LSU Pioneers Digital Twin Education with Bentley Systems Partnership

• 19 November 2025
• Uncategorized
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Louisiana State University (LSU) is establishing itself as a national leader in digital engineering by launching America’s first Digital Twins Certificate Program, a move that directly addresses the rising demand for sophisticated, data-driven infrastructure management skills.

The initiative, highlighted in the latest Bentley Horizons podcast, emphasizes the critical role of digital twins in projects ranging from smart cities to aerospace. The program’s development is closely tied to the expertise and tools provided by Bentley Systems, a global leader in infrastructure engineering software.

The idea for the program was sparked when Dean Colvin sought a blueprint for the vast Patrick F. Taylor Hall and was handed only an Excel spreadsheet. Her immediate thought was, “We have to digitally twin this.” Colvin recognized that the engineering challenge has fundamentally shifted from finding high-quality data to managing the massive quantity of information now available.

“The digital twin is on the path to get there, because it’s compiling all the information into one place,” Colvin said during the Bentley Horizons podcast, where the program was featured.

LSU’s certificate program is notable for its comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach. It combines engineering with fields like computer science and the arts.

Besides, students are trained in the crucial ethics of data ownership and intellectual property rights, vital for integrating legacy (analog) and new data sources, while also creating a real-world impact.

The program is being developed in partnership with Bentley Systems, a major infrastructure engineering software company, which is sponsoring the initiative.

Dustin Parkman, Vice President for Industry Solutions at Bentley Systems, highlighted the company’s role in making the technology more accessible.

“Bentley’s 2024 acquisition of Cesium, the 3D geospatial company, has been a game-changer, lowering the barrier of entry into digital twins for non-engineers… it really kind of closed the gap… of that person who just wants to get started, not just to interact, but also to create,” he added.

• Digital Twin
• Bentley Systems
• Podcast