhao. Warped-Area Reparameterization of Differential Path Integrals. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2023), 42(6), December 2023. (Best Papers Award)
  • Yu-Chen Wang, Chris Wyman, Lifan Wu, Shuang Zhao. Amortizing Samples in Physics-Based Inverse Rendering using ReSTIR. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2023), 42(6), December 2023.
  • Zihan Yu, Cheng Zhang, Olivier Maury, Christophe Hery, Zhao Dong, Shuang Zhao. Efficient Path-Space Differentiable Volume Rendering With Respect To Shapes. Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics Symposium on Rendering), 42(4), July 2023
  • Zihan Yu, Cheng Zhang, Derek Nowrouzezahrai, Zhao Dong, Shuang Zhao. Differentiating Pixel Reconstruction Filters for Path-Space Differentiable Rendering. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2022), 41(6), December 2022.
  • Kai Yan, Christoph Lassner, Brian Budge, Zhao Dong, Shuang Zhao. Efficient Estimation of Boundary Integrals for Path-Space Differentiable Rendering. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2022), 41(4), July 2022.
  • Guangyan Cai, Kai Yan, Zhao Dong, Ioannis Gkioulekas, Shuang Zhao. Physics-Based Inverse Rendering using Combined Implicit and Explicit Geometries. Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics Symposium on Rendering), 41(4), July 2022
  • Chuankun Zheng, Ruzhang Zheng, Rui Wang, Shuang Zhao, Hujun Bao. A Compact Representation of Measured BRDFs Using Neural Processes. ACM Transactions on Graphics (Presented at SIGGRAPH 2022), 41(2), April 2022.
  • Yu Guo, Adrian Jarabo, Shuang Zhao. Beyond Mie Theory: Systematic Computation of Bulk Scattering Parameters based on Microphysical Wave Optics. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2021), 40(6), December 2021.
  • Lifan Wu, Guangyan Cai, Ravi Ramamoorthi, Shuang Zhao. Differentiable Time-Gated Rendering. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2021), 40(6), December 2021
  • Cheng Zhang, Zihan Yu, Shuang Zhao. Path-Space Differentiable Rendering of Participating Media. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2021), 40(4), August 2021.
  • Cheng Zhang, Zhao Dong, Michael Doggett, Shuang Zhao. Antithetic Sampling for Monte Carlo Differentiable Rendering. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2021), 40(4), August 2021
  • Fujun Luan, Shuang Zhao, Kavita Bala, Zhao Dong. Unified Shape and SVBRDF Recovery using Differentiable Monte Carlo Rendering. Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics Symposium on Rendering), 40(4), July 2021
  • Shuang Zhao, Jerome Spanier. Hybrid Monte Carlo Estimators for Multilayer Transport Problems. Journal of Computational Physics (JCP), 431, April 2021
  • Yu Guo, MiloÅ¡ HaÅ¡an, Lingqi Yan, Shuang Zhao. A Bayesian Inference Framework for Procedural Material Parameter Estimation. Computer Graphics Forum (Pacific Graphics), 39(7), December 2020
  • Yu Guo, Cameron Smith, MiloÅ¡ HaÅ¡an, Kalyan Sunkavalli, Shuang Zhao. MaterialGAN: Reflectance Capture using a Generative SVBRDF Model. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2020), 39(6), November 2020.
  • Zahra Montazeri, Søren B. Gammelmark, Shuang Zhao, Henrik Wann Jensen. A Practical Ply-Based Appearance Model of Woven Fabrics. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2020), 39(6), November 2020.
  • Marco (Zhanhang) Liang, Shuang Zhao, Michael T. Goodrich. Inverse-Rendering-Based Analysis of the Fine Illumination Effects in Salvator Mundi. Leonardo (SIGGRAPH 2020 Art Paper), 53(4), August 2020
  • Fujun Luan, Shuang Zhao, Kavita Bala, Ioannis Gkioulekas. Langevin Monte Carlo Rendering with Gradient-Based Adaptation. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2020), 39(4), July 2020
  • Cheng Zhang, Bailey Miller, Kai Yan, Ioannis Gkioulekas, Shuang Zhao. Path-Space Differentiable Rendering. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2020), 39(4), July 2020.
  • Cheng Zhang, Lifan Wu, Changxi Zheng, Ioannis Gkioulekas, Ravi Ramamoorthi, Shuang Zhao. A Differential Theory of Radiative Transfer. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2019), 38(6), November 2019
