The Standards Engineering Society (SES), in conjunction with the World Standards Day (WSD) Planning Committee, has announced the theme, awards, and rules for participation in the 2001 WSD Paper Competition: “Standards and the Environment.” The winners will be acknowledged and receive their awards during the annual World Standards Day Dinner on Oct. 10, 2001, in Washington, D.C. The author(s) of the winning submission will receive $2,500 along with a plaque; second and third place winners will receive cash awards of $1,000 and $500 respectively. The winning papers will be published in the SES journal (Standards Engineering) and be available on the SES Web site. The first place winner will also appear as a special article in the ANSI Reporter. The SES Executive Director must receive all submissions and accompanying official entry forms by Aug. 31, 2001. Entry forms, along with a complete set of rules and eligibility requirements, can be obtained from the SES Office, Miami, Fla. (phone: 305/971-4798) or from the SES Web site.

Advanced Ceramics Survey

Steve Gonczy, chairman of the subcommittee on Advanced Ceramics Properties and Performance of Committee C28 on Advanced Ceramics, is conducting a survey of the advanced ceramics community to determine the current status of and the need for high-temperature oxidation test standards for advanced (monolithic and fiber-reinforced) ceramics. The survey is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. If you are a user-supplier/evaluator of high-temperature ceramics and wish to participate in the survey, contact Dr. Gonczy, Gateway Materials Technology, Mount Prospect, Ill. (phone: 847/870-1621).

Lab Accreditation Agreement

Testing and calibration laboratories accredited by U.S. National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation-recognized accreditation bodies will now have their accreditation recognized in Canada, thanks to the signing of a bilateral recognition arrangement with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). SCC is Canada’s federal crown corporation that oversees the National Standards System. The NACLA-SCC Bilateral Arrangement will mean an increase in the bottom line for laboratories in the U.S. and Canada that operate in both countries, given that it has the potential to reduce redundant accreditations and the costs of associated assessment activities. It will also promote mutual acceptance of testing and calibration results in both countries. Contact: Dawn Pickering, SCC (phone: 613/238-3222, ext. 477) or Joe O’Neil, NACLA (phone: 301/975-8406).

Kammer Takes New Post

As of last month, Ray Kammer, former director of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), began serving as counselor to ANSI President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurwitz. He will assist the American National Standards Institute administration in understanding the vital role that standards play in trade, safety and the environment. Kammer stepped down as NIST director, a presidential appointment that he received in 1997, on Dec. 29, 2000.

Connections to China

Eurofo.com is a gateway site to the Chinese building material market, a place for small and medium-sized companies to find new buyers and sellers in China. With free registration, members can independently post supplies or demands on the site.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University publishes Advances in Structural Engineering–An International Journal, and invites readers and authors to participate in its international dialogue on research in the general area of structural engineering. The journal aims to provide an international forum for the exchange of ideas, especially between the East and the West. Especially welcome are papers describing research directed at the solution of the real engineering problems which arise in challenging construction projects. Contact: Editor in Chief Professor J.M. Ko, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Social Accountability on the World Stage

Should companies be held accountable for the well being of their employees in the global marketplace? Is there a place in international business for social consciousness? The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) will investigate possible answers to these questions in the coming year. While many multinational companies would agree with the ethical theories presented in documents on social responsibility, and have developed corporate codes of conduct that prohibit child labor, prison labor, and discrimination and promote basic human rights, the implementation of standards at the international level can be problematic.

For example, the challenge of monitoring thousands of suppliers for large companies with global production requirements is significant when language and cultural differences make it difficult to recognize related human rights abuses and implement strategies to address social accountability issues. At a recent meeