Speakers

Jason Action is an Associate Technical Fellow at Lockheed Martin, where he has worked as an Aeronautical Engineer for the past 22 years. Jason currently manages Project Gamma, a Stardrive initiative tasked with developing and implementing modeling and simulation best practices within Lockheed’s Advanced Development Programs, aka “Skunkworks.” Jason’s team has several years of experience implementing 3DEXPERIENCE generative design and analysis in industrial applications. Throughout his career, Jason has worked in structural analysis and finite element modeling ranging from full air vehicle to detailed part models. He has used Abaqus extensively, performing and helping to develop progressive damage analysis methods for composite parts and joints.

Hadi Meidani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, an affiliate member of Siebel School of Computing and Data Science and Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). His research focuses on physics-informed AI, and digital twins for engineering design. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, his M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and his M.S. in Structural Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC). Prior to joining UIUC, he was a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at USC and in the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute at the University of Utah. Dr. Meidani is the Chair of the Machine Learning Committee of the ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute. He is the recipient of an NSF CAREER Award on fast computational models for infrastructure networks. His team have won awards from data competitions on railroad engineering and his research has been sponsored by federal agencies such as National Science Foundation (NSF), DOE, and DOT.

Satyendra is a People Leader at the Ford Motor Company. Leading the Underbody systems Engineering CAE Team with the focus on Durability, MBD and the automation techniques.

Satyendra supports product development of the FNA programs and collaborates with the global teams worldwide, these include the teams in Germany, England, Mexico, Australia, and Brazil. Satyendra works on the development of all the product offerings of the Ford Motor Company. These include Heavy Duty, Super Duty, and Medium Duty Trucks. He also works on the product development of the commercial vans, pick-up trucks, SUVs, and the Mustang platforms.

His leadership helped to establish and grow the team with the local talent in Mexico, it was a very successful international assignment in Mexico from 2017-2020. Now the team in Mexico is well established and able to operate independently to support the program workstreams.

He is a long-time user of Abaqus, Tosca, Isight and all other SIMULIA products and a SIMULIA Champion. Now using 3DXPlatform to support the program milestone and gateway workstream projects. He has successfully migrated few of the V5 Parametric CAD/CAE templates to the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform with minor updates.

The vison of the Ford Motor company is to use the entire ecosystem of the 3DXPlatform for all the engineering workstreams, I and my team are completely aligned with that vision. I and my team keep collaborating with Kaustubh and the entire Dassault team for learning all the new features and leveraging the 3DXPlatform to the best of our abilities.

Satyendra began his career in the Aeronautical Industry. He helped design, develop and build an all-composite twin seat trainer aircraft. He is an alumnus of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA.

I’m a Distinguished Engineer / Product Architect at NVIDIA, with a specific focus on Industrial and Computational Engineering. I help to guide the development of NVIDIA products and drive adoption of NVIDIA’s platform among CAE, EDA and Semi partners and customers. Prior to NVIDIA, I was the WW Tech Lead for CAE at Amazon Web Services. I am also a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Previous to these positions I was a Senior Researcher within the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. I also worked in Formula 1 with the Lotus F1 team (now Alpine F1) and I worked with Formula 1 Management and the FIA on the 2021 technical regulation changes and I was also a core part of the British Cycling 2020 Tokyo Olympics bike development program. I’m passionate about explaining science and engineering to the general public and also host a podcast which you can listen on Spotify or watch on YouTube.

Saurabh Bahuguna is currently Global Technical Specialist for Battery Durability & Fatigue at General Motors. In his current role, Saurabh provides technical leadership and guidance for structural analysis required to develop and validate Battery Packs, Modules and Cells. Saurabh is also responsible for setting the strategic technical vision for the team leading to new analysis capability development. Prior to this role, Saurabh was Technical Specialist for Motors & Power Electronics Structures.

Saurabh has over 20 years of experience providing technical leadership in a variety of roles and simulation domains. Supporting this is a very strong educational background with a PhD in Engineering Mechanics.

Sr Engineering Manager | Automotive & Power Systems Expert
With over 25 years of engineering experience specializing in the intersection of power systems and advanced automotive electronics. His career is defined by a deep technical mastery of high-voltage architectures and high-speed data integrity in the area of interconnects and system level. Experienced in testing and simulations through out my career, in CST running Signal Integrity and EMC while are Molex and TE Connectivity the last 16 years. Leading a team of 10 Engineers for signal integrity globally over the last 8 years.

Shams Arifeen is the Electronic Packaging Technical Lead for Google's Platform and Devices team, specializing in product design. His expertise lies in Finite Element Analysis, which he has consistently applied throughout his career to simulate chip, package, board, and system-level performance for various microelectronic products. A notable contributor to the field of microelectronic packaging, Mr. Arifeen holds 18 U.S. patents and has authored numerous journal and conference publications. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering.

Marcus Chen is a CAE Technical Specialist at General Motors, specializing in motor structures, cranktrains, and dynamics. He earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2008. With nearly two decades of experience in computational analysis, Marcus focuses on advancing high-fidelity simulation methodologies to optimize structural integrity and performance in automotive propulsion systems.

Rong Chiu is a CAE engineer specializing in structural analysis and system-level finite element modeling for automotive drivetrain applications. He holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University, where his research focused on advanced computational mechanics and composite material modeling.

He currently works in the CAE group at American Axle & Manufacturing, developing simulation methodologies for e-Drive gearbox systems, including misalignment prediction, load sharing analysis, and bearing–housing interaction modeling using Abaqus. His work emphasizes bridging theoretical formulation with practical, automation-ready FEA workflows to support design optimization and validation.

His technical interests include nonlinear structural analysis, system compliance decomposition, and improving correlation between simulation and testing in electrified powertrain development.

Edwin Daniel is a Research Associate at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), where he specializes in MBSE workflows and computational analysis for unmanned aerial vehicles. His technical background includes structural, thermal, and fluid simulations supporting multidisciplinary modeling across NIAR’s digital engineering initiatives. His current work focuses on developing and executing icing simulations to improve the prediction and characterization of ice accretion on small unmanned aerial systems.

