What was the name of the conference/PD opportunity you attended?

3DEXPERIENCE World 2026

When and where did the event take place?

Houston, Texas; February 1st – 4th, 2026

Please share details from a memorable keynote speaker, conference session, or something else notable from the event.

Swoop and I just wrapped up an incredible week at 3DEXPERIENCE World 2026 in Houston! As the premier gathering for the SOLIDWORKS community, the event was a whirlwind of deep-dive breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, and high-energy networking.

How likely are you to recommend this opportunity to a colleague?

I highly recommend you attend If you work with CAD, teach CAD, or are a CAD Geek-A-Saurus like me. There are endless opportunities to learn everything from, using CAD as an educator, taking and passing certification exams, the fundamentals of CAD and manufacturing, workflow optimization, peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, simulation and so much more.

Do you have any big takeaways that you’ll be applying to your pedagogy in the near future?

Yes, I am always inspired by these events, I will be updating my courses with the newest modeling techniques and best practices, and coming soon, the addition of AI.

Is there anything else you’d like CIE or your colleagues at NMC to know about this experience? 

Swoop was the ultimate travel companion—helping me pack, taking in the skyline from our 25th-floor hotel room, and making plenty of new friends (including a fellow owl!) in the Playground. We even took a detour to Space Center Houston, and as you can tell from the photos, Swoop was over the moon about it!”

Here are a few more images from Tom & Swoop’s experience: