ASME to Convene Symposium on
Use of Elevators in Emergencies
Since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, code provisions for emergency exiting from tall buildings have encountered increased scrutiny. In fact, the operation of elevators for both occupant evacuation and access by fire fighters remains a topic of much discussion.
To help answer some of the questions that have been raised, ASME will conduct a symposium on the use of elevators in fires and other emergencies from Dec.1-2 at the Doubletree Hotel, in Orlando, Fla.
The course, which will focus on the progress of the ASME/A17 Task Groups on Use of Elevators by Firefighters and Use of Elevators for Occupant Egress, will review the code changes under development that affect elevator, building, life safety, electrical and related codes. In addition, the symposium will examine proposals and experiences from U.S. and international experts regarding the changes to building and elevator systems. Consideration of human factors, including training of the public and firefighters, will also be presented. [Read more]
+ Reward a Volunteer with a Dedicated Service Award
Volunteers are a vital part of ASME, and we should remember to thank them for their contributions to the Society. The Dedicated Service Award (DSA) is one important way to do that.
The most recent recipient of the ASME Dedicated Service Award is Luc H. Geraets, corporate vice president of GDF Suez Oil and Energy in Brussels, Belgium. Last month at the 2010 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference in Seattle, Geraets accepted the award, which recognized his exemplary voluntary service to ASME's Pressure Vessels & Piping Division. [Read more]
+ Thermal Science Journal Is Accepting Submissions
ASME’s Journal of Thermal Science and Engineering Applications is now accepting papers for publication in an upcoming issue. The journal is a resource for practicing engineers, industrial researchers, government lab workers, and academic researchers who address applied problems in heat transfer and thermal sciences.
The journal, which was first published last year, is intended to complement the Journal of Heat Transfer, which publishes papers of a more basic nature. The Journal of Thermal Science and Engineering Applications focuses on more advanced applications, including aerospace systems; gas turbines; biotechnology; defense systems; electronic and photonic equipment; energy systems; manufacturing; refrigeration and air conditioning; homeland security systems; micro- and nanoscale devices; petrochemical processing, medical systems; energy efficiency; sustainability; and combustion systems. [Read more]
+ Vote for ASME Officers
A proxy ballot, which enables you to vote for the nine nominees who are running for Society leadership positions beginning in June 2011, is included in the September issue of Mechanical Engineering magazine. Ballots must be submitted to the ASME Nominating Committee by Oct. 22 to be eligible for consideration.
The positions to be voted on are ASME president (2011–2012), three at-large members of the Board of Governors (2011–2014), and five ASME vice presidents
(2011–2014). [Read more]
+ Member Benefits: More Member Testimonials
In this month's column, ASME Membership Development Director Michael Kreisberg shares more of the responses he has received since he first posed the question "Why are you proud to be an ASME member?" in his Member Savvy e-newsletter last year. As one member put it, "I am proud to be a member of such a distinguished group of individuals. The experience and technical depth that the ASME organization provides is unsurpassed." [Read more]
ASME Web Site Seeks to Keep
Members Informed About the Oil Spill
As part of ASME's ongoing efforts to keep its membership informed of the latest developments related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, ASME recently launched its "ASME Response to the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico" section of the ASME.org site (click here).
The new Web resource comes replete with an archive of articles containing information related to legislative efforts to prevent future accidents, as well as other articles from such sources as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. This effort is intended to not only inform ASME members, but also to demonstrate to the public the role that nonpartisan technical professional societies can play in developing public policy solutions. [Read more]
+ Advance Your Career and Make A Difference as an ASME Federal Fellow
For more than 35 years, ASME Federal Fellows have been applying the same pragmatic, problem-solving approach to public policymaking that they are trained to apply in the physical world. Their experience and understanding of the “law of unintended consequences” often counters partisan rhetoric and special-interest bias on scientific and technical issues. In short, ASME Federal Fellows are “engineering the greater good” for society.
ASME is now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 Federal Fellows Program, which enables selected ASME members to spend one year in Washington, D.C., working on the staff of a congressional committee, U.S. senator, or U.S. representative. Federal Fellowships offer the opportunity for ASME members to provide a valuable public service to the nation while at the same time providing those engineers with a unique opportunity to participate directly in the policymaking process. [Read more]
+ Supporting ASME and Mechanical Engineering: The ASME Foundation Endowments
The ASME Foundation has created a new program, the Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund, which will provide Society members with a way of remembering a loved one and ensuring the future of the profession at the same time. This fund will accept contributions to memorialize deceased individuals who are special to ASME. The names of those being remembered will then appear on a plaque to be displayed in a place of honor in the offices of ASME, and their families will be notified.
The Memorial Scholarship Fund will support scholarships for student engineers enrolled in ABET-certified engineering programs. There is no minimum or maximum contribution level, and gifts will be accepted with cash, credit card, or stock transfer. Your donation will be a wonderful way to honor the memory of a loved one or friend, and you will be helping create a legacy in that person’s memory that will help a student aspiring to a career in engineering. [Read more]
+ Register by Aug. 16 for HPVC Latin America
Student teams interested in taking part in the 2010 Human Powered Vehicle Challenge Latin America have just a few more days to register for the event. The competition, the last of ASME’s three annual human powered vehicle competitions, will be held at Universidad de Oriente, Porlamar, Margarita Island, Venezuela, from Sept. 17-19. The deadline for teams to register and submit a design report for the contest is Aug. 16.
ASME’s Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) events provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate the application of sound engineering design principles in the development of sustainable and practical transportation alternatives. In the HPVC, students work in teams to design and build efficient, highly engineered vehicles for everyday use — from commuting to work, to carrying goods to market. [Read more]
+ New Innovation Pipeline Panel at Biomedical Conference
This year’s Frontiers in Biomedical Devices Conference, to be held in Newport Beach, Calif., will offer attendees something new — a panel discussion of the topic “The Innovation Pipeline — From Idea to Product.” Confirmed speakers for the session include renowned authorities on the subject Peter Chen, founder of Irvine Biomedical Inc.; Erik van der Burg, chairman and co-founder of Siesta Medical Inc.; and Kirk Shung, professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California.
Other experts scheduled to appear at the conference include Edmund Chao, from the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University, and Shu Chien, from the University of California San Diego’s Bioeningeering Institute of California. Chao and Chien will be keynote speakers at the conference, to be held Sept. 20-21 at the Island Hotel. [Read more]
+ IPC2010 Brings Together Pipeline Experts
Members of the pipelines industry from around the world will come together next month at the 8th International Pipeline Conference (IPC2010), from Sept. 27-Oct. 1 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The meeting, which is sponsored by ASME and its International Petroleum Technology Institute, is recognized internationally as the world’s premier pipeline conference.
The event is organized by volunteers representing international oil and gas firms; production, transmission, and distribution corporations; energy and pipeline associations; and government agencies. The conference will feature technical sessions divided into 14 technical tracks targeting such topics as production pipelines; project management; design and construction; environmental issues; facilities and pipeline integration management; risk and reliability; and regulations and standards. [Read more]