A leader and strong advocate of 3D technology, Dassault Systèmes has always taken proactive steps to promote and support the 3D community. Naturally, the company saw academia as integral to the growth of the technology, and launched the 3DS Academy in an effort to make its software more accessible to students everywhere. In fact, under the Academy Member program, Dassault Systèmes has partnered with several academic institutions at both the high school and university levels.
Joining the ranks of Academy members is Michigan-based Lawrence Technological University, which has been commended for its excellent transportation design program and its immersive curriculum in Dassault Systèmes design solutions. The Lawrence Tech Transportation Design program was initiated in 2007 at the request of automotive industry OEMs who were seeking designers with more technical aptitude. Each class is assigned a vehicle project for the year, which is then championed by an executive designer from each of the sponsoring companies. The annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), for example, is one of many opportunities where students can showcase their projects.
CATIA was established as LTU’s premiere design authoring tool with the freshman class of 2010-11.
The use of Dassault Systemes sofware CATIA that has contributed to the university’s impressive 100% job placement record in the auto and products industries.
Recognizing LTU’s commitment to increasing the benefit of Dassault Systèmes’ tools for student employability and curriculum quality, Thierry Collet, VP of Global Academia & Education for DS came to the LTU campus on September 15 to formally award the Academy Member designation to Keith Nagara, director of LTU’s transportation design program.
The new designation places LTU in contact with 30 other universities in the Academy Member Program, which include Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio Northern University, and the University of South Carolina. It also gives LTU an edge when recruiting at two top high schools in the Metro Detroit area, Notre Dame Preparatory and De La Salle Collegiate High School, which are also in the Academy Member Program.
Since first implementing the design program LTU has sproduced distinguished graduates who have benefited from their CATIA expertise, which includes recent graduate Colin Bonathan who was part of the award-winning Ford GT Design team at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.
“CATIA is a very versatile tool that provides designers with the flexibility to approach a design solution from their perspective, eliminating tool constraints that can affect creativity. Gaining expertise in CATIA provides our students a major advantage in internships and then in their careers,” Nagara said. “Using CATIA in our academic programs has also increased our industry recognition, creating opportunities for collaboration where we’ve jointly pioneered new design processes that result in more efficient and effective product development.”
Dassault Systèmes also shares Mr. Nagara’s enthusiasm for CATIA and the many opportunities it will bring to students and will continue to support and promote 3D technology in the academic community.
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