Ricardo de Alba Alvarez, based in Detroit, Michigan, United States, is currently a CAE Process Lead at Ford Motor Company, bringing experience from previous roles at Blachford Acoustics Group and Gissing North America, LLC. Ricardo de Alba Alvarez holds a 2007 - 2011 Ph.D. in Sound and Vibration, (Structural Dynamics) at the University of Southampton. With a robust skill set that includes Structural Dynamics, Vibration, NVH, Modal Analysis, Finite Element Analysis and more, Ricardo de Alba Alvarez contributes valuable insights to the industry.

Antonino Destasi is an Aerodynamics Engineer at General Motors, where he focuses on optimizing the aerodynamic performance of GM’s electric vehicle portfolio through data-driven surface development and integration. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is currently pursuing an MBA, combining deep technical expertise with growing business acumen. Antonino works across design, engineering, and program teams to reduce drag, improve efficiency, and ensure proposed aerodynamic solutions are feasible within styling, packaging, and manufacturing constraints. They are recognized for their ability to connect detailed aerodynamic analysis with clear recommendations to program leadership, and for leveraging emerging AI and simulation tools to accelerate insight generation and support smarter, faster vehicle development decisions.

Brian Engel graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Aerospace. His career spans 26+ years in the field of CAE, using Abaqus for much of that time. His exposure to vehicles over that time has been bumper to bumper when it comes to cars and trucks. BIW, Crash, NVH, Structural and Durability, Sealing, ICE Engines, E-motors, and Powertrains are all areas he has had exposure to in those years. Past highlights include Stryker Armored Vehicles structural analysis, RS load floor in the Chrysler mini-van, and Convertible rooftops for the Chrysler Sebring and GM’s G6. Lately he has been working for Dauch Corporation (Formerly AAM) since 2017 as a CAE analyst in the Propshaft group, then the Vibration Controls Systems group after the Metaldyne acquisition, and then to the Truck Axle group. Where he is currently working on the RCM sealing process.

Dr-Ing. Benedikt Engel – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder Co-founder and CEO of MatAlytics Ltd., with deep expertise in material behaviour, numerical modelling, and experimental validation. He holds a PhD in Engineering from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, where he investigated the experimental and numerical behaviour of high-temperature materials in collaboration with Siemens Energy. Following this, he worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham on a European research project with Rolls-Royce, developing models for crack growth behaviour in turbine discs. Benedikt specializes in high-temperature materials, including deformation behaviour, damage, and fatigue prediction for aerospace and power generation sectors, and has led major projects with Siemens, Rolls-Royce, and EDF. He has published his research in multiple international journals and delivered invited talks at leading conferences. As CEO, he combines technical and strategic vision to scale MatAlytics into a global leader of physics-informed AI solutions.

I am a hardware engineer with 11 years of experience in the automotive industry, working at Robert Bosch LLC in Plymouth on the design and development of electronic systems. Over the past two years, I have incorporated CST Studio Suite into my work to analyze and improve electromagnetic performance during the design process.

Joshua Gorfain is a senior manager and technical leader at Quartus Engineering, Inc. He has more than 20 years of experience using physics-based simulations and experimental testing to solve challenging problems in the design, analysis, and characterization of a broad range of materials, structures, and systems. Mr. Gorfain is a recognized expert and instructor in shock phenomena. He has published and presented over 25 works related to the mechanical and dynamic behavior of materials and structures, primarily within the aerospace and defense industries. Mr. Gorfain holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland.

Kevin Hallock received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry and Biophysics from the University of Michigan (U of M) where he studied the impact of antimicrobial peptides on lipid bilayers using solid-state NMR. At Biogen, he has had several roles including leading the Modeling and Simulation group in Digital and Quantitative Medicine, where his team focused on data analytics for wearable sensors, developed virtual twins, as well as using a variety of computational techniques, including targeted use of extended realities. Now part of the Product Delivery Solutions group, he's continued developing Biogen’s best-in-class virtual twins of CSF flow.

Henry Hojnacki is an independent consultant specializing in simulation for structural, manufacturing, and CFD applications.

Ashraf Idkaidek is a Senior Engineering Project Team Leader with over twenty years of experience in structural design, advanced finite element analysis, and safety-critical systems. At Caterpillar Inc., he leads analytical and design efforts for ROPS, FOPS, and OPS structures, delivering cross-functional solutions to complex challenges while overseeing ISO certification testing and advancing structural analysis practices. His expertise spans nonlinear simulation, fatigue assessment, and design optimization for heavy equipment. Dr. Idkaidek earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in nonlinear finite element methods and fracture mechanics, and he also serves as an adjunct faculty member at ECPI University, teaching finite element analysis and 3D modeling.

Md Saiful Islam is a PhD candidate in Systems Engineering (Mechanical Engineering concentration) at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, working under Dr. Tanvir R. Faisal. His research focuses on multi-scale finite element modeling of articular cartilage mechanics using Abaqus, with expertise in custom UMAT subroutine development for fibril-reinforced poro-hyperelastic constitutive models. His work spans quantitative image analysis of cartilage degradation and computational homogenization techniques. He has presented at the Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) Annual Meeting and has additional experience in ultrasonic non-destructive testing simulation.

Kyle Johnson- As one of the lead mechanical engineers at NeoCoil, Kyle translates customer requirements for MRI coils in to actual, physical designs by working with internal teams (software, electronics, regulatory, et al). Kyle heads up the simulation and virtual testing work at NeoCoil, replicating bodies of physical tests in 3DExperience SIMULIA for the variety of structural requirements given by each project.

Barry Lim is a Research Engineer at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), specializing in aerospace systems with a focus on small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). Due to NIAR's digital engineering initiatives, his work centers on unmanned aircraft modeling, integrating multidisciplinary engineering principles to improve the fidelity and cross‑domain consistency of sUAS simulations. He has also worked in the field of acoustics, applying tools to analyze and characterize aeroacoustics performance for aircraft concepts.