  • Chao Xu, Rui Wang, Shuang Zhao, Hujun Bao. Multi-Scale Hybrid Micro-Appearance Modeling and Realtime Rendering of Thin Fabrics. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 27(4), April 2021 (published online October 2019).
  • Zahra Montazeri, Chang Xiao, Yun (Raymond) Fei, Changxi Zheng, Shuang Zhao. Mechanics-Aware Modeling of Cloth Appearance. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 27(1), January 2021 (published online August 2019).
  • Lifan Wu, Shuang Zhao, Ling-Qi Yan, Ravi Ramamoorthi. Accurate Appearance Preserving Prefiltering for Rendering Displacement-Mapped Surfaces. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2019), 38(4), July 2019.
  • Yu Guo, MiloÅ¡ HaÅ¡an, Shuang Zhao. Position-Free Monte Carlo Simulation for Arbitrary Layered BSDFs. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2018), 37(6), November 2018.
  • Shuang Zhao, Frédo Durand, Changxi Zheng. Inverse Diffusion Curves using Shape Optimization. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 24(7), July 2018.
  • Chao Xu, Rui Wang, Shuang Zhao, Hujun Bao. Real-Time Linear BRDF MIP-Mapping. Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics Symposium on Rendering), 36(4), July 2017.
  • Fujun Luan, Shuang Zhao, Kavita Bala. Fiber-Level On-the-Fly Procedural Textiles. Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics Symposium on Rendering), 36(4), July 2017.
  • Shuang Zhao, Lifan Wu, Frédo Durand, Ravi Ramamoorthi. Downsampling Scattering Parameters for Rendering Anisotropic Media. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2016), 35(6), December 2016.
  • Shuang Zhao, Fujun Luan, Kavita Bala. Fitting Procedural Yarn Models for Realistic Cloth Rendering. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2016), 35(4), July 2016.
  • Pramook Khungurn, Daniel Schroeder, Shuang Zhao, Kavita Bala, Steve Marschner. Matching Real Fabrics with Micro-Appearance Models. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 35(1), December 2015
  • Shuang Zhao, Ravi Ramamoorthi, Kavita Bala. High-Order Similarity Relations in Radiative Transfer. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2014), 33(4), July 2014
  • Shuang Zhao, Wenzel Jakob, Steve Marschner, Kavita Bala. Building Volumetric Appearance Models of Fabric Using Micro CT Imaging. Communications of the ACM, 57(11), 2014. (Research Highlight reprint)
  • Ioannis Gkioulekas, Shuang Zhao, Kavita Bala, Todd Zickler, Anat Levin. Inverse Volume Rendering with Material Dictionaries. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2013), 32(6), November 2013
  • Ioannis Gkioulekas, Bei Xiao, Shuang Zhao, Edward Adelson, Todd Zickler, Kavita Bala. Understanding the Role of Phase Function in Translucent Appearance. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 32(5), September 2013
  • Shuang Zhao, MiloÅ¡ HaÅ¡an, Ravi Ramamoorthi, Kavita Bala. Modular Flux Transfer: Efficient Rendering of High-Resolution Volumes with Repeated Structures. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2013), 32(4), July 2013.
  • Shuang Zhao, Wenzel Jakob, Steve Marschner, Kavita Bala. Structure-Aware Synthesis for Predictive Woven Fabric Appearance. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2012), 31(4), July 2012.
  • Nikhil Naik, Shuang Zhao, Andreas Velten, Ramesh Raskar, Kavita Bala. Single View Reflectance Capture using Multiplexed Scattering and Time-of-Flight Imaging. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2011), 30(5), December 2011
  • Shuang Zhao, Wenzel Jakob, Steve Marschner, Kavita Bala. Building Volumetric Appearance Models of Fabric Using Micro CT Imaging. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2011), 30(4), July 2011.
  • Edgar Velázquez-Armendáriz, Shuang Zhao, MiloÅ¡ HaÅ¡an, Bruce Walter, Kavita Bala. Automatic Bounding of Programmable Shaders for Efficient Global Illumination. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH Asia 2009), 28(5), December 2009
  • Bruce Walter, Shuang Zhao, Nicolas Holzschuch, Kavita Bala. Single Scattering in Refractive Media with Triangle Mesh Boundaries. ACM Transactions on Graphics (SIGGRAPH 2009), 28(3), August 2009

