Discover New Design Methods and Solutions at 3DEXPERIENCE World 2025
Hi, my name is Mariana St. Germain, and I am responsible for the go-to-market planning for the SOLIDWORKS brand team. As part of this, I help launch new products and releases, working closely with my friends in the SOLIDWORKS portfolio management team. With a computer science and software product marketing background, 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.
3DEXPERIENCE World, our annual user event, is taking place in Houston, Texas, February 23-26, 2025, offering 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.
In the following sessions, you can hear from senior product portfolio managers and some of our most seasoned experts, many of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years. Learn about the latest solutions, including SOLIDWORKS Ultimate and Electrical Schematic Designer, and get a sneak peak of a new electrical solution; in addition to a variety of topics, including browser-based design, migrating data to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, sustainable design, and more.
Salih Alani, Senior Product Portfolio Manager
You may recognize Salih from last year’s Design Domain session. Salih joined Dassault Systèmes in 2013 and currently focuses on 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS, browser-based roles, and collaboration on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Technology in Iraq, where he’s from, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Northeastern University in Boston.
He is currently based in Waltham, Mass., and lives in Stoughton with his wife and three children, who all happen to be born in January.
When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, swimming and working out. He’s also fluent in Arabic, and his friends say he’s a pool shark. Word from his colleagues is he likes to dance so you can battle him on the dance floor or challenge him to a game of pool if you see him around at this year’s social events at World.
Better yet, catch up with Sal in the following sessions:
Boost Design Productivity with Cloud-based Data Management and Collaboration
Monday, Feb. 24th– 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM CST
In today’s fast-paced design world, engineers juggle multiple tasks, from designing to managing data and collaborating with teams and stakeholders. 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS enables them to use the design tools they love while benefiting from cloud-based data management and collaboration. This session covers best practices and workflows to streamline your design process, maximize data value, and explore the benefits and latest features of 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS.
Five Key Strategies to Accelerate and Enhance Design Collaboration
Tuesday, Feb. 25th– 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM CST
In this session, attendees will discover how to meet design collaboration challenges with teams dispersed across different locations and disciplines. Discover the social collaboration tools available on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform that will help you collaborate and accelerate product development.
The Future of Product Development: Exploring SOLIDWORKS Ultimate
Wednesday, Feb. 26th– 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM CST
Last July we introduced a new offer called SOLIDWORKS Ultimate that includes the tools and capabilities available with SOLIDWORKS Premium, adding specialized design tools in the cloud, product release and structure management, project and resource management, lean principle-inspired teamwork collaboration, cloud-based structural analysis and motion analysis, and more. Learn how this comprehensive solution can transform your workflow, making your team more agile and competitive in today’s market.
To register for these sessions click here.
Craig Therrien, Senior Product Portfolio Manager
Craig has been with the company 20 years. He joined in 2005 and is currently a senior product manager for SOLIDWORKS desktop, 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS, and the SOLIDWORKS browser-based design solution, 3D Mold Creator.
Craig is from the Boston area and currently resides in Boxford. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and over his career has held many positions including design engineer, CAD consultant, and CAD product manager. 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.
Craig will host the following sessions:
Tips and Tricks for Streamlining Design to Manufacturing
Monday, Feb. 24th– 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM CST
This session will cover tips and techniques to help streamline the transfer of data between SOLIDWORKS and DELMIA manufacturing applications using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. You will learn about downloading a macro to automate sheet metal unfolding and manufacturing preparation.
Tips and Techniques: Combining Sub-D Surfacing and Parametric Modeling
Wednesday, Feb. 26th– 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM CST
This session will provide an overview and demonstration of using browser-based solutions including 3D Sculptor’s xShape app to create highly stylized and ergonomically shaped designs. In addition, Craig will cover recommended techniques for combining subdivision modeling with traditional parametric modeling using both 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS and 3D Creator.
To learn more or sign up for his sessions click here.
Stephen Endersby, Roles Portfolio Director
Stephen has been with Dassault Systèmes for 23 years. He has a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.
Stephen lives in the United Kingdom, where he is originally from. When he is not working, he likes cycling and recreating aircraft in CAD.
You may know Stephen from his years of working with the SOLIDWORKS simulation solutions. He is a passionate believer in the benefits of the early use of design analysis to optimize products for strength, durability, and sustainability.