Paul is a Technical Fellow for Loads and Dynamics at Daimler Trucks North America, with 15 years of experience in advanced CAE, specializing in finite element analysis (FEA) and multibody dynamics (MBS). He provides technical leadership in durability, vibration, and dynamic load analysis, supporting the development and validation of commercial vehicle platforms. In his current role, Paul leads the MOBI-LAB (Multibody Operational Behavior & Integration Lab) initiative, which integrates machine learning and statistical methods into traditional loads-and-dynamics workflows. His efforts focus on modernizing how vehicle loads are characterized, compared, and cascaded across subsystems, and on positioning multibody simulation as a central driver of durability and vibration assessments. Paul has contributed extensively to BEV commercial vehicle development programs, collaborating closely with test and shaker teams to generate multibody-based load inputs for durability and vibration evaluation. His background spans full-vehicle modeling, subsystem load transfer, and the development of scalable analysis methodologies that bridge simulation and test. Paul is also a strong advocate for knowledge sharing and technical mentorship, with a focus on advancing Daimler Trucks’ multibody simulation capabilities and preparing the organization for the next generation of data-driven simulation and virtual validation.

Jonathan Lusk is an Associate Technical Fellow and Senior Technical Lead at the Boeing Company, specializing in Durability and Damage Tolerance of Composite Structures. He holds an MS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas.

R&D Engineer with Titan Tire over a decade of experience advancing R&D capabilities in off-road (OTR) tire development globally. Specializes in simulation-driven design, virtual and physical prototyping and innovation management.

Timmy is a Ph.D. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue. His research involves developing constitutive models for granular continua within the framework of the Finite Element Method. He has developed a proprietary Drucker-Prager VUMAT for Abaqus/Explicit under a research initiative funded by Dow.

Prashanth Pai is a seasoned automotive professional currently serving as a Technical Specialist at Ford Motor Company, bringing over 25 years of comprehensive automotive experience to the organization. Throughout his tenure at Ford, he has developed a reputation as a Subject Matter Expert for Air registers, showcasing deep expertise in Fluid mechanics and Kinematics. His 14-year career at Ford is highlighted by his ability to lead cross-functional teams to resolve complex technical issues and launch Air vents in multiple Ford programs.He remains committed to advancing the future of mobility at Ford Motor Company by combining his extensive technical background with robust project management skills. Prashanth Pai holds a Bachelor’s in Mechanical engineering and an MBA in project management (PMP certified).

Brad Philip is a Principal Design Engineer II at Amcor Rigid Packaging, where he leads innovative mechanical and packaging design initiatives with a focus on next‑generation technologies, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, and advanced virtual prototyping. With over 18 years at Amcor, Brad has driven major advancements in CAD development, Abaqus‑based FEA simulation, and sustainability‑optimized packaging solutions. His career includes extensive work in bottle and system design, the development of proprietary rapid‑prototyping methodologies, and the creation of over a dozen U.S. and international patents. Prior to Amcor, Brad held engineering roles supporting automotive, defense, and industrial clients at DAXCON. He is passionate about integrating emerging technologies into practical engineering workflows and advancing the future of simulation‑driven design.

Jim Roach is a leading expert in composite materials, with over 30 years of experience advancing aerospace propulsion technology. As Associate Director at Pratt & Whitney, Jim oversees the development and implementation of innovative composite systems, driving advancements that enhance the performance and reliability of next-generation propulsion systems. His Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering focused on progressive damage in both polymer and ceramic matrix composite systems, where he developed advanced modeling techniques to predict material behavior under extreme conditions. This foundational research has informed his pioneering work in simulation and analysis throughout his career. He holds over 50 patents, including several covering composite design, analytical methods, and advanced manufacturing innovations. A SIMULIA Champion and certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, James integrates technical expertise with process optimization to deliver groundbreaking solutions. In addition to his industry leadership, James has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hartford and will teach Composite Design this Fall at the University of Connecticut. He is passionate about mentoring future engineers and advancing the science of composite materials.

Fernando Saito is a Senior Aerodynamics Engineer at General Motors with over 20 years of experience in vehicle aerodynamic development, having contributed to more than 25 production and performance models across cars, trucks, and SUVs. He holds a Master of Global Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering – Energy Systems from the University of Michigan, MBA from – EAESP/FGV, and a PEER-R Aeronautics Post-Graduation Engineering specialization in general aeronautics engineering with emphasis on ice protection systems from EMBRAER / ITA / UNICAMP. He has earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP – Guaratinguetá).

Arturo Sanchez is a Virtual Propulsion Engineer at General Motors specializing in structural cell development and simulation driven battery design. He leads GM’s Structural VDDV Cell Design subgroup, advancing high fidelity FEA workflows to model durability, deformation mechanics, and multiphysics interactions in different cell architectures.

Before joining GM, Arturo developed 48V, PHEV, and BEV battery packs at LG Energy Solution for major OEMs. Earlier in his career, he served as a Chassis Suspension CAE Engineer at Ford Motor Company, focusing on designing lightweight components using optimization tools.

Arturo holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey.

Brian Schroll is a Senior Aerodynamics Engineer at General Motors, where he shapes the aerodynamic performance of GM’s vehicle portfolio by turning high-quality experimental data into practical design and engineering guidance for production programs. He combines extensive experience in wind tunnel testing with advanced virtual CFD methods to execute aero integration at the vehicle-architecture level, with a particular focus on trucks. His work centers on understanding complex requirements, solving challenging problems creatively, and advancing CFD capabilities through novel workflows and automation efficiency. Brian holds both a BSE in Aerospace Engineering and an MEng in Space Systems Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Andy Shahbazi is a passionate simulation engineer and innovator based in Los Angeles, California, specializing in advanced finite element analysis and optimization for high-performance applications. With extensive hands-on experience using the SIMULIA portfolio—including Abaqus, Tosca, and fe-safe—he focuses on lightweight structural design for aerospace and mobility sectors. Andy leverages the unified 3DEXPERIENCE platform to streamline multiphysics workflows, enabling radical weight reductions while ensuring durability and manufacturability (especially for additive processes). Holding a MS in Electronics and Computer Engineering and years of Aerospace and Defense industry experience, he thrives on turning complex challenges into elegant, sustainable solutions. An avid explorer of emerging simulation tech, Andy regularly shares insights to inspire the next generation of engineers toward bolder, greener designs.

Safal Sharma is a Technical Lead at Molex LLC, specializing in Signal Integrity (SI) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), with over nine years of expertise in computational electromagnetics and high-speed interconnect development. He leads the Signal Integrity engineering team, spearheading innovation in simulation, analysis, measurement, and validation for high-speed connectors. Safal works closely with product design engineers to optimize performance and ensure compliance with industry standards. As an active contributor to the development of industry standards, Safal participates in key technical bodies such as IEEE 802.3, Open Alliance, ASA, and USCAR, helping shape the future of high-speed connectivity. He holds a master’s degree in RF and Microwave Engineering from Manipal University and has published technical research in renowned platforms, including IEEE and Springer.