Articles in Conference Proceedings

  • Shuang Zhao, Rong Kong, Jerome Spanier. Towards Real-Time Monte Carlo for Biomedicine. International Conference on Monte Carlo and Quasi-Monte Carlo Method in Scientific Computing, August 2016
  • Chengqian Che, Fujun Luan, Shuang Zhao, Kavita Bala, Ioannis Gkioulekas. Towards Learning-Based Inverse Subsurface Scattering. IEEE Inter­national Conf­erence on Comput­ational Photo­graphy (ICCP), April 2020
  • Cheng Zhang, Shuang Zhao. Multi-Scale Appearance Modeling of Granular Materials with Continuously Varying Grain Properties. Eurographics Symposium on Rendering (EGSR), June 2020
  • Zahra Montazeri, Søren B. Gammelmark, Shuang Zhao, Henrik Wann Jensen. A Practical Ply-Based Appearance Modeling for Knitted Fabrics. Eurographics Symposium on Rendering (EGSR), 2021.
  • Qiushi Bai, Sadeem Alsudais, Chen Li, Shuang Zhao. Rainbow: Adaptive Sampling for Spatial Scatterplots at Scale. Eurographics Symposium on Parallel Graphics and Visualization, June 2022.
  • Sadeem Alsudais, Qiushi Bai, Shuang Zhao, Chen Li. GSViz: Geospatial Social Network Visualization for Ad Hoc Queries. ACM SIGSPATIAL, November 2022.
  • Qiushi Bai, Sadeem Alsudais, Chen Li, Shuang Zhao. Maliva: Using Machine Learning to Rewrite Visualization Queries Under Time Constraints. International Conference on Extending Database Technology (EDBT), March 2023
  • Jun Lv, Yunhai Feng, Cheng Zhang, Shuang Zhao, Lin Shao, Cewu Lu. SAM-RL: Sensing-Aware Model-Based Reinforcement Learning via Differentiable Physics-Based Simulation and Rendering. Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS), July 2023
  • Cheng Sun, Guangyan Cai, Zhengqin Li, Kai Yan, Cheng Zhang, Carl Marshall, Jia-Bin Huang, Shuang Zhao, Zhao Dong. Neural-PBIR Reconstruction of Shape, Material, and Illumination. International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), October 2023
  • Kai Yan, Fujun Luan, MiloÅ¡ HaÅ¡an, Thibault Groueix, Valentin Deschaintre, Shuang Zhao. PSDR-Room: Single Photo to Scene using Differentiable Rendering. ACM SIGGRAPH Asia 2023 (conference-track full paper), December 2023.
  • Bowen Xue, Giuseppe Claudio Guarnera, Shuang Zhao, Zahra Montazeri. ReflectanceFusion: Diffusion-based text to SVBRDF Generation. Eurographics Symposium on Rendering (EGSR), July 2024.
  • Zhiqian Zhou, Cheng Zhang, Zhao Dong, Carl Marshall, Shuang Zhao. Estimating Uncertainty in Appearance Acquisition. Eurographics Symposium on Rendering (EGSR), July 2024.
  • Siwei Zhou, Youngha Chang, Nobuhiko Mukai, Hiroaki Santo, Fumio Okura, Yasuyuki Matsushita, Shuang Zhao. Path-Space Differentiable Rendering of Implicit Surfaces. ACM SIGGRAPH 2024 (conference-track full paper), July 2024.
  • Jingwang Ling, Ruihan Yu, Feng Xu, Chun Du, Shuang Zhao. NeRF as A Non-Distant Environment Emitter in Physics-Based Inverse Rendering. ACM SIGGRAPH 2024 (conference-track full paper), July 2024.
  • Peiyu Xu, Sai Bangaru, Tzu-Mao Li, Shuang Zhao. Markov-Chain Monte Carlo Sampling of Visibility Boundaries for Differentiable Rendering. ACM SIGGRAPH Asia 2024 (conference-track full paper), December 2024.
  • Zihan Yu, Lifan Wu, Zhiqian Zhou, Shuang Zhao. A Differential Monte Carlo Solver For the Poisson Equation. ACM SIGGRAPH 2024 (conference-track full paper), July 2024.
  • Kai Yan, Vincent Pegoraro, Marc Droske, Jiří Vorba, Shuang Zhao. Differentiating Variance for Variance-Aware Inverse Rendering. ACM SIGGRAPH Asia 2024 (conference-track full paper), December 2024.
  • Rui Yu, Guangzhong Sun, Shuang Zhao, Yue Dong. Convergence Estimation of Markov-Chain Monte Carlo Rendering. Eurographics Symposium on Rendering (EGSR), July 2025.
  • Tianyu Huang, Jingwang Ling, Shuang Zhao, Feng Xu. Guiding-Based Importance Sampling for Walk on Stars. ACM SIGGRAPH 2025 (conference-track full paper), August 2025.
  • Kai Yan, Cheng Zhang, Sébastien Speierer, Guangyan Cai, Yufeng Zhu, Zhao Dong, Shuang Zhao. Image-Space Adaptive Sampling for Fast Inverse Rendering. ACM SIGGRAPH 2025 (conference-track full paper), August 2025.
  • Peiyu Xu, Xin Sun, Krishna Mullia, Raymond Fei, Iliyan Georgiev, Shuang Zhao. Stochastic Ray Tracing for the Reconstruction of 3D Gaussian Splatting. IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), June 2026.
  • Bowen Xue, Giuseppe Claudio Guarnera, Shuang Zhao, Zahra Montazeri. Physics-Guided Motion Loss for Video Generation Model. International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML), July 2026.
  • Yu-Chen Wang, Markus Kettunen, Daqi Lin, Chris Wyman, Lifan Wu, Shuang Zhao. Real-Time Level-of-Detail Rendering with ReSTIR. ACM SIGGRAPH 2026 (conference-track full paper), July 2026
  • Zhiqian Zhou, Dario Seyb, Shuang Zhao. Adaptive Ray Marching for Rendering Gaussian Process Implicit Surfaces. ACM SIGGRAPH 2026 (conference-track full paper), July 2026

Journal Editorships

  • IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG): Associate Editor
  • Computer Graphics Forum (CGF): Associate Editor

Honors

  • NSF CAREER Award (2023)

Research Honors

  • SIGGRAPH 2026 Best Papers Award Honorable Mention (July 2026)
  • SIGGRAPH 2026 Best Papers Award Honorable Mention (July 2026)
  • SIGGRAPH Asia 2023 Best Papers Award (December 2023)

Recent Courses Taught

  • CS 598 PBR - Adv Physics-Based Rendering

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