Xavier High School in Connecticut Wins Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) National Aviation Design Competition Using Mentor Graphics FloEFD Technology

Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) today announced that its FloEFD™ computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software product was used by all state finalists in the Third Annual Real World Design Challenge (RWDC), a national aviation design competition that was held on April 16, 2011. The 2011 RWDC National Champion is the Xavier High School Falcons team from Middletown, CT who received their first place award at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. President Obama sent a congratulatory letter to praise all of the students who participated in this year’s Challenge.

Over 3,000 high school students from across the country were given the opportunity to work on a real-world engineering challenge in a collaborative, team-based environment this year, using lessons from the classroom applied to the technical challenges faced in today’s workplace. The challenge problem, designing the next-generation airplane wing, was developed by a team of professional engineers from NASA, Cessna Aircraft Company, the FAA, and the Aerospace States Association (ASA), to evaluate how students would address the design challenges engineers face each day.

A public and private partnership, the RWDC provides tools and resources to the schools to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. The Mentor Graphics^® Mechanical Analysis Division (MAD) donated its leading FloEFD computational fluid dynamics software to all participating schools. The aeronautical challenge required the teams to apply the software (donated by NASA, Cessna, PTC and Mentor, and others) and develop a paper on their findings, then present to a panel of expert judges. The judges then selected the finalists and winning teams.

The winning team from Xavier High School was coached by Michael Humphreys, Xavier mathematics and science teacher, and State Coordinator Christine Gemelli. The student team members are: Chris Muckle `12; Mike Leon `11; Miraj Rahematpura `12; Mario Chris `13; Giovanni Sabato `12; Andrew Moeller `12; and John Voelker `12. A team from Washington state received the second place award, followed by a team from Kansas.

"The Real World Design Challenge is a shining example of ways schools, government and industry can ensure America continues to lead in aerospace,” said Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell of Alaska, Chair of the Aerospace States Association. "Through the Challenge, my fellow governors and lieutenant governors and I have been able to bring tremendous resources and expertise from industry to schools across the country at no cost to the students and schools.”

"We are proud of these students for participating in the RWDC since they will help shape the future of aerospace engineering,” stated Erich Buergel, general manager of the Mentor Graphics Mechanical Analysis Division. "Using Mentor’s FloEFD CAD-embedded computational fluid dynamics software for the design challenge, the students effectively demonstrated the product’s ease-of-use, accuracy, and high-performance benefits for aerodynamic analysis.”

About the Real World Design Challenge

The Real World Design Challenge is an annual high school competition run by a public-private partnership with the goal of sustainably increasing the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. The partners are focused on working within the context of the American educational system to transform STEM education in the United States by providing professional science and engineering and learning resources to students and teachers. Visit the website www.realworlddesignchallenge.org.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world’s most successful electronic, semiconductor and systems companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $915 million. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

(Mentor Graphics is a registered trademark and FloEFD is a trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.)