Aiman Shibli is a lead structural engineer at Google’s Devices and Services Product Group and Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Institute Technology. He has over eighteen years of industrial experience in consumer electronics using and implementing computational tools for structural analysis.

Hang Shu is a Senior Research Specialist in Core R&D at THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, based in Midland, Michigan. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania in 2024. His current role focuses on advanced material modeling and simulation of soft materials. Hang has led multiple projects supporting Dow’s Silicone and Plastics businesses, leveraging integrated experimental–computational approaches to enable predictive modeling and accelerate product development.

Bill Siino, B.S.E.E, M.S.E.E, is the President and CEO of Curious Communications in San Diego, California. Bill enjoys designing EME antennas for the amateur radio community while he's not processing big data for automotive OEMs.

Gary Simpson is a Lockheed Martin Senior Fellow with more than 25 years of experience in structural analysis, dynamics, environmental definition, and test. He has served as the analysis lead on several programs and is currently working on digitally enabled methods for accelerated engineering design at Lockheed Martin. His career has given him a broader exposure to various test types, analysis activities, and design solutions. These opportunities have given him an appreciation for system and multidisciplinary solutions. He has a passion for mentoring and knowledge transfer. He also is invigorated by opportunities to expand capabilities, reapplying techniques to adjacent areas, trying new methods, and discovering alternate means to greater analytical efficiency. While structural analysis has been his primary focus area throughout his career, he spent considerable time in his undergraduate and graduate programs solving controls problems and working in robotics. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Walla Walla College (now University) in Walla Walla, WA and then attended Iowa State University where he received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering.

I am a Lead Analytical Engineer in the CAE group at Dauch Corporation, specializing in axle architecture development, test virtualization, and advanced structural analysis. I currently oversee the development of both eDrive and conventional axle platforms, ensuring effective cross-functional collaboration and on-time program execution. In this role, I lead a diverse global team in delivering Analytical DVP&R activities with technical rigor and operational excellence. My expertise spans mechanical joining processes and surface enhancement technologies, including welded and bolted joint analysis, peening methodologies, and heat-treated shaft and spline applications, such as induction-hardened and carburized components. I combine simulation-driven engineering with data-informed decision-making to enhance durability, optimize designs, and improve overall product performance.

1. PhD from Technical University of Berlin (Germany) 2004
• Numerical methods for vibrations in mechanical structures
• Teaching Assistant for undergraduate and graduate courses in mechanical engineering
2. Postdoc at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2004 - 2005
• Research on Peridynamics with Sandia National Laboratories on crack propagation in metallic structures
3. Joined Boeing Research and Technology (BR&T) 2005 - 2013
• Advanced Peridynamics from metals to composites
• 5 US patents for advanced composite optimization
4. Lead Engineer for upper wing panel sizing on 777X (BCA) 2013 - 2017
• Coordination with leads in design, testing (Structural Test Engineering, STE), manufacturing (Composite Wing Center, CWC) and assembly in the Horizontal Build Line (HBL)
5. Senior Lead (2017 – current)

• BCA Programs: 777X, 777-8F, 787, 737
• BCA PD (Product Development): NMA (New Midsize Airplane), FPS (Future Product Studies)
• BR&T / NASA: SFD (Sustainable Flight Demonstrator) / TTBW (Transonic Truss-Braced Wing) and UW (University of Washington) BARC (Boeing Advanced Research Center)

Wenlong Yang is the Technical Lead for Airborne Noise and Acoustics at General Motors, where he leads the analysis team supporting vehicle development by CAE simulation. He also serves as the Global Simulation Owner for acoustics, driving the development and enhancement of CAE simulation capabilities worldwide. Prior to joining GM, he worked at ESI Group as a vibro-acoustics application engineer, supporting customers across multiple industries. He began his career in an offshore engineering company, analyzing noise and vibration performance for offshore rigs and ships.

Arjun Menon is a Development Engineer at 4A Engineer GmbH, specializing in polymer material modeling and nonlinear finite element simulations. He holds a Master’s degree in Computational Mechanics and is involved in the development and industrial application of automated simulation workflows that link material testing with finite element-based analyses. His work focuses on improving the robustness, efficiency, and reproducibility of material model deployment for polymer simulations. Arjun Menon has contributed to published work in the field of computational mechanics and has presented simulation-related research at international conferences.

Benjamin landed in Quebec City in 2012 after completing an engineering degree in aeronautics from IPSA in France. He went on to pursue a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Université Laval, and competed in 2015. After moving to Montreal, he joined Optimec Consultants as an FEA analyst in 2016.

Benjamin has since been involved in a wide variety of projects across industries, driving advanced multi-physics simulations. He is now responsible for developing analysis workflows, ensuring high fidelity and detailed comprehension, for structural integrity study, design optimization, and virtual testing.

Dr. Arindam Chakraborty serves as the CTO of Engineering Consulting at VIAS3D and has more than 18 years of combined academic and industry consulting experience in the domain of simulation and engineering analysis. He has degrees in Civil (Bachelors), Aerospace (MTech.) and Mechanical (PhD) with focus on computational solid and structural mechanics, non-linear FEA, fatigue and fracture, reliability and optimization, and composite structures. His industry experience spans Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Process & Petrochemical, Consumer Packaged Goods, Life Science, Hi-Tech. and Industrial Equipment. He has been involved with consulting project management and leadership, business development, development of new technology and future growth strategy with a strong focus on public safety regulations (BSEE, NRC, FDA) and Digital Transformation. He has experience in automating complex engineering problems using codes in FORTRAN/C/C#/VBA/Java/Python/FOX Toolkit, including Abaqus automation scripts. Dr. Chakraborty has more than twenty-five conference and journal publications and many invited talks and panel discussions. He is also actively involved with many code (ASME, API) and international conferences committees. He is also a Dassault Systèmes Certified Training Instructor and taught University courses as invited lecturer.

