Autodesk University

AU 2015 Call for Proposals is now closed—and here are the numbers

Ding-ding-ding! That’s the buzzer for the CFP. This year’s Call for Proposals is now closed, and boy—what a response! We received over 2,000 proposals, more than last year. (Fun fact: we received more than 700 proposals in the final hours—way to hustle, folks.)

We’d like to thank each and every 1 of you who put in the time and hard work to prepare and submit a class proposal. Your dedication is what makes AU such an incredible learning experience and an inspiration to the whole Autodesk community. Please give yourself a pat on the back. 

As in previous years, there will be multiple class formats at AU this year, and we received a nice balance of proposals for each. Instructional demos and hands-on labs provide product training. Industry talks, panels, and roundtables are where to go for thought leadership and industry innovation. Here’s how the submitted proposals break down by format:

• Instructional demo proposals: 43%
• Industry talk proposals: 34%
• Hands-on lab proposals: 12%
• Roundtable proposals: 8%
• Panel proposals: 3%

AU industry experts and track managers are now poring over the pages, faced with the challenge of selecting fewer than 700 classes to bring to AU Las Vegas. (Good luck guys—glad we’re not you.) We can report that trending topics include:

• Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• Digital Prototyping
• Simulation
• Cloud Services
• Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Data Management
• Design Visualization.

Once again, a big thanks to everyone who proposed classes. We’ll notify submitters and selected speakers in late June. If you missed your chance to submit this year, be sure to sign up to be notified when next year’s CFP is opening.

Until then, the countdown to AU 2015 continues…

 

All for BIM and BIM for all

Does it seem like the people who get all the BIM training in your architecture or engineering firm are the experts who use it every day? Are there architects, engineers, and project managers (maybe you?) whose BIM skills could use a little polishing? When everyone in the office has at least a working knowledge of BIM software like Revit, they can communicate more effectively, and also help out in a pinch. A great way to bring everyone up to speed is to start a regular training program, and get everyone involved.

If that sounds like something your office could benefit from, head over to Autodesk’s Line//Shape//Space blog to get some great ideas for designing a BIM training program for everyone. The post is by Kate Morrical, digital design manager for Robert Silman Associates, so she knows her stuff. And if you’re looking for more BIM training, you can always visit AU online, where classes are always open, and always free.

Read the full blog post: “All Aboard! 8 BIM Training Tips to Design a Program for Everyone in Your Office”

Tick tock, tick tock: Have you submitted your proposal?

It seems like just yesterday we announced the opening of the AU 2015 Call for Proposals, and here we are, already telling you it’s about to close. Time flies when you're having fun, right? But seriously, stop having fun now and submit your proposal before it’s too late. CFP closes May 26—that’s next Tuesday. So get off Facebook. Step away from the Candy Crush. It’s time to get cracking.

If you’re still not sure about speaking at AU, check out what seasoned AU speakers Chris Benner and Matt Stachoni have to say about why it’s a great thing to do, and why you should stop waffling and submit. Aside from the obvious benefits, like the free conference pass and (of course) the glory, speaking at AU is a terrific opportunity to gain exposure and position yourself as a thought leader, share ideas with your peers, and even learn something new yourself. By becoming a speaker, you’re joining a community of experts and contributing to industry excellence. Plus you get to go to the preconference speakers social, your chance to meet and connect with like-minded brainiacs, which leads to both professional development and lasting friendships. Who knows what else could come out of it?

So go ahead, seize your chance to join the best and brightest Autodesk users from around the world and share your expertise, December 1-3 at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Download our guidelines and submit your proposal today. You won't regret it. (Unless you miss the deadline. So please don't do that.)

 

 

AU online’s extreme makeover

Have you noticed AU online’s new look? It’s fresh, it’s chic, and it’s just what we needed to kick off the official AU 2015 season. But it’s not just about looks. We’ve given the whole site an extreme makeover, beefing up value and adding handy content all over the place. And the best part is—it’s all still free, so anyone can learn online anytime, anywhere, for nothing. Nada. Nichts. Zilch.

Some of the updates we’ve already rolled out include making the site more responsive, which makes it easier than ever for you to learn on the go. Do you commute? Watch a class on the train. All you need is your phone or tablet. Travel a lot? Don’t watch another midflight episode of Two and a Half Men. Put your time to good use and gain valuable insights about how to work smarter.

We’ve also improved online classes by adding features like chapterization. Breaking the content down into chapters makes it easier to digest. Check out this great example of chapterization from Robert Green, a favorite speaker (he even won an AU speaker award last year): AutoLISP Strategies for CAD Managers. We’re all about easy, and we’re doing everything we can to make it easier for you to connect and learn better ways to work using Autodesk products.

We’ll continue to roll out more updates as we go, so keep checking back and expect big things from us this year. Thanks to you, we’ve got serious momentum. You’re part of a great—and growing—audience, and we’re working overtime to make your AU awesome. If you haven’t experienced the new AU online yet, head on over today and learn something new. AU is always open, and always free.

(Did we mention it's free?)

Better BIM: Do more, faster with AutoCAD MEP

Calling all MEP engineers; HVAC, electrical, and piping designers; BIM managers, and BIM content developers. Are you 1 with your AutoCAD MEP software? Does it respond to your every thought? Are you able to do everything you want to at the speed of light? If you answered no to any of these questions (or even hesitated), this class is for you.

AutoCAD MEP 2015 software leads the way in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design, from drafting to fabrication for excellent workflows. In this class, you’ll jump into Building Information Modeling (BIM) specialist David Butts’ lab to learn incredible tips and tricks for creating custom content. David covers topics ranging from how to create a more detailed model using Inventor software to setting up a new catalog to store your custom content. Speed up and improve your work every step of the way, right away. David delivers expert insight in an easy-to-follow format.

With over 29 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) field, David is a bit of a master when it comes to BIM. His product expertise includes Autodesk Revit software, AutoCAD MEP software, AutoCAD Plant 3D software, Autodesk Navisworks project review software, and more. David has presented at AU for over 10 years, and was the AU 2011 top-rated speaker for labs and lectures.

David’s class is available through AU online, anytime: Fast Content for AutoCAD MEP 2015.

Make sure you download the handout to get the full gist. It’s chock full of great visuals and screenshots to make it easy for you to follow and learn by doing. (The best way to learn, they say.) At the end of this class you’ll be able to:

• Use Autodesk Inventor software to convert and create more detailed 3D models
• Create a multiview part quickly from manufacturer content
• Add and edit symbol and annotation planes for multiview parts
• Create and store custom content catalogs

What are you waiting for? Head on over to AU online and check it out.