Two Groups, Twelve Students, Four Kids, and a Cyclotron

Earlier this month, the Eastern Michigan SolidWorks User Group and the West Michigan SolidWorks User Group held a joint meeting at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University.  The meeting was attended by nearly 70 people - SolidWorks Users, Students, Faculty, and even a few kids aged 8, 10, 12, and 17.  I had to ask EMSWUG Group Leader Dan Bovinich...was it because some parents couldn't find a sitter?

Turns out these particular parents really just wanted their children to share in the Cyclotron tour.  I can see why - NSCL has a terrific program designed just for K-12 grade students and teachers.

Lots of effort went into the planning and scheduling of this meeting.  Congratulations to Dan and Jason Raak for pulling the whole thing together.  Dan also credits Gary Lowell, David Darbyshire, and Darin Grossier of DASI, along with John Olivia of NSCL for helping out.  Food, clean-up, and car-pooling duties were handled by Michael Beem, Jared Laba, and Dan Bartlett.

The Cyclotron might have been the star, but a young student named Zach really stole the show.  Dan tells me that he had everyone laughing during his 45 minute presentation, and it was the best Cyclotron presentation he has ever heard.  Sounds like we have an up-and-coming SolidWorks superstar in the making.