Tom Feister leads the structures simulation team at TriMech Enterprise Solutions. His background includes metal forming, materials testing, damage modeling, process optimization, structural integrity, and tire workflows. He honed his expertise in finite element analysis (FEA) in previous positions at EWI, KTH Parts, Scientific Forming Technologies Corporation (SFTC), and AutoForm Engineering. Tom specializes in helping engineers develop new skills in FEA that can be used to create a safer and more sustainable world. He is also an Ohio-certified Professional Engineer (PE) in the metallurgical and materials field.

Mr. Shawn Freeman has 30+ years of experience, starting his career as a Vehicle Safety and CAE engineer consulting for General Motors, Chrysler, Mercedes, Toyota, and as an employee of Ford Motor Company. Shawn then transitioned over to CAE software development, where he held management positions at Altair Engineering and MSC Software, before joining Dassault Systèmes. In addition to vehicle safety, he has extensive experience in Simulation Data & Process Management, Engineering Services, and Custom Software Development. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, and recently completed a 4-year term as a member of the External Advisory Board for OSU's SimCenter. Shawn completed his M.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan in 1996 and is a certified Project Management Professional.

Tim is the founder of Wolf Star Technologies, an engineering consulting and software development firm which concentrates on the efficient usage of FEA for engineering problems. Tim brings 40+ years of product development experience to his client's projects and innovative software platform, True-Load.

Tim earned a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Marquette University and a Master’s and Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from UW-Milwaukee.

Tim enjoys spending time with his family. Tim has recently moved to be closer to his granddaughter in Minnesota. In his leisure time, Tim enjoys camping and hiking with his wife and their dog Lilo

Rod Mach is President of TotalCAE, a leading HPC managed service provider that provides turnkey HPC appliances optimized for Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) software. With more than 24 years of experience in high-performance computing for engineering simulation, Rod previously led the University of Michigan’s HPC center, where he supported large-scale HPC workloads for the College of Engineering. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from Wayne State University. Since founding TotalCAE in 2006, Rod has helped hundreds of organizations in automotive, aerospace, energy, and life sciences industries accelerate their simulation pipelines with TotalCAE managed HPC solutions.

Prasad Mandava is an engineering technology leader with over two decades of experience in simulation workflows, digital engineering transformation, and enterprise-scale post-processing automation. He has worked closely with global manufacturing organizations to modernize how high-fidelity simulation results are structured, reviewed, and communicated across multidisciplinary teams.

His work focuses on bridging the gap between solver outputs and engineering decision-making by introducing scalable, automation-driven review methodologies. Prasad has collaborated with simulation, SPDM, and digital engineering teams to improve review agility, reduce post-processing effort, and enable interactive, data-driven design discussions.

He regularly speaks on advancing simulation environments from computation-centric processes toward structured, decision-ready engineering workflows.

Dr. Will Mars founded Endurica in 2008 to give product developers a simple

and accurate workflow for analyzing the durability of elastomer products.

Endurica’s products and services are used by leading firms around the world to

manage durability.

Sr. Applications Engineer, Electromagnetic // BS Electrical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology (or Missouri S&T), MS Electrical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Clint Patton began working with advanced simulation tools while pursuing his master’s degree at the Missouri S&T EMC Laboratory. He brings over 19 years of experience in the design, simulation, and testing of electronic systems for military, space, and commercial applications.

In February 2023, Clint joined GoEngineer, where he supports the CST simulation platform and partners with engineers to solve complex RF, EMI/EMC, and signal and power integrity challenges.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors.

Responsible for sheparding SIMULIA customers through their virtualization and simulation experiences, Chris heads up GSC/Ellison Technologies' Simulation product business. He has almost 30 years of product development and simulation-led product design experience across multiple commercial platforms.

Sr. Simulation Specialist with GoEngineer. Specialties include FEA methodology development, material calibration, and advanced simulation scripting, templating, and automation.

Dr. Michael A. Scott is a globally recognized leader in isogeometric analysis (IGA) whose work has helped define the field in both academia and industry. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011 and served on the civil engineering faculty at Brigham Young University until 2022, when he left academia to lead Coreform full-time. While being named a Highly Cited Researcher for seven consecutive years, he also led Coreform as an Inc. 5000 company for four consecutive years. Dr. Scott founded Coreform in 2014 and led the development of Coreform IGA, the world’s first commercial general-use IGA solver.

Robert Warren began using SOLIDWORKS in 2001 as a CFD Analyst and Design Engineer. In 2007, he transitioned to the role of Support Application Engineer and has since advanced to his current position as Simulation Specialist Manager. He has worked in a variety of industries with a wide range of FEA and CFD software. This experience enables him to understand and address customers’ design and simulation needs across various industries including: Power Generation, Transportation, Consumer Goods, and Heavy Equipment. Robert is an Elite AE, CSPP, and CSDPP.

Chris is a Senior Industry Process Consultant at Dassault Systemes, with over 15 years specializing in finite element analysis. Before coming to DS, Chris also has past industry experience working for Boeing, NASA, and Johnson & Johnson. He also has a BS and MS in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Tech.

In his current role, he is responsible for demonstrating and developing solutions on Abaqus, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and other SIMULIA tools.

Michelle ASH is a dynamic, engaging, and goal-oriented senior executive who specializes in transformational roles, including business model reorientation, strategy development, implementation, and cultural change. She is passionate about transforming organizations that face challenges like rapid change and disruption, helping them reach their full potential. She is also a relationship-builder and values enabling stakeholders to achieve success.

In the past, Michelle has held key positions at BHP, as Vice President of Strategy for Growth, and at Barrick Gold as CIO, where she developed her passion for science, technology, and digital innovation. She also served as COO at Acacia Mining. She currently participates as a board member of several organizations, including Railveyor, Magnium, SAPHI, and StratumAI.

She earned a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Melbourne in 1992 and holds Graduate Diplomas in both Business and Economics, as well as an EMBA.

Michelle is also very familiar with Dassault Systèmes having held the position of GEOVIA CEO and Infrastructure Industry Segment Executive from 2019 to 2022.

Josias Bahena is an Industry Process Consultant at Dassault Systèmes, where he helps organizations implement MODSIM strategies to accelerate product development and improve decision-making. With a background in aerospace engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, Josias specializes in automating, democratizing, templatizing modeling and simulation workflows.

