John A. Swanson
Encyclopedia
John A. Swanson is an American engineer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Swanson is the founder of ANSYS, Inc.
, a John Fritz Medal
winner, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering
. He is internationally regarded as an authority and pioneer in the application of finite-element methods to engineering.
from Cornell University
in 1962 and 1963, respectively. He went on to earn a PhD
in applied mechanics
from the University of Pittsburgh
in 1966. Swanson began his engineering career in 1963 at Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory
in Pittsburgh and was responsible for stress analysis of the components in NERVA
nuclear reactor rockets and served as supervisor of the core analysis and methods group and the manager of the structural analysis group. While there he used and developed computer codes to model and predict transient stresses and displacements of the reactor system. Developing a 3-D analysis model, he wished to integrate different computer codes in order to streamline the processing, but left Westinghouse in 1969 when he was not supported in his endeavors. He then founded Swanson Analysis Systems, which was later renamed ANSYS, Inc.
, in his home in Pittsburgh in 1970 to develop, support and market the ANSYS simulation software program he was developing. The software became an industry leader for assisting engineers and designers in optimizing product development processes in the aerospace, automotive, biomedical, manufacturing and electronics industries by simulating how products will function in real life. The company eventually grew to employ 1,400 employees and distributes products through a network of business partners in more than 40 countries. Swanson served ANSYS as president, chief executive officer
, and director. He retired from ANSYS in March 1999 as the company’s chief technologist
.
Swanson was named the 1987 Pittsburgh Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
. In 1990, Swanson won the Computers in Engineering Award for outstanding contributions to the engineering & computing industries. In 1994 he was named One of the Top 5 of the Top 50 R&D Stars in the US by IndustryWeek
and was elected as an ASME Fellow. In 1998, Swanson won the ASME Applied Mechanics Award and received the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering's
Distinguished Alumni Award. He was awarded honorary membership in the ASME in 2003. In 2004, Swanson was awarded the John Fritz Medal, considered the highest and most prestigious award in the engineering profession, from the American Association of Engineering Societies. In 2006 he was awarded the ASME President's Award for significant contributions to the engineering profession, and in 2009 he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Swanson serves as a member of the ASME Foundation Board of Directors and is a member of the Board of Trustees. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh since 2006 as well as on the Board of Trustees at Washington & Jefferson College
. Swanson also serves consultant and trainer in the field of engineering simulation at ANSYS. Now residing in Florida
, he is married to his wife Janet, and has three sons - Daniel, Andrew, and Eric.
. He also made two significant gifts in support of the Duffield Hall project, where an atrium was named in recognition of his support, and established the Dorothy G. Swanson Award, in honor of his mother, at the school.
At Washington & Jefferson College
, Swanson donated $10 million to fund construction of the John A. Swanson Science Center that will primarily houses physics and chemistry departments. Swanson's $287,000 donation to the college established the Swanson Wellness Center in the school's Old Gym
. He and his wife Janet also funded the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center.
At the University of Pittsburgh, Swanson donated tens of millions to the university and its engineering school, including a $41.3 million gift in 2007 which, at that time, was the largest single gift ever by an individual to the university. At the University of Pittsburgh, he has created the John A. Swanson Institute for Technical Excellence, which houses the John A. Swanson Center for Micro and Nano Systems; the John A. Swanson Center for Product Innovation; and the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Center of Excellence. He also has established the John A. Swanson Embedded Computing Laboratory in Computer Engineering. Swanson also helped to fund an extensive renovation of the School of Engineering's Benedum Hall
and created an endowed discretionary fund to support scholarships and various projects at the school. In 2007, the university renamed its School of Engineering to the Swanson School of Engineering in his honor.
On May 2, 2010, Swanson delivered the commencement address at the University of Pittsburgh. He was awarded an honorary
Doctor of Science
degree by the University during the ceremony.
ANSYS, Inc.
ANSYS, Inc. is an engineering simulation software developer that is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, United States. The company was founded in 1970 by Dr. John A...
, a John Fritz Medal
John Fritz Medal
The John Fritz Medal is since 1902 yearly awarded by the American Association of Engineering Societies for "outstanding scientific or industrial achievements". The medal was created for Fritz's 80th birthday, who lived between 1822 and 1913.- Recipients :...
winner, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
. He is internationally regarded as an authority and pioneer in the application of finite-element methods to engineering.