Stephen is confident that every designer can make use of the simulation tools from Dassault Systèmes to improve product performance and customer satisfaction while reducing their environmental impact and increasing their company’s market share.
Catch up with Stephen in the sessions below:
Master Model, Top-Down, or Bottom-Up Design. Which One When?
Tuesday, Feb 25th– 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM CST
In this presentation, Stephen will compare the strengths and weaknesses of the master model, top-down, and bottom-up design methods to determine what approach works best.
Featured solutions will include SOLIDWORKS, 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS, and the SOLIDWORKS browser-based design solutions.
Starting Your Journey to Sustainable Product Design
Wednesday, Feb. 26th– 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM CST
Ready to start your journey into sustainable product design? You’re in luck, as Stephen will cover essential practices and strategies to make your design processes more environmentally responsible. Learn how to integrate sustainable principles in your design practices and discover tools that can help you assess and reduce environmental impact. This session provides a solid foundation for companies looking to embrace sustainability and make a positive impact through thoughtful design choices.
Eric Leafquist, Senior Product Portfolio Manager
This year marks 25 years for Eric as he’s been with the company since 2000. Eric has worked in a plethora of areas, including education, routing, licensing, architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and more. Currently he works on SOLIDWORKS routing and electrical solutions including the cloud-connected electrical role, Electrical Schematic Designer. Prior to joining SOLIDWORKS, he spent 19 years in the chemical process industry involved with engineering and sales.
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.
When Eric is not working, he enjoys cycling and raising money for cancer research. He has raised more than $1.9 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.).
Catch up with Eric in the following sessions and roundtable discussion:
SOLIDWORKS Electrical Portfolio Update
Monday, Feb. 24th– 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM CST
Eric will join others speakers from Dassault Systèmes with an overview of the latest electrical solutions, including the cloud-connected Electrical Schematic Designer, and will provide a preview of an upcoming solution, 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Electrical 3D.
Electrical Townhall Meetup: Expert Insights and Open Discussion on Electrical Tools
Tuesday, Feb. 25th– 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM CST
Eric and other electrical design experts from Dassault Systèmes will host an interactive session on SOLIDWORKS electrical solutions. You are invited to share your experience, ask questions, and explore solutions with other attendees in an open, collaborative environment.
Roundtable Session: Are Routed Systems Main or Secondary Aspects of Your Design?
Tuesday, Feb. 25th 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM CST
Don’t miss your chance to discuss routed systems in electrical design, including fluid, electrical, and other types. Routed systems are often main or secondary aspects of design. Come discuss the pros and cons with Eric in this open forum.
To learn more or sign up for these sessions click here. Learn more about the roundtables here.
Kurt Lundstedt, Roles Portfolio Director
This year will mark 25 years since Kurt joined the company in 2000 and this will be his 24th time attending the annual user event.
He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a minor in industrial design from the University of Illinois. Kurt got interested in design while taking drafting in high school. He started studying architecture, then switched to industrial design, and after being intrigued by how products work, he studied engineering. He started his career designing plastic and metal components for the appliance industry where he got his first exposure to using CAD in the late 1980s.
Kurt is from Chicago, Illinois where he currently resides. When he is not working, he enjoys walking his dog, working on home improvement projects, and exercising.
One of the major strategic initiatives of Dassault Systèmes is to make it easy for customers to adopt the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and to move their data to it. Kurt’s sessions will be centered around this initiative.
Learn more about this in Kurt’s sessions below:
Efficient Data Migration: Moving Design Files to a Collaborative Platform
Monday, Feb. 24th– 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM CST
In this hands-on session, attendees will learn how to migrate SOLIDWORKS data to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform efficiently. Specifically, the session will cover techniques for analyzing and resolving file issues, to ensure your data is optimized for migration. In addition, learn about the bulk file transfer, with tips on preserving critical details like revision levels and metadata.
Move Your Design Data to the Cloud to Unleash Its Full Potential
Wednesday, Feb. 26th– 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM CST
Learn how to transfer your design data from local storage to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, making it easier to access, collaborate, and build on your work. This session will show the basic use of the tools and their capabilities. Discover how moving your data to the cloud can improve team collaboration and project efficiency.
To learn more or sign up for these sessions click here.
Don’t miss these informative sessions!
To learn more about these sessions or to sign up click here.
To register or learn more about this year’s event click here.