Now that registration is open for AU, it’s time to select your classes. But with so many to choose from, that can be easier said than done. Rick Ellis feels your pain. A leading CAD trainer, consultant, and member of the AU Advisory Council, he’s been at every AU since 1999, first as an attendee, then as an award-winning speaker. So he knows a thing or 2 about choosing classes. We asked him to share his thoughts. We’ll let Rick take it from here. Selecting the classes you want to take at AU can be a daunting task. With literally hundreds of classes to choose from, you’re not alone if you feel... READ MORE >

There are all the reasons you already know to love AU—like 600+ classes and workshops. Inspiring keynotes and groundbreaking case studies. Unique networking events and great parties. There are plenty of new reasons to love AU, too. Like expert-led tours of the Exhibit Hall, with a floor plan developed using generative design. Tailored Experiences created with the help of our community to aid your exploration. Smaller networking events and social meet-ups for that peaceful, easy feeling (and more ways to connect with like-minded professionals). A self-paced lab for those can’t-stop/won’t-stop ... READ MORE >

"You didn’t go into your line of work because it’s easy. That much we know." Whether you’re an architect, a designer, or an engineer, your job is filled with big ideas and tiny details. You make the structures that we live in and work in, the systems that we depend on, the products that shape our lives. So you have to get it right. Your job is important and every aspect matters. And now that it’s your job, you’ve joined the elite group of people who shape our made world. It’s challenging, but challenge has always been an integral part of making, building, and creating. And the technologies w... READ MORE >

“This is the coolest reality capture data set I’ve ever seen.” — Pete Kelsey If you were at AU Las Vegas in 2014, you likely remember Pete Kelsey, part of the Autodesk Strategic Projects team. He spoke during an Innovation Forum about creating a 3D model of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Combining photogrammetry, LIDAR scanning, and SONAR for the first time, he and his team mapped both the sunken battleship and the memorial building above water to establish a baseline for monitoring the condition of the site and the estimated 500,000 gallons of fuel still i... READ MORE >

Here in the U.S., we take flushing toilets for granted, but around the world 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation. In fact, more people have cell phones than have toilets. This is especially true in the developing world. And in urbanizing communities, if you don’t have a toilet, the options are fairly grim: use communal pit latrines, drop one in the open, or use a “flying toilet” (which means pooping in a bag and literally tossing it into the bushes). And think about the logistics (and fear) involved when using any of these options in the dead of night—especially for women, ch... READ MORE >