Mark has been with SIMULIA for over 30 years. Contributing in a variety of sales and technical management roles, he currently leads a global technical sales group supporting advanced applications. He has degrees in structural engineering from Brown University and the University of California, Berkeley

Alex Byrne is a Technical Sales Specialist at Dassault Systèmes and a member of the North America MODSIM Technical Sales team. In this role, she supports customer engagements across industries, helping organizations leverage the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to integrate modeling and simulation into their product development processes. Alex joined Dassault Systèmes through the Graduate Development Program, where she completed rotational assignments across multiple domains within the company. She holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Rhode Island, where her research focused on underwater structural mechanics under extreme conditions. Alex is based in the Seattle, WA office.

Jason Carr works as an Industry Process Consultant supporting a variety of industries within North America. He has been with Dassault Systèmes for over 9 years during which he has provided support on software deployment for workflows including aerodynamics, thermal management, FSI and multiphase flows. He has his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace engineering.

Jaehwan Choi got his Ph.D. degree from the Ohio State University in 2004 right before joining Abaqus, Inc. He continued to serve as technical consultant for Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA Corp. after Dassault Systèmes acquired Abaqus Inc. in 2005. He also has 10+ year experience of working as CAE engineer for Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea. He focused on the body structure strength and durability simulations when he was working for Hyundai Motor Company.

His current role is supporting Abaqus and fe-safe worldwide focusing on material modeling and calibration, and simulation method development by using Abaqus and fe-safe (and fe-safe/Rubber). His specialty is rubber and plastic material modeling and rubber fatigue assessment including rubber material modeling/calibration and fatigue testing. He is also serving co-manager role for Korea IC team from year 2023.

Dr. Indranil Dandaroy has close to 30 years of industry and academic experience in the field of acoustics, vibration and shock. He leads the pre-post technical sales & business development for Dassault Systèmes (DS) wave6 Americas field support team. Prior to joining DS, Indranil spent 15 years at Lockheed Martin as a Dynamics Technical Fellow where he extensively used wave6 on various spacecraft, satellite and missile programs for design and verification. Before that, he spent a decade in business aviation leading the acoustics group at Beechcraft designing quiet interiors. He has also served as Adjunct Faculty at various universities teaching undergraduate and graduate courses. Indranil has a Masters and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in Acoustics/Vibrations from University of Missouri-Rolla.

Karine is currently working as SIMULIA Electric Machines Industry Process Consultant Manager, mainly focusing on Manatee software, the only CAE collaborative tool dedicated to the assessment and control of magnetic noise & vibrations of electrical system. She holds a Master’s degree specialized in acoustics from Ecole Central Marseille in France. She previously worked as an acoustic engineer at General Electric and Dyson, focusing on noise emission and performance optimization across industrial applications.

Dr. Tyler Dodge is an Industry Process Consultant at Dassault Systèmes. Within this role, his primary focus is on electromagnetic simulations applied to a wide set of applications across the electromagnetic spectrum. Truly a physicist at heart, his expertise expands further into broader multiphysics aspects of electrical systems. His publications span from topics like superconductors to metamaterials while earning his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Boston College. While there, he’s been the instructor for a half dozen of physics courses dedicated for undergraduate engineers, earning the Donald J. White Teaching Excellence Award. Being a dedicated member to the American Physical Society, he has given several presentations at the various conferences. Today, Tyler applies his knowledge of electromagnetics, and its interactions with the world, as a simulation expert sharing that expertise amongst the wide-ranging CST STUDIO SUTE user base, across several industries

Dr. Hicham Farid has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Quebec, Canada, where his research focused on Fracture Mechanics. His primary interests are Material Modeling and Calibration, Fracture Mechanics, and Fatigue. Before joining Dassault Systèmes, Hicham spent 12 years working as R&D Engineer/Scientist at leading organizations in the aerospace, nuclear, and renewable energy industries.

Christina Feist is a Portfolio Director at Dassault Systèmes with product management responsibilities for Design Exploration, Process Automation, and Generative Design applications. Over her 25-year career, she has spent the last 20 years at Dassault Systèmes in various roles, including product management, strategy, and application engineering. In addition, she enjoys working with customers to leverage the value of modeling and simulation solutions. Christina holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

After obtaining a Master’s degree in Aerospace engineering in France from Supaero and a PhD from the University of Michigan, Nicolas worked on modelling gas flows for NASA and European Space Agency missions in the context of mission planning and data analysis. Then, Nicolas joined Exa Corporation (eventually acquired by Dassault Systèmes) supporting deployment of Fluids solutions for automotive customers in North America, eventually taking the lead of that team and extending the scope to Worldwide for all industries. Nicolas is now responsible for the team defining our strategy for Fluids roles including AI/ML in the context of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform’s Gen 7.

Abelardo is a Role Portfolio Manager in SIMULIA R&D, primarily responsible for addressing product requirements and product planning across many industries within the Structures Domain. He has over 17 years of experience working in SIMULIA in various roles, initially as an application engineer in the field offices, following that with many years supporting technical sales in the CSE and CPE channels, while the last 3 years he’s been at his current role in SIMULIA R&D. Abelardo holds a Master’s and a PhD from The Ohio State University.

Utsav Jain holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University, where he specialized in high-fidelity CFD modeling for turbulent combustion. His work spanned developing CFD methods using stochastic PDEs, and the integration of deep neural networks to enhance solver performance. At Dassault Systèmes, Utsav serves as an Industry Process Consultant for SIMULIA, helping clients in Aerospace and Defense, Automotive, Life Sciences and various other industries to develop proof-of-concepts, demonstrating how CFD can unlock solutions to complex challenges, discover new physics, and dramatically accelerate product development cycles. Outside work, Utsav is a private pilot who enjoys flying vintage aircraft, 3D printing, and playing chess

Dr. Ramji Kamakoti is the North America Modelling and Simulation Director at Dassault Systemes. He has over 20 years of experience in computational modelling and simulation focusing in areas such as fluid dynamics, structure dynamics and multi-physics in general. His team is currently responsible for leading and providing technical solutions that involves integrated simulation-based design for a variety of industries. He received his masters and PhD in Engineering Mechanics from the University of Florida.

Sebastian Kizewski is an Electrical Engineer and Industry Process Consultant in the EMAG Worldwide team at Dassault Systèmes, supporting customers with electromagnetic simulation using CST Studio Suite. He has over two years of experience at Dassault Systèmes, working with engineers across different industries to apply CST for electromagnetic analysis and simulation.

