Swanson accepts ASME President's Award

John A. Swanson, the founder of Swanson Analysis Services Inc. (ANSYS), received the prestigious ASME President's Award during the 2006 ASME Summer Annual Meeting last month in San Francisco.

The award, presented by ASME Past President Richard E. (Gene) Feigel, was given to Swanson in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of engineering as an authority and innovator, a researcher, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. Now semi-retired, Swanson serves as a consultant and trainer in the field of engineering simulation.

John A. Swanson

Established in 1998, the ASME President's Award provides an opportunity for the office of the president of ASME to present special recognition to industry or to prominent individuals who have demonstrated significant contributions to the engineering profession.

Swanson, a resident of The Villages, Fla., is internationally recognized as an authority and pioneer in the application of finite-element methods to engineering. He founded ANSYS in 1970 to develop, support and market the ANSYS simulation software program to assist engineers and designers in optimizing product development processes.

Swanson began his engineering career, in 1963, at Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory in Pittsburgh. He served as supervisor of the core analysis and methods group and manager of the structural analysis group.

A member of the Engineering Hall of Fame at the University of Pittsburgh, where he received his Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics, Swanson is an ASME Fellow and Honorary Member of the Society. He also serves as a member of the ASME Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the Board of Trustees.

Swanson joins a distinguished list of past ASME President's Award recipients, including Sheila E. Widnall, Daniel S. Goldin, Dean Kamen, Shirley Ann Jackson, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Westinghouse Electric Company and others.

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