CAD Veterans Share Tips and Tricks on Eco-friendly Design, ECAD and SubD in the Cloud at 3DEXPERIENCE World
Howdy and Happy New Year! The beginning of 2024 also marks my 5th anniversary at Dassault Systèmes! My name is Mariana St. Germain, and I am responsible for go-to-market on the SOLIDWORKS brand team. As part of this, I help launch new products and new releases, working very closely with my friends in the SOLIDWORKS portfolio management team. With a background in computer science and software product marketing, I am fascinated by the beautiful, creative, and precise world of mechanical and electrical engineering, industrial design and all disciplines needed to bring new products to life. I am based in Boston and when not at work, I love to hang out with my family and friends, practice yoga and meditation, hike, and travel.
The New Year brings along a new edition of 3DEXPERIENCE World, from February 11 – 14th in Dallas, Texas, offering a wealth of opportunities to learn, share knowledge, connect, get inspired, and drive innovation. I encourage you to attend the numerous informative product sessions and meet our portfolio managers in person. Meanwhile, it is my pleasure to introduce them to you.
I know, with all the great sessions at 3DEXPERIENCE World it can be tough to choose your agenda. If you still need to fill in a few gaps in your schedule and are interested in eco-friendly design, electrical design, subdivision modeling and parametric modeling we’ve got you covered with the sessions below.
Meet Eric Leafquist, Senior Product Portfolio Manager
Eric has been with Dassault Systèmes almost 25 years! He joined in the year 2000 and has worked in a plethora of areas, including education, routing, licensing, architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) and more. Currently he works on the cloud-connected electrical roles including Electrical Schematic Designer, and a new super-secret electrical role. Prior to joining SOLIDWORKS, he spent 19 years in the chemical process industry.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tufts University and a Master of Business Administration from Babson College. Originally from the Boston area, he currently resides in southwest Florida where he is working to resist adopting a Southern accent.
When Eric is not working, he enjoys cycling and raising money for cancer research. He has raised more than $1.8 million for The Erica Leafquist Fund, a fund he created at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, which focuses on raising money for research and new treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (A.L.L.).
When asked what the best part about his job is, he said, “Learning what the customers create using SOLIDWORKS is the best thing for me about my job. The ‘emotional paycheck’ is really what is exciting. The range of creations is truly amazing.” In 2024, it’s still the most inspiring thing about working for the company, according to Eric.
To get his views on SOLIDWORKS solutions you can ask him at one of his sessions at 3DEXPERIENCE World, including “Electrical, Electronics and Fluids for SOLIDWORKS Users” taking place Monday, February 12th from 11:30am -12:30pm. This session is for those interested in sharing ideas, tips and tricks, and general comments on any of the following topics: electrical design, wiring, cabling, harnessing, electronics integration, pneumatics, and hydraulics. You can also catch Eric in the “Ins and Outs of Inline Components Using SOLIDWORKS Routing.”
Meet Dr. Stephen Endersby, 3DEXPERIENCE WORKS, Simulation & Electrical, Roles Portfolio Director
This year Stephen turns 21, well as far as his attendance at the SOLIDWORKS annual user event goes. He has been with Dassault Systèmes more than 15 years, and you may know him as the go-to guy for simulation. He’s a passionate believer that you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to do simulation.
Stephen is back in the United Kingdom, where he is originally from after living in Boston for 10 years. He has a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering and PhD in Mechanical Engineering.
When he is not working, Stephen likes cycling and recreating aircraft in CAD. His favorite thing about World are talking with customers and partners at the Dassault Systèmes booth and sitting in on customer presentations where he always learns something new. Catch up with Stephen in his session, “Measuring the Eco-Impact of Your Design and Manufacturing Decisions,” on Tuesday, the 13th from 4:30p.m. – 5:30 p.m. This session covers how you can use the Eco-Design Engineer role to evaluate the impact of your products on the environment.
Meet Craig Therrien, Senior Product Portfolio Manager
Craig has been with SOLIDWORKS 20 years! He joined the company in 2005 and is currently a senior product manager for SOLIDWORKS desktop, and also works with the cloud-connected role 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS, and browser-based roles, including 3D Sculptor for subdivision (SubD) modeling and 3D Mold Creator for mold design.
Craig is from the Boston area and currently resides in Boxford. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and has held many positions including designer, consultant, CAD product manager, and CAD company founder.
When he’s not working you can find him building and riding motorcycles and spending summers on Ossipee Lake in New Hampshire where he enjoys boating and waterskiing with his friends and family and his dog Jack.
You can catch Craig at World for his presentation “Tips and Techniques on Combining Sub-D Surfacing and Parametric Modeling” on Monday, February 12th from 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. This session will provide an overview and demonstration of how you can use 3D Sculptor to create highly stylized and ergonomically shaped designs quickly. In addition, Craig will cover recommended techniques for combining the use of subdivision modeling with traditional parametric modeling using both 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS and 3D Creator.
You can also catch Craig at the “3DEXPERIENCE R&D Meetup: A Chat with the SOLIDWORKS R&D Team.” Craig’s session on “Tips and Techniques for Manufacturing Cost Estimation and Design to Cost,” is full, but I’m sure if you catch up with him at some point, he’d be happy to share some insight. Plus, you can always watch any sessions you miss on-demand after the conference.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with this group of seasoned professionals. These are just a few of the sessions led by the SOLIDWORKS portfolio management team. Stay tuned for our next blog on product sessions you want won’t to miss on our cloud-connected and browser-based roles.
See the Session Catalog for more details, and register today!