Prior to joining Dassault Systèmes, Sebastian gained experience using CST simulations while working on engineering projects with companies such as Siemens and Bosch.

Binu Jose Kochucheruvil is a member of the SIMULIA Multibody Systems & Motion worldwide technical sales team. He is responsible for pre-sales, services and deployment of Simpack multibody dynamics solutions. Binu has 16+ years of virtual product development and validation experience with a leading US automotive OEM, including collaboration with physical testing and simulation correlation. Binu earned his M. Eng. from University of Michigan, in the field of automotive engineering.

Johann Koshy is a Mechanical Engineer and CAE specialist with 10+ years of experience spanning automotive product development, advanced simulation, and AI-driven Virtual Twin modeling. He currently works on AI/ML-enabled behavior modeling and MODSIM workflows on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, focusing on concept engineering, multidisciplinary optimization, and simulation democratization. His work focuses on areas like requirements cascading in V-model in product development, and AI-powered MODSIM using ANNs, LSTMs, and mesh-based GNNs for full-field predictions. Previously, Johann served as a CAE Engineer at Stellantis, where he led full-vehicle FE modeling, simulation, optimization and automation efforts. He holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati with a focus on Structural Dynamics and Machine Learning.

Sandeep Kulathu is a Senior Development Manager leading the Abaqus Multiphysics and Explicit Technology team at Dassault Systèmes Americas Corp. He holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His primary area of expertise is computational solid mechanics, with a focus on developing advanced, fully coupled simulation capabilities across a range of applications. These include lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, additive manufacturing, wellbore and hydraulic fracturing, hi-tech and life science applications.

Over the past 15 years, he has played a key role in advancing the Multiphysics simulation capabilities of the finite element software Abaqus.

Abby Maltese is an Industry Process Consultant at Dassault Systèmes, where she helps customers unlock the potential of integrated modeling and simulation (MODSIM) on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. She works with organizations to connect R&D, engineering, and suppliers within a unified digital environment, improving collaboration, efficiency, and time to market. During her time at Dassault Systèmes, she has focused on Design Optimization and Multiphysics Simulation. She holds a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Marlow has over 35 years of experience in the fields of engineering analysis and applied mechanics. He is a Senior Expert at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA Corp. where he has worked for the last 27 years. Dr. Marlow is considered an expert in applications of the finite-element programs Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit. Dr. Marlow received his MS and PhD in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the University of Illinois. He graduated with a BS in Engineering Mechanics from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Jyothi MATAM is a Technical Leader for System Simulation and Autonomous Driving Systems testing and validation within the global organization at Dassault Systèmes. She has worked in Automotive Industry for 10+ years across Asia, Europe and NAM. She leads a global team collaborated with partners and actively bridges industry and academia through technical leadership, mentoring, and innovation-driven programs. Her expertise spans Modelica/Dymola modeling, MIL/HIL, FMI, and MBSE workflows on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. She collaborates with R&D and portfolio teams, supports global customers as a technical advisor, and helps align simulation solutions with industry trends and strategic objectives.

Lucy is an Industry Process Consultant at Dassault Systèmes, where she has been for nearly 2 years. She specializes in advanced, unified design and simulation workflows within the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform. Her first year at Dassault Systèmes was spent in the Graduate Development Program, where she gained proficiency with the multi-brand capabilities of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform. Her background includes a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, and internship experience in the aerospace and defense industry.

Ross MCLENDON serves as the product manager for the Abaqus FEA structural solvers and Abaqus/CAE interactive product within the SIMULIA Structures R&D organization in Johnston, Rhode Island (USA). He joined Dassault Systemés in 2013 as a member of the back-end mechanics support team after completing his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University where he studied composite mechanics. During his time in support he led the development of the Micromechanics Plugin for Abaqus/CAE, after which he moved into the R&D organization as a developer for materials and then material calibration before taking on the Product Manager role. He works closely with the Abaqus development teams while collaborating with customers and the field and sales organizations to help ensure that the Abaqus FEA structural solvers at the heart of all DS structural simulation continue to deliver the class-leading capabilities needed to solve DS customer’s most challenging engineering mechanics problems.

Dave is a fluids and heat transfer engineer with over 20 years of experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), thermal management, and multiphysics simulation. He has a Doctoral degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor's degree from the Indian Institute of Technology at Madras, both in Mechanical Engineering.

His expertise spans conjugate heat transfer, battery and power electronics cooling, vehicle aerothermal performance, and advanced CFD methodologies, including lattice Boltzmann and finite volume approaches. In his earlier roles, he contributed to thermal and fluid systems development at General Motors and served in academia, advancing research in electronic cooling and applied thermal sciences.

Sasank Sai Nandamuri is a SIMULIA Industry Process Consultant Specialist at Dassault Systèmes, bringing over a decade of specialized expertise in structural Finite Element Analysis (FEA). He earned his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, with a core focus on computational mechanics.

In his current role, he is responsible for developing and demonstrating advanced structural solutions using Abaqus, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and other SIMULIA technologies.”

Hunter Norrgard is a Modeling and Simulation Industry Process Senior Consultant for the North American GEO of Dassault Systèmes. With over 14 years of experience in industry, Hunter has a broad background in finite element analysis and computer aided design across numerous commercial tools and industries. As a member of the MODSIM team supporting the Aerospace and Defense industry, Hunter specialized helping customers improve their design and simulation workflows through the close integration of CAD, simulation across domains, and design optimization using the MODSIM approach offered by 3DS.

Chris Olson has spent the last decade working with Dassault Systèmes tools to help companies streamline their product development processes through the use of analysis tools. After graduating with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, he worked for a Dassault Systèmes partner where he helped companies in various industries implement SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE analysis tools and provided consulting and training services in the areas of Computational Fluid Dynamics, Multi-body Dynamics, Linear & Non-Linear FEA, and Injection Molding Analysis. Chris now uses his extensive analysis experience in the area of Process Automation on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to help customers improve their Simulation Data Management processes and streamline productivity through the use of Analysis Templates.

