July 25, 2005
Dassault Systèmes Donates $1 Million Exhibit to New Detroit Science Center
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that Dassault Systèmes, a global advanced engineering software company headquartered in Suresnes, France, will donate a state-of-the-art exhibit it created for the French Pavilion at the World Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan to The New Detroit Science Center. The exhibit is valued at approximately $1 million and will demonstrate the high-tech, audio-video equipment used to turn drawings into reality.
Granholm, who today also will encourage automotive manufacturers attending the World Expo to consider investing in Michigan, accepted the gift during a ceremony at the Expo’s French Pavilion from Philippe Forestier, executive vice president of Dassault Systèmes Paris, and Bernard Testu, commissioner general of the French Pavilion. The Governor accepted the gift while on a five-day investment mission to Japan, where she is encouraging Japanese businesses to make investments and create jobs in Michigan. Granholm’s delegation will make contact with more than 150 businesses during the week-long mission.
“I’m honored to accept Dassault’s generous contribution on behalf of The New Detroit Science Center, the city of Detroit and, most importantly, the children of Michigan,” Granholm said. “This amazing exhibit will help promote the value and fun of science for our young people and stimulate the next generation of critical thinkers, innovative scientists, and ground-breaking engineers right here in our state.”
The exhibit is a large “Sea Anemone” made from 6,000 iridescent plastic petals lit to give the illusion of life. Visitors enter the exhibit and view a series of films on high-tech, audio-video equipment that tell the story of how a child’s sketch of a sea anemone is turned into reality through complex design software, 3D simulation tools, and optics simulation and manufacturing software. Dassault will ship the exhibit to Detroit sometime in December. The Science Center expects to debut the exhibit in January 2006.
Dassault’s subsidiary, Delmia, headquartered in Auburn Hills, employs 175 workers. Due to its strong Michigan presence, Dassault has provided significant support to the Science Center, including technical expertise and a $1 million gift to the c0enter in 2003. The Science
Center’s mission is to “inspire children and their families to discover, explore and appreciate science, technology and engineering in a dynamic, fun, learning environment.” It was established in 1970 and is one of the first museums in the United States to provide hands-on exhibits. In July 2001, the center expanded from 30 permanent exhibits to more than 200. Since then, the Science Center has served more than 1.3 million visitors.
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