Higher Aspirations for Engineering Solutions

ASME continues to investigate opportunities that will lead the Society into innovative opportunities. I am reminded of what American political scientist Herbert Simon once said: "The engineer is more inclined than others to look for how life ought to be." Our stake in the future, literally, is because we have the skills to build it. What are our highest aspirations for the future? ASME has been looking at its role as convener, the innovative networks among members, and our global partnerships.

Sam Zamrik

One of the key partnerships that connect ASME members to the needs of the world was featured at the Congress keynote in November when Bernard Amadei, founder of Engineers Without Borders, spoke on engineering for the developing world. His message for the future focused on the worldwide transition to a more holistic and sustainable approach to engineering.

His remarks were based on three points: (1) a major paradigm shift from control of nature to participation with the natural environment; (2) an awareness of ecosystems and the preservation and restoration of natural capital; and (3) a new mindset of the mutual enhancement of nature and humans that embraces the principles of sustainable development, renewable resources management, appropriate technology, natural capitalism, and systems thinking.

Systems thinking expands the way we work, the parameters we set on project development, and our world view in how we want to make a difference. Mechanical engineers are playing lead roles in multidisciplinary teams using whole-system, multiple-benefit approaches. This is guiding ASME in its initiatives such as the Energy Grand Challenge program, which focuses on promoting sustainability and a diverse national and global energy environment.

ASME's partnerships with global business expand networking opportunities for all ASME members. And we've made inroads this past year, through regional initiatives of key interest. For example, the Middle East Mechanical Expo 2007 Conference (MEMEC) was a new technical conference focusing on oil and gas production. Held Nov. 4–7, in Bahrain, it brought together engineers from the petroleum markets of the Middle East for a multidisciplinary forum of information exchange and knowledge sharing. Another example now taking place is the first ASME Micro/Nanoscale Heat Transfer International Conference (MNHT08), at National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan. The meeting, which runs from Jan. 6–9, is sponsored by the ASME Heat Transfer Division, the ASME Nanotechnology Institute, and regional organizers.

This past year I accompanied Executive Director Virgil R. Carter and a delegation of ASME representatives to Beijing, where we celebrated the completion of Chinese translations of ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards and signed three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to further the Society's cooperative relationships and work efforts in China. During the visit, memorandums of understanding were signed on behalf of ASME with SINOPEC (China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.) and with two additional Chinese agencies — the China Science and Technology Exchange Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology (CSTEC) and the Shanghai Power Equipment Research Institute (SPERI). It is an exciting step forward in global networking.

Another important theme to our global perspective is diversity maturity. In its November workshop, ASME's Center for Leadership and Diversity explored this topic and how it impacts such key business areas as growth, performance excellence and corporate integrity. Last year, ASME reported on the diversity model for ASME, which challenged us to share a common vision and speak a common language. This is about working together on our vision and priorities to strengthen our profession and the leadership of ASME throughout the world. It also is about doing a better job on our growth.

We can do better. The analysis showed that there are significant differences in the demographic profiles and membership patterns among ASME members by age, gender, and national affiliation. For example, the diversity model indicated that only about 5 percent of ASME members are women, and only about 15 percent of ASME members are from outside the United States. I'm sure you will agree that these areas need to experience more growth. These differences present both opportunities and challenges for ASME with respect to "diversity as a strategy" and the programmatic as well as financial objectives of the Society.

But it is clear that countries outside of the United States are an important source of membership for ASME and also constitute an important diversity component for our Society. Diversity can be looked at from the moral, legal, or equity points of view. As has been said by others, however, it is fundamentally important to recognize that a diverse engineering workforce brings more elegant engineering solutions that improve the quality of life. Ultimately, the case for diversity is made by its impact on the sustained growth of science and engineering. Effective management of diversity in an organization results in synergy that helps create productive working relationships in a pluralistic environment.

ASME has made good progress in bringing the entrepreneurial spirit into the forefront of the profession, most recently demonstrated through its new Innovation Showcase (I-Show), which debuted at the Congress in November. The I-Show moves beyond a business plan competition because the focus is innovation, prototyping, intellectual property protection, and commercialization. In future years, the I-Show will expand geographically, targeting pre-college students and postgraduate engineers in addition to those at the collegiate level.

Believing that engineering must be inherently entrepreneurial, whether or not engineers plan to start their own businesses, ASME launched the Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation as both a critical ingredient to competitiveness and as a solution for the shrinking workforce pipeline. ASME's promotion to attract 2008 participants reads: "Must have raw enthusiasm, commitment, and drive to produce the next great product using technologies and innovative design."

In all these ways, ASME is trying to nurture its highest aspirations for a profession so full of promise. We do it by creating the kind of environment that opens communications, offers opportunities, and continues to look toward the future. I wish you all a prosperous 2008 and look forward to continuing our work together.

— Sam Zamrik
ASME President 2007–2008

back to columns