NCS Welcomes New Hall of Fame Members

By Shane Klestinski, Associate Editor

 

The National Center for Simulation (NCS) inducted three new members into the Modeling and Simulation Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 23.

 

George Cheros, NCS president and CEO, began the formal proceedings by welcoming family, friends and colleagues of 2024’s honorees: Carolina Cruz-Neira, Ph.D., Agere Chair professor at the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Department of Computer Science; the late Dan Holsenbeck, Ph.D., UCF’s vice president of community relations; and Daryl Holt, senior vice president at EA Sports and general manager of EA Tiburon’s development studios in Orlando, Austin and Madrid. These individuals represent the 11th class of modeling and simulation professionals to receive this recognition.

 

“This hall of fame was established to recognize pioneers in our field, whose passion, dedication and perseverance laid the foundation for today’s multibillion-dollar simulation industry,” Cheros said. “The technology and applications, which in many ways were inspired, developed or spearheaded by these 39 individuals – and now these three inductees – have provided excellent tools and training in support to allow our warfighters to encounter almost any situation imaginable, not to mention the countless lives that have been saved. Now, after a storied history, our region is simply known as the epicenter for modeling and simulation, not only for the warfighter, but across many industries, as evidenced by tonight’s inductees.”

 

Neal Finkelstein, NCS’ chief operating officer, emceed the event and introduced other speakers throughout the evening’s ceremony. Grace Bochenek, Ph.D., director of the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) School of Modeling, Simulation and Training, said that Cruz-Neira’s work had resulted in redefining the boundaries of technology, and that her groundbreaking contributions in virtual reality, interactive visualization, high-performance computing, and digital twins had transformed industries. Bochenek went on to describe Cruz-Neira’s efforts in creating the CAVE (cave automatic virtual environment) virtual reality system as having established an immersive environment that has become a standard for engineering firms worldwide.

 

“This is a recognition of all the people that have been around my entire career,” Cruz-Neira said. “I had incredible mentors when I first came to this country… and here I am, almost 35 years later, and I’m part of this community. I’m incredibly privileged to be part of all of you, and I’m just looking forward to seeing what else we’re going to do together – the sky is the limit.”

 

Fred Kittinger, UCF’s senior associate vice president of government and community relations, said that Holsenbeck forged relationships with state legislators that established the Institute for Simulation and Training and the curriculum for the School of Modeling, Simulation and Training, eventually allowing them to become “the national models that they are today.” He described Holsenbeck as “the architect and the conductor,” who designed the legislative strategies that eventually funded the Partnership buildings where the Defense Department, industry and academics collaborate to support the nation’s warfighters. Kittinger also introduced Joyce Clampitt, Ph.D., Holsenbeck’s wife, and Amy Clampitt-Holsenbeck, his daughter, who attended the event and accepted the honor in his memory.

 

“Dan would be humbled and so very grateful to be recognized in this way, by a group for whom he had the utmost respect, and he would feel honored to be sharing it with the inductees of the caliber of Dr. Cruz-Neira and Mr. Holt,” Clampitt said. “Dan loved being an advocate for [NCS], and he often enthusiastically shared news about its milestones, its growth, its successes with me over our dinner table, while raising his cardiologist-prescribed glass of red wine.”

 

Michael Tschanz, director of engineering, technology and analysis at Walt Disney World and a member of the Hall of Fame, inducted Holt. Tschanz listed Holt’s many leadership positions in business and in the community and said that since Holt began his career with EA Tiburon, he has led the development of numerous, renowned titles that have contributed to EA’s game development network, to include the well-known Madden NFL franchise.

 

During his remarks, Holt said he had “great parents,” and described his father as “a dreamer,” and his mother as “the practical one.” He credited that combination and their encouragement as major factors in his success. Holt specifically mentioned his experience seeing “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with his father, and how that movie (and the subsequent conversations they later had) taught him the significance of storytelling, as well as inspiring and moving people.

 

“I learned that technology was one of those things that I could use as a tool to take my imagination forward, think about different things that we could do with it, help people, reach them, and make them feel,” Holt said of the discoveries he made while learning to program in the early 1980s. “That aspect [of making people feel] created the perfect place for me to work [at EA Sports,] it’s been my passion for the last 20 years, and probably… since I was that 13-year-old boy trying to not write an endless loop. It’s about people.”

 

To see the entire induction ceremony, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdJUX2Jposo.