Letter from the President - February 2017
As I was trying to decide what to write to you this month, I thought about the theme of this month’s AUGIWORLD. The topics in this issue were chosen with beginners in mind—people just getting started with their software.
It’s no surprise to any of you that the tools we use for our work (and occasionally, for our hobbies) are complicated! I’m sure the developers do their best to make their programs user-friendly, but considering the demands we make of the software, we probably shouldn’t be surprised by the number of features, settings, and options we have to master.
When you first start using a sophisticated program like AutoCAD®, Revit®, or Inventor®, it can be a little intimidating. You may know how you want your model to turn out—Point B—but if you’re new to the process, Point A can be hard to find. It helps if you have a friend or colleague (perhaps a fellow AUGI member?) to point you in the right direction. Sometimes, you just need an introduction.
And that’s when it hit me: I should introduce myself! Last month was my first letter in AUGIWORLD, and I just jumped right in. But as I enter my second month as President, you might like to know a little bit about me.
My mom will tell you she knew I was an engineer from the time she handed four-year-old me my first set of Tinker Toys and I didn’t put them down for days. I spent high school building sets and running the light board for the drama department, but instead of staying in theater, I decided I wanted to build things that I didn’t have to take down later. Deciding to major in Structural Engineering was the logical next step. Once I’d made that choice, I couldn’t wait to get started! So I talked my way into summer internships at a couple of local architecture and engineering firms. But what do you do with a high school intern who hasn’t taken basic statics yet? “Want to learn AutoCAD? Here, draw this.” Needless to say, I got hooked on that pretty quickly, too.
After you graduate from college, you soon learn that they didn’t teach you all you need to know. Tat realization led me to join AUGI less than six months after I started working full time. (Although it apparently took me over a year from the day I signed up to actually post something in the forums…) AUGI has been a valuable resource for me ever since, both in technical terms and for the personal connections I’ve made as a member of this community. My involvement with the organization jumped to a whole new level when I joined the Board of Directors in 2013, and now I have the privilege of serving as President.
But that’s enough about me. It’s your turn now. What do YOU think? What does AUGI mean to you? I’d love to hear your stories: why you joined AUGI, which programs mean the most to you, what you’d like to see us work on. You can reach me directly at president@augi.com. (I may be President, but I still read all my own mail.)
I look forward to hearing from you!
