International Community Reception

Tuesday, December 1
7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

Join thousands of your fellow attendees from around the globe as AU 2009 opens the Exhibit Hall in grand style. Tonight’s theme is International Community, so come and enjoy a variety of international cuisines, drink, music, and more!

AUGI Annual Meeting and Beer Bust

Wednesday, December 2
5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. – AUGI Annual Meeting
7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. – AUGI Beer Bust

Join Autodesk User Group International (AUGI®) at its Annual Meeting where members are informed about AUGI's status, progress, and future plans. The year is reviewed, financial reports are presented, and a new vision for the coming year is articulated. Not an AUGI member? Not a problem. All are invited—and encouraged—to attend this open meeting.

Hear about the great things AUGI has accomplished since AU 2008, discover AUGI’s plans for the coming year, then mingle with thousands of your fellow AUGI members over a cool brew at the 2009 AUGI Annual Beer Bust in the Exhibit Hall. While there, take a closer look at all the AU 2009 exhibits and activities. The AUGI Beer Bust is a perennial favorite, open to all attendees.

Technology Main Stage Presentation

Wednesday, December 2
5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

Join us for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres followed by an enlightening discussion between the Autodesk CTO Jeff Kowalski and high-level peers from our strategic partners as they respond to questions developed from you, the AU attendees. Joining Jeff in a town hall setting will be:

• Steve Pawlowski, Intel Fellow and CTO, Digital Enterprise Group
• Bruce Blaho, CTO for HP Workstations and an HP Fellow;
• Will Allen, from HP’s Imaging and Printing Group’s Office of the CTO and also an HP Fellow
• Dan Reed, Corporate VP of Microsoft’s eXtreme Computing Group.

They will be your window into topics such as cloud-based computing, near-future breakthroughs in chip technology and operating systems and remote computing. Come and hear how their new tools and solutions will help you do your job better than ever. Don’t miss it!

Design Slam

Inspired by Cut&Paste’s global Digital Design Tournament—which brings designers from around the world to compete on stage—the Cut&Paste Design Slam returns to Autodesk University for its second year. The fast-paced format tests skill, speed, and stage presence, while the audience witnesses the professional designers and Autodesk executives at work on large-scale projected screens, creating original work in rounds of 20 minutes.

Each designer will compete with their favorite weapon among a variety of Autodesk 2010 software tools. With two competitions of fast-paced action on each night, the Cut&Paste Design Slam promises to be a heart-pounding contest of slick computer tricks, quick-witted design, and high-energy showmanship.

Pecha Kucha Night

Wednesday, December 2
8:00 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

Pecha Kucha brings together a diverse group of creative thinkers to share their ideas in a unique presentation format: they display 20 images, each for 20 seconds. In those six minutes and 40 seconds, presenters are expected to make a personal connection with their audience. A big success last year, Pecha Kucha Night returns stronger than ever. Get ready for a nonstop, high-energy visual conversation on a wide range of compelling design topics.

AU Party

Thursday, December 3
6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

Still eager to learn and network? Several thousand of your newest, closest friends will be on hand to help you out. We’ll have plenty of food and drinks, as well as spontaneous entertainment by Mother Nature at the Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef.

The Shark Reef aquarium and exhibit has more than 2,000 sea creatures in 1.6 million gallons of seawater. A variety of sharks, along with sawfish, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles, piranha, moon jellies, and rare golden crocodiles, will be available for viewing during the party. Don’t miss it!