“Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.”  – National Academy of Engineering

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and by marshaling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers.

Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice, or education, including, significant contributions to the engineering literature and to the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implement innovating approaches to engineering education.” Members are elected to the NAE by their peers (current NAE members) and is one of the highest professional honors in the field of engineering.

Bruce Engelmann, Chief Technology Officer of SIMULIA, has recently been elected to this respected organization.

We interviewed some of Bruce’s colleagues and friends and put together a short video (see below) to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Alex Van Der Velden: “What I admire most about Bruce is his quick grasp of almost any subject matter as well as his genuine concern about the person he is interacting with. In one word: we resonate.”

Mark Bohm: “There’s so much I value in Bruce it’s hard to distill. If I had to narrow it down, I admire Bruce’s broad knowledge, curiosity and enthusiasm. I know I was asked for one admirable trait, but for me, it’s the combination that makes him an ideal leader for our technology strategy. It’s always a pleasure working with Bruce because with him you really begin to think anything is possible and you also feel like you can help make it possible.  And in the process of imagining future possibilities with Bruce I always have a lot of fun (and maybe a few beers!). One word to describe Bruce: Ebullient.”

Nuno Rebelo: “The one trait I think defines Bruce is ‘enthusiasm’. I have never seen anyone in this field that gets going so easily about any technical subject. He is absolutely contagious. I recall when our presentations were not as rehearsed as they are today, the ‘Bruce show’ at the Abaqus Users Conferences were always much anticipated. It was impossible for any customer not to get excited about what Bruce was talking about. These days I don’t get to go much to headquarters, but in the past, I would always enjoy stopping by his office: there was always something new he was ready to share. In spite of not seeing him for very extended periods of time, he always treats me as a friend whenever we do see each other.”

Claus Pedersen: “Bruce is:

• High energy level  (and proper amount of coffee in the morning)
• Inspiring (and ready for giving motivating inputs)
• Fast deep diving (and ready for technical discussions and problem solving)
• Defining business cases  (and transforming them into technology descriptions spiced with  funny sayings)“

From all of us here at SIMULIA, Congratulations, Bruce!