Bryan Serrano, Mechanical Engineer, SOLIDWORKS Student Leader, and More.

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Bryan Serrano is a Computer Science Masters student at the University of Central Florida. He leads the SOLIDWORKS Student Leaders program and loves to pursue the art of espresso and learn about worldwide cultures through food. He has a background in Mechanical Engineering and Automotive Technology and a newfound passion for Software Development.

This month we release the 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Students offer – giving students the opportunity to use SOLIDWORKS, now Cloud Connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and our newest full-cloud apps xDesign for prismatic shapes and xShape for free-formed shapes.

I was able to catch up with Bryan for an interview after his recent graduation achieving a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of Central Florida, USA.

Marie: How were you first introduced to SOLIDWORKS?   A teacher?  A course?

Bryan: I was first introduced to SOLIDWORKS in 2014 during high school through an Engineering course. My school, Miami Lakes Educational Center, had a technical program for Engineering that became well known for having certified some of the world’s youngest Certified SOLDIWORKS Expert (CSWE) recipients. SOLIDWORKS was incredibly easy to use and gave students a great sense of empowerment upon learning it, as these students felt they could bring any of their ideas to life.

   

Marie: I first met you as a mechanical engineering student at the University of Central Florida.  How did you use SOLIDWORKS at UCF?

Bryan: I used SOLIDWORKS on my very first day at UCF as a member of Formula SAE. I took the knowledge from this organization and used it for every project I needed to use SOLIDWORKS for at UCF. I used the SOLIDWORKS Student License to design components for additive manufacturing. I regularly used SOLIDWORKS Simulation for static analysis to ensure my 3D-Printed designs were well optimized for their purposes.

 

Marie:  You have been very active in SOLIDWORKS Certification – not only for yourself, but for your fellow students at UCF.  Can you explain more?

Bryan: At UCF, Engineering tools, such as SOLIDWORKS, are not taught to every student, and instead professors focus more on theories behind several areas of Engineering. I saw that there was a major need for Freshmen and Sophomore students to get CAD experience. This includes access to Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA)/Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) certifications, specialty exams, training, and certification vouchers at no cost. Many student organizations were taught to train their underclassmen how to use SOLIDWORKS to participate in their own events and competition; however, most of the time they were not able to fully train students due to the time commitment it takes.

Furthermore, I had the idea of making an organization that strictly focused on teaching SOLIDWORKS to students. At first, it truly seemed like a daunting task and I constantly doubted myself, thinking that I would not be qualified to teach others. However, I built the bridge as I went, and developed my skills as a leader and built a team that could tackle this challenge. After having organized this team, I reached out to SOLIDWORKS with my plan to teach the software through a student-led course with a reach of 600+ students a year in the underclassmen Engineering courses at UCF. Shortly afterward, I received full support from the education team including CSWA/CSWP certifications, specialty exam vouchers, and educational resources to build the curriculum for all exams.

Since then, we’ve been able to certify more than 100 students at UCF with CSWA/CSWP and specialty exams. During my last semester, as the leader of the UCF SOLIDWORKS Student Leader Program, we had 50+ students in attendance at our biweekly meetings.

Marie: How did you get involved in the SOLIDWORKS Student Leaders Program?

Bryan: During the process of brainstorming our involvement with the program, I reached out to several students to gauge their interest and collaborate to make their ideas a reality. One of these students had previously known about the SOLIDWORKS Student Leader Program in its early phases, and he immediately referred me to the program lead so that we could take it further. The program promised exactly what I was looking for and sought to mentor those that were willing to put in the effort to foster SOLIDWORKS communities on university campuses – it was the perfect connection. Afterwards, they were able to fully supply all certification vouchers, connect me to SOLIDWORKS professionals, and most importantly, give me mentorship to enable me to achieve my goals and continue giving back to fellow students.

Marie: Your work with the SOLIDWORKS Student community has led you to help us with the new DASSAULT SYSTEMES 3DEXPERIENCE Edu Student community.  What have you been doing on this new platform?

Bryan: I’ve been learning about the new apps 3DEXPERIENCE offers to students that can significantly improve team productivity and accelerate the design cycle of projects. With the platform, I can use apps specifically created for part design, simulation, manufacturing, and project management. I’ve been exploring each app to learn about modeling techniques and new tools needed to complete an Engineering project.

Marie: Anything else you want to tell our SOLIDWORKS community.

Bryan: I’ve seen SOLIDWORKS change students’ lives and give them a jump-start in the Engineering field. This community is ever-growing and ever-changing. We have great programs for students and professionals like the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network, SOLIDWORKS Champions, and SOLIDWORKS Student Leaders Program. Without having vast portfolio of certifications and revolutionary projects in SOLIDWORKS – as one never stops learning – teaching it to others has opened doors that I would’ve never imagined. The SOLIDWORKS community has been incredibly engaged and is continuously looking to learn more and give back to their community. I am so grateful to teach, and learn from, dozens of students across the globe and am honored to assist in catalyzing their careers and provide the resources they need to have a successful journey.

 

In summary we look forward in following Bryan journey as he expands his knowledge in SOLIDWORKS and the new 3DEXPERIENCE applications.

Like Bryan, you can learn about SOLIDWORKS and our new cloud connected technology with the 3DEXPERINCE platform and its apps xDesign and xShape.

Learn more about how to get student sponsorship.

Your school may already have SOLIDWORKS, Cloud-Connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Tell your instructor about SOLIDWORKS,  and 3D Designer for Education.  Click Here.

More information on 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Students can be found here.

Thank you Bryan, congratulations on achieving your BSME and thank you for helping our SOLIDWORKS Student Leaders.

Be well,

Marie

 

 

Marie Planchard

Marie Planchard

Senior Director, Early Engagement, 3DEXPERIENCE Works at Dassault Systemes
Marie Planchard is an education and engineering advocate. As Senior Director of Education & Early Engagement, SOLIDWORKS, she is responsible for global development of content and social outreach for the 3DEXPERIENCE Works products across all levels of learning including educational institutions, Fab Labs, and entrepreneurship.
Marie Planchard

@marieplanchard1