ASTM International Demonstrates Forums for Uruguayan Standards Body

ASTM staff recently demonstrated the capabilities of its Interactive Standards Development Forums to representatives of the Instituto Uruguayo de Normas Tecnicas (UNIT), Uruguay’s national standards body. The demonstration took advantage of Web conferencing technology, allowing ASTM staff at International Headquarters in West Conshohocken, Pa., to provide a live and dynamic demonstration of the Internet-based Forums while discussing the electronic tool and answering questions in real time. Forums are password protected Internet-based virtual meeting areas in which ASTM members and invited professionals have 24/7 access to the standards development process. UNIT has expressed interest in ASTM’s work on concrete and paint standardization, and is evaluating in which of the active Forums on these topics they will participate. This demonstration provided ASTM with an opportunity to evaluate potential technologies that can be used to supplement traditional meetings and reach out to broader international audiences. For a demonstration of Forum’s capabilities, contact Teresa Cendrowska, ASTM (phone: 610/832-9718) or Dan Schultz, ASTM (phone: 610/832-9716).

Congress Passes “ANSI Amendment” in Defense Authorization Bill

The U.S. House and Senate have approved the conference report on the long awaited $343 billion Department of Defense Authorization Bill (S.1438), including the “ANSI Amendment” added by the Senate. The final passage marks the successful conclusion of a nearly six-month effort initiated by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), to make a legislative change to protect the ability of federal government employees to attend and participate in standards development activities. The amendment clarifies that a 1912 law prohibiting the government from paying the expenses related to an individual’s attendance at meetings or conventions if they are members of a society or association does not apply when the employee is participating in agency-related standards activities.

Bement Confirmed by Senate as 12th NIST Director
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Arden L. Bement Jr. as director of the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. The position of NIST director is a presidential appointment. Bement was most recently the David A. Ross distinguished professor of nuclear engineering and head of the School of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University. He has held appointments at Purdue University in the schools of Nuclear Engineering, Materials Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a courtesy appointment in the Krannert School of Management. He was director of the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium and the Consortium for the Intelligent Management of the Electrical Power Grid. Bement takes his position as NIST director well versed in the workings of the agency, having previously served as head of the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology, the agency’s primary private-sector policy advisor; as head of the advisory committee for NIST’s Advanced Technology Program; and on the Board of Overseers for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

2001 Baldrige Quality Award Winners Named
Winners of the 2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s premier award for performance excellence and quality achievement, have been named. The winners are: Clarke American Checks, Inc., San Antonio, Texas (manufacturing); Pal’s Sudden Service, Kingsport, Tenn. (small business); Chugach School District, Anchorage, Alaska (education); Pearl River School District, Pearl River, N.Y. (education); and University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wis. (education). The latter three are the first Baldrige Award winners in the education category. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is given to U.S organizations that have exemplary achievements in seven areas: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process management, and business results.

Service Standards for Global Markets Project Launched by German National Standards Body

The Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN), Germany’s national standards body, has announced the launch of an endeavor intended to stimulate interest in international standards activities for the service sectors. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, the Service Standards for Global Markets initiative is aimed at achieving long-term improvement of participation in national and international standardization activities. It is hoped that the project will encourage free and fair trade in services, advance competition, support economic growth and contribute to the opening of markets. GTW Associates, a member of the American National Standards Institute, will assist DIN in researching service industry standardization in the United States. //

Copyright 2002, ASTM