Career
Swanson graduated with a bachelors degree and a masters degree in mechanical engineeringMechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1962 and 1963, respectively. He went on to earn a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in applied mechanics
Applied mechanics
Applied mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences and the practical application of mechanics. Applied mechanics examines the response of bodies or systems of bodies to external forces...
from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in 1966. Swanson began his engineering career in 1963 at Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory
Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory
The Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory was a division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Established in the late 1959 to develop nuclear space propulsion technologies for the government, the lab was located, for most of its history, in the paradoxically small town of "Large" along Pa. Rte 51,...
in Pittsburgh and was responsible for stress analysis of the components in NERVA
NERVA
NERVA is an acronym for Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application, a joint program of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and NASA managed by the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office until both the program and the office ended at the end of 1972....
nuclear reactor rockets and served as supervisor of the core analysis and methods group and the manager of the structural analysis group. While there he used and developed computer codes to model and predict transient stresses and displacements of the reactor system. Developing a 3-D analysis model, he wished to integrate different computer codes in order to streamline the processing, but left Westinghouse in 1969 when he was not supported in his endeavors. He then founded Swanson Analysis Systems, which was later renamed ANSYS, Inc.
ANSYS, Inc.
ANSYS, Inc. is an engineering simulation software developer that is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, United States. The company was founded in 1970 by Dr. John A...
, in his home in Pittsburgh in 1970 to develop, support and market the ANSYS simulation software program he was developing. The software became an industry leader for assisting engineers and designers in optimizing product development processes in the aerospace, automotive, biomedical, manufacturing and electronics industries by simulating how products will function in real life. The company eventually grew to employ 1,400 employees and distributes products through a network of business partners in more than 40 countries. Swanson served ANSYS as president, chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, and director. He retired from ANSYS in March 1999 as the company’s chief technologist
Chief technical officer
A chief technology officer is an executive-level position in a company or other entity whose occupant is focused on scientific and technological issues within an organization....
.
Swanson was named the 1987 Pittsburgh Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
. In 1990, Swanson won the Computers in Engineering Award for outstanding contributions to the engineering & computing industries. In 1994 he was named One of the Top 5 of the Top 50 R&D Stars in the US by IndustryWeek
Industryweek
IndustryWeek is an American monthly trade publication founded in 1882.-Background:IndustryWeek is a trade publication and web site owned by Penton Media. It is a business-to-business magazine brand that produces print, e-media, research and in-person products...
and was elected as an ASME Fellow. In 1998, Swanson won the ASME Applied Mechanics Award and received the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering's
Swanson School of Engineering
The Swanson School of Engineering is the engineering school of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846, The Swanson School of Engineering is the second or third oldest in the United States.- History :...
Distinguished Alumni Award. He was awarded honorary membership in the ASME in 2003. In 2004, Swanson was awarded the John Fritz Medal, considered the highest and most prestigious award in the engineering profession, from the American Association of Engineering Societies. In 2006 he was awarded the ASME President's Award for significant contributions to the engineering profession, and in 2009 he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Swanson serves as a member of the ASME Foundation Board of Directors and is a member of the Board of Trustees. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh since 2006 as well as on the Board of Trustees at Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
. Swanson also serves consultant and trainer in the field of engineering simulation at ANSYS. Now residing in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, he is married to his wife Janet, and has three sons - Daniel, Andrew, and Eric.
Philanthropy
At Cornell University, Swanson established the Swanson Fund for Excellence in Undergraduate Education and endowed the Director of the Swanson Laboratory for Engineering Simulation in the Cornell University College of EngineeringCornell University College of Engineering
The College of Engineering is a division of Cornell University that was founded in 1870 as the Sibley College of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanic Arts...
. He also made two significant gifts in support of the Duffield Hall project, where an atrium was named in recognition of his support, and established the Dorothy G. Swanson Award, in honor of his mother, at the school.
At Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
, Swanson donated $10 million to fund construction of the John A. Swanson Science Center that will primarily houses physics and chemistry departments. Swanson's $287,000 donation to the college established the Swanson Wellness Center in the school's Old Gym
Old Gym (Washington & Jefferson College)
The Old Gym is an historic building at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania. It currently houses a modern exercise facility featuring cardiovascular, resistance, and strength training equipment...
. He and his wife Janet also funded the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center.
At the University of Pittsburgh, Swanson donated tens of millions to the university and its engineering school, including a $41.3 million gift in 2007 which, at that time, was the largest single gift ever by an individual to the university. At the University of Pittsburgh, he has created the John A. Swanson Institute for Technical Excellence, which houses the John A. Swanson Center for Micro and Nano Systems; the John A. Swanson Center for Product Innovation; and the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Center of Excellence. He also has established the John A. Swanson Embedded Computing Laboratory in Computer Engineering. Swanson also helped to fund an extensive renovation of the School of Engineering's Benedum Hall
Benedum Hall
Michael L. Benedum Hall of Engineering is a landmark academic building on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The building was designed by the architectural firm of Deeter, Ritchey, and Sippel and completed in 1971 at a cost of $15 million...
and created an endowed discretionary fund to support scholarships and various projects at the school. In 2007, the university renamed its School of Engineering to the Swanson School of Engineering in his honor.
On May 2, 2010, Swanson delivered the commencement address at the University of Pittsburgh. He was awarded an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
degree by the University during the ceremony.