Juan Carlos Vasquez is an award-winning composer, video game researcher, and educator. His creations, ranging from spatial audio works to intermedia experiences and game art, have been featured in over 30 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia. At DKU, he teaches courses spanning music, art, games, and the broader intersections of technology and society.

Vasquez's most prominent awards include the Colombian Ministry of Culture's Contemporary Music Composition Grant and the Audio Engineering Society's Award for Excellence in Art, Design, and the Production of Sound (both 2016); the highly selective Dean’s Grant for exceptional Master’s achievements from Aalto University (2016); a Finnish government grant for artistic creation and a ACM/SIGCHI “Best of CHI” award (both 2017); a fully funded five-year doctoral award at the University of Virginia (2018); recognition as Primus Master at Aalto University and a commission at the ZKM (both 2019); along with the prestigious Jefferson Fellowship from the University of Virginia (2021). Later, he received a Highly Commended distinction at the Sound of the Year Awards (2022); the Best Computer Music award from the International Computer Music Association (2023); led and curated an exhibition at the renowned Ars Electronica Festival (2024); won Second Prize at Musicacoustica-Hangzhou and the WOCMAT Phil Winsor Award (both 2024); and took First Prize in Composition at the 35th International Competition Città di Barletta in Italy (2025). Events and venues featuring Prof. Vasquez’s works include Ars Electronica (AU), the Ateneum Art Museum (FI), the Seoul Arts Center (KR) the Lincoln Center (USA), the Hanshan Art Museum (CN), Berklee College of Music (USA), and Matera Intermedia Festival (IT).

He earned his M.A. in New Media from Aalto University in Finland and subsequently completed both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Composition and Computer Technologies from the University of Virginia in the United States. Prof. Vasquez is a member of the Society of Finnish Composers.