Energy Committee comments on H.R. 4 to conferees

The Energy Committee of ASME's Council on Engineering has sent a letter to the House-Senate energy conferees regarding H.R. 4, the comprehensive energy bill.

The letter states, "Reliable and reasonably priced sources of energy are essential for the economic and national security of the United States. Recent instability in energy prices brought the critical role of energy to the public's attention and has underscored the need for a comprehensive energy strategy to ensure a sustainable supply of energy for the American people. To avoid shortages and the resulting price fluctuations, the nation should develop a balanced fuel mix for power generation, which includes coal, nuclear, natural gas, and hydroelectric power, and must accelerate the development of advanced technologies and renewable resources."

The letter, which provides comments regarding the House and Senate versions of the energy bill, supports revitalizing nuclear energy as an important power production option.
To view the statement in its entirety, go to www.asme.org/gric/ps/2002/02-28. html. For more information, contact Francis Dietz at dietzf@asme.org.

 

Committee on Issues Identification issues environmental report

The Committee on Issues Identification has published its 2002 external environment
report, "The Convergences of the Life Sciences & Engineering."

The report focuses on the increasing interactions between the life sciences and engineering. In addition, important trends and their implications are identified and discussed.

This report is not intended to be an exhaustive compilation of the uncertainties ahead; rather, it is designed to provide a snapshot of the key forces that are growing and changing engineering practice. As such, it should be viewed as a platform from which to launch informed discussion and debate about the trends and emerging issues facing the engineering profession and ASME in the coming years.

Additional copies of the report may be ordered through ASME Information Central at (800) 843-2763 (order No. AF0202) or online at www.asmeny.org/cgi-bin/ web016c?000000+0000+OS+II. For more information, contact Melissa Murray at murraym@asme.org.

 

ASME active in conference on women engineers and scientists

Mulchand Rathod, P.E., ASME's vice president, Board on Minorities and Women, was a panelist at the 12th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES), held earlier this month in Ottawa, Ontario.

Rathod was joined by representatives from three other engineering professional associations, who discussed what their respective organizations are doing to attract more women into the profession and into engineering professional associations.

The panel on which Rathod participated, "The Role of Technical Societies in the Recruitment, Retention and Advancement of Women Engineers," was facilitated by Peggy Layne of the National Academy of Engineering's Program on Diversity in the Engineering Workforce.

Rathod's remarks focused on the successful programs of the Board on Minorities and Women (BMW), including: the Diversity Action Grant (DAG) program that encourages ASME Student Sections to develop and implement programs to spur the participation of women and minorities in mechanical engineering; the Minority Leadership Program (MLP) that provides leadership and mentoring opportunities for ASME members; and the BMW Award, which recognizes the outstanding contribution of an ASME member in promoting inclusiveness.

Rathod's report can be found at www.asme.org/bmw/PDFfiles/ICWESpanelJuly2002.pdf.

Additional information on the BMW and its programs may be found at www.asme. org/bmw, or by contacting Mary James Legatski at legatskim@asme.org.

— Melissa Murray
ASME Government Relations

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