Silicon Lobster

​Low Tide is an intimate gathering designed for deeper conversation with the people building global technology from right here in Maine.

​This evening features Michael Vance, Senior Vice President and Fellow Software Engineer at Activision Blizzard, a subsidiary of Microsoft.
​Michael began his career in the early days of Linux game development at Loki Software, later joining Treyarch before its acquisition by Activision.

As a technical director, he led engineering teams on Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, and Spider-Man Web of Shadows. As a Technical Fellow and executive leader, he contributed to nearly a dozen additional titles and every Call of Duty release from Modern Warfare 3 through Black Ops 7. He also served as Chief Technology Officer of Activision before returning to hands on programming.

​Now based in Falmouth, Maine, Michael continues to build at the highest levels of game engineering while also raising goats and chickens and volunteering with the Falmouth Land Trust.

​This conversation may explore:
​• Where the game industry is heading
• Machine learning inside modern game pipelines
• GPUs and the realities of programming models at scale
• Engineering leadership inside global franchises
• Conservation work and the intersection of technology and land stewardship
• Building world class systems while living in Maine
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If you care about the future of games, the evolution of engineering systems, or the intersection of technology and place, this evening is for you!

​Exact location shared upon confirmation.

​Presented by Silicon Lobster Mapping Maine’s creative and tech ecosystem in public

When the tide goes out, you see what’s actually there.

​Low Tide is a Silicon Lobster series that steps inside the places building Maine’s future across tech, media, design, climate, games, and civic infrastructure.

​This edition brings us inside Infusion, a digital and visualization studio within the Czarnowski Collective.
​Founded in 2002, Infusion creates high end computer generated graphics, 3D renderings, and interactive experiences for global brands, primarily in exhibit and event environments. Their work lives at the intersection of architecture, storytelling, and real time technology, shaping how companies show up in physical space.

​Expect:
​• A short welcome from Silicon Lobster
• A walkthrough of Infusion’s studio and production workflow
• Insight into how 3D visualization supports large scale exhibit builds
• Conversation about interactive experiences, rendering pipelines, and creative technology
• Open discussion with designers, developers, producers, and strategists

​If you care about immersive environments, real time graphics, experiential marketing, or the future of spatial storytelling, this evening is for you.

​Presented by Silicon Lobster
Mapping Maine’s creative and tech ecosystem in public