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Dr. John Swanson recognized for his contributions to engineering -- ANSYS, Inc., a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, today announced that its founder, Dr. John A. Swanson, has received the 2004 John Fritz Medal for his contributions in the field of finite element methods to engineering. Presented by the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) during its 25th annual awards ceremony and banquet on May 3, the John Fritz Medal is referred to as the highest award in the engineering profession and is presented each year for scientific or industrial achievement in any field of pure or applied science. "The Fritz Medal is a much-deserved recognition for everything John has accomplished in the field of engineering," said Jim Cashman, president and CEO at ANSYS. "On behalf of ANSYS and its employees, I'd like to extend a warm congratulations to him." Dr. Swanson joins the ranks with past medal recipients that include Alexander Graham Bell, George Westinghouse, Orville Wright and many others dedicated to science. Early in his career, Dr. Swanson developed a series of special purpose simulation codes and foresaw the need for an integrated, general-purpose finite element software code to do complex engineering calculations. In turn, he founded Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc. in 1970 to develop, support and market the ANSYS simulation software program. "It is an honor to be recognized by the AAES for my lifelong work in the engineering profession," said Dr. Swanson. "Much of my career involved starting and running Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc. (now ANSYS, Inc.), and developing the ANSYS software based on the needs of top engineers in many industries worldwide. The combination of advancing computer technologies, improvements in mathematical algorithms, and more demanding engineering needs made this an exciting time in the evolution of engineering simulation." Established in 1902, the John Fritz Medal is a memorial to the engineer whose name it bears. To be eligible for the medal, potential candidates are nominated based upon scientific contributions and career accomplishments. To learn more about the medal, visit www.aaes.org for more information. "The Fritz Medal signifies innovation in engineering, and Dr. Swanson is indeed an innovator," said John A. Parker, AAES chair. "He [Dr. Swanson] has contributed greatly to the engineering profession with his software code that ultimately changes the way companies develop products." The American Association of Engineering Societies is a federation of engineering societies dedicated to advancing the knowledge, understanding and practice of engineering. AAES's membership represents more than one million engineers in the United States. For more information, go to www.aaes.org .