Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Dassault Systèmes’ Giza Archives Project Receives Computerworld 2011 Honors

First of a Kind Project Linking Archival, Archaeological Data in a Real-Time 3D Interactive Environment Enables Scientific Community and Public to Experience Virtual Archaeology

LOWELL, Mass. – Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, announced today that the Giza Archives Project at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), was selected by the IDG Computerworld Honors Program as a 2011 Laureate. The annual award program taking place tonight in Washington, D.C. honors visionary applications of information technology promoting positive social, economic and educational change.

The Giza Archives Project is a digital initiative, housed at the MFA, for research on the Egyptian Pyramids and surrounding tombs at the Giza Plateau. The Giza Pyramids arguably represent the world’s most famous archaeological site, with thousands of tombs, temples, ancient artifacts and artistic masterpieces. Dassault Systèmes provides the Giza Archives Project with its real-time 3D expertise and a complete suite of solutions for simulation and visualization of archeological data, creating fully immersive interactive experiences for both specialists and the general public.

“While there are other archaeological projects that are processing old archives, and still others engaged in reconstructing ancient landscapes and structures via 3D computer technology, only the Giza Archives Project is combining both approaches, linking archival archaeological data in a real-time 3D interactive environment to allow for an entirely new way to experience the Giza Necropolis. And unlike a video game, the 3D reconstructions are based on actual archaeological data,” said Peter Der Manuelian, Giza Archives project director and Philip J. King professor of Egyptology at Harvard University. “Bringing together real archaeological data and real-time 3D graphics creates a new paradigm for how to manage archival information and disseminate it across multiple media platforms for research, education, and public outreach" said Rus Gant, technology consultant, Giza Archives project.

In addition to the clear benefits that 3D technology and simulation tools bring to the field of archaeological research, Dassault Systèmes and the MFA are working together to invent innovative education approaches and new ways to communicate with the general public.

“Along with the online application, we are building multi-platform experiences, whether individual or collective, through virtual and augmented reality systems, 3D screens or movie theaters, allowing us to display this experience in museums or even classrooms,” said Karine Guilbert, Giza 3D project director, Dassault Systèmes.


“It is a great honor to be recognized alongside the Museum of Fine Arts for the Giza Archives Project, largely because everyone involved in the project feels so strongly about the benefit of this work to researchers, educators and students around the world,” said Al Bunshaft, managing director of Dassault Systèmes North America. “Technology can have a significant impact on enhancing understanding, and this project is living proof of that.”

“The number and quality of nominations this year were very inspiring and demonstrate how valuable IT is to community change,” said John Amato, publisher, Computerworld. “Computerworld is very proud to name the 2011 class of Laureates and showcase their initiatives benefiting society through innovative uses of IT.”

The 2011 Computerworld Honors awards will be presented at the Annual Laureates Medal Ceremony & Gala Awards on June 20, 2011, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit http://events.computerworld.com/Honors2011.

For more information on the Giza 3D Project: www.3ds.com/giza3D.

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About The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), is recognized for the quality and scope of its encyclopedic collection, which includes an estimated 450,000 objects. The Museum’s collection is made up of: Art of the Americas; Art of Europe; Contemporary Art; Art of Asia, Oceania, and Africa; Art of the Ancient World; Prints, Drawings, and Photographs; Textile and Fashion Arts; and Musical Instruments. Open seven days a week, the MFA’s hours are Saturday through Tuesday, 10 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 9:45 p.m. Admission (which includes two visits in a 10-day period) is $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and students age 18 and older, and includes entry to all galleries and special exhibitions. Admission for students who are University Members is free, as is admission for youths 17 years of age and younger (during non-school hours). On school days until 3 p.m.,
admission for youths 7–17 is $7.50. Children 6 and younger are always free. For visitor information, visit the MFA website at www.mfa.org or call 617.267.9300.


About Computerworld Honors Program

Founded by International Data Group (IDG) in 1988, The Computerworld Honors Program is governed by the not-for-profit Computerworld Information Technology Awards Foundation. Computerworld Honors is the longest running global program to honor individuals and organizations that use information technology to promote positive social, economic and educational change. Additional information about the program and a Global Archive of past Laureate case studies and oral histories of Leadership Award recipients can be found at the Computerworld Honors website (http://events.computerworld.com/Honors2011).


About Computerworld

Computerworld is the leading source of technology news and information for IT influencers worldwide, providing peer perspective, IT leadership and business results. Computerworld’s award-winning Web site (http://www.computerworld.com), bi-weekly publication, focused conference series and custom research forms the hub of the world’s largest (40+ edition) global IT media network. In the past five years alone, Computerworld has won more than 100 awards, including Magazine of the Year by American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) awards in 2010, the 2009 Best Blog from the Neal awards, and 2006 Best Overall Web Publication from ASBPE. Computerworld leads the industry with an online audience of over 3.5 million unique, monthly visitors (comScore Media Metrix, August 2010). Computerworld is published by IDG Enterprise, a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading media, events, and research company. Company information is available at www.idgenterprise.com.