Baining works in computer graphics, geometric modeling, virtual reality, and computer vision. His research focuses on three areas: DNN models for 3D graphics and imaging, statistical modeling of textures and appearances, and geometric modeling. His work is motivated by applications in the fields of virtual reality, video communication, digital content creation, and video gaming. He was a keynote speaker in many graphics and visual computing conferences, including ACM/SIAM Solid and Physical Modeling (SPM), IEEE Shape Modeling International (SMI), IEEE Virtual Reality (IEEE-VR), IEEE Multimedia and Expo (ICME), IEEE Visual Communication and Image Processing (VCIP), Pacific Graphics (PG), Computer Animation and Social Agents (CASA), and IEEE ICASSP.