Dinesh Panneerselvam is an Industry Process Consultant Director at Dassault Systemes with the SIMULIA brand. He has been with the company for over 15 years and his background is structures with a Ph. D in Engineering Mechanics. Dinesh and his team in the technical sales organization lead technical execution of customer engagements starting from lead generation to opportunity qualification to successful implementation of simulation solutions with a focus on Hi-Tech, Aerospace & Defense and Electric Vehicle industries.

Sai PARANJOTHY is a Senior Solution Consultant at Dassault Systèmes focusing on solutions that help realize the potential of integrated Modeling and Simulation (MODSIM) on 3DEXPERIENCE. As a seasoned professional who has been with DASSAULT SYSTEMES for over 12 years, he is passionate about leveraging cutting edge Modeling and Simulation (MODSIM) technologies to solve engineering and scientific puzzles, and implement novel workflows across several industries. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.

I am a SIMULIA Industry Process Consultant at Dassault Systèmes and engaged with growing industries of High-Tech, Aerospace, IE&M and Life Science to provide technical solutions. I am passionate about leveraging my PhD research background to drive simulation products sales growth and adoption at North America customer sites by executing top quality technical sales engagement.

Scott Piper has 20 years of experience focusing on electronics design, test, and simulation. Scott has recently joined Dassault Systèmes as a Senior Industry Process Consultant where he works with customers from several industries regarding the implementation of CST Studio Suite for electronic system electromagnetic design.

Frank obtained his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Germany, in 2008. During his graduate studies, he focused on modeling and simulating the plasma sheath in high intensity discharge lamps. After graduating, Frank joined Computer Simulation Technology (CST), which was subsequently acquired by Dassault Systèmes in 2016 and is now part of the SIMULIA brand. Frank worked in a number of technical presales roles and currently leads the global electromagnetics team within the SIMULIA Industry Process Consulting organization.

Rick Shock is an Industry Process Expert Director with a focus on automotive aerodynamics. Rick has over 25 years of experience in Computational Fluid Dynamics with Exa Corp. and subsequently Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA. Rick has worked with vehicle OEMs throughout the world on vehicle aerodynamics for development, verification & certification. Rick is based out of the Dassault Systèmes Boston Campus in Waltham, MA.

Phil SHORTER has over 25 years of experience in the development of commercial vibro-acoustic simulation software. He was one of the co-founders of wave six LLC and led the teams responsible for the research, development, promotion and support of the wave6 software.


After the acquisition of wave six LLC by Dassault Systèmes, he has continued to lead the vibro-acoustics team as part of his role as a Senior R&D Director within SIMULIA. Phil holds a PhD in vibro-acoustics from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Romil has been employed with Dassault Systemes for over 20 years. He has experience in a number of aspects of finite element structural analysis including implicit and explicit solution schemes, impact dynamics, constitutive modeling, DOE/Optimization driven design. In his role as an Industry Process Consultant Expert he is interacting regularly with DS customers, helping them increase their modeling and simulation efficiency by improving existing and developing new simulation workflows.

He holds a PhD degree in engineering mechanics from the University of Cincinnati and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University for Civil Engineering, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Karthik holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and has been with DS SIMULIA for the last 12 years. In the various roles within DS, Karthik has gained extensive experience in Abaqus and its application in various industries

Armin is an Industry Consultant Manager at Dassault Systèmes (Automotive Tech Sales for Simpack) with over 25 years of expertise in simulation technology, CAE-driven design, and international business leadership. Formerly Senior Director at Altair Engineering and Project Manager at INEOS Automotive, he has led technical and sales teams across Europe, Greater China and North America. He holds a PhD from TU Munich and is a specialist in implementing advanced engineering methods for the automotive and aerospace sectors.

Prashanth has been with Dassault Systèmes since 2004. In his core R&D role focused on code development, he has contributed to multiple Contact Technology feature enhancements in Abaqus. He holds advanced degrees in applied mechanics from Rice University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Sam has an MSc in CFD and after completing a thesis on vortex dynamics in conjunction with the Red Bull F1 team he joined Exa. Initially he worked on thermal method and process development projects and subsequently lead a team in the UK focusing on thermal and automation projects. Atter 3DS acquired Exa, Sam joined the SIMULIA brand team and is now responsible for leading the global MODSIM Methods team with particular focus on fluids automation

Changjian (CJ) is a SIMULIA Industry Process Consultant Specialist at Dassault Systèmes, bringing over a decade of specialized expertise in structural Finite Element Analysis (FEA). He earned his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University, with a core focus on computational mechanics. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and demonstrating advanced structural solutions using Abaqus, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and other SIMULIA technologies.

After completing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and a short tenure at Lockheed Martin, Chris joined Dassault Systèmes (HKS, Inc. at that time) as a Software Development Engineer in the Abaqus R&D organization, working on fundamental capabilities in the Abaqus solvers. From there, he took on additional leadership activities in development, strategy, and product management. Eventually, he assumed full responsibility for the Structural Simulation R&D in 2016. Today, Chris leads the global SIMULIA R&D organization within Dassault Systèmes’ global R&D.

Tamer Yanni is a member of the SIMULIA Multibody Systems & Motion worldwide technical sales team. He has been a Multibody Analyst and a Simpack user for the past 15 years, he held multiple roles at several industries including Automotive, Wind Energy, and most recently Robotics. Tamer has earned his M.Eng. degree in 2010 from Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CUICAR).

Zhi Yuan is an industry process consultant Senior from Dassault Systèmes. He has been with DS for over 7 years and mainly focuses on structural analysis, fatigue analysis, process automation and optimization. He got his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and also has several years of work experience in Automotive and heavy machinery equipment industries.

Dr. Matias G. Zielonka is a SIMULIA Industry Process Consultant with 25 years of experience as a developer, researcher, designer, and consultant in computational mechanics, multi-physics simulation, and engineering simulation software development.

In the last few years, Dr. Zielonka has specialized in driving innovation in battery development through the use of multiphysics and multiscale modeling and simulation.

Before his current role at SIMULIA, Dr. Zielonka held various roles at ExxonMobil Corporation as scientist, developer, technical lead, and technical advisor for several modeling and simulation projects. He has also served in the role of software developer at MSC Software Corporation, where he developed new capabilities for the NASTRAN solver as well as co-simulation platforms for fluid-structure interaction and multi-body dynamic analysis.

Dr. Zielonka earned his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Buenos Aires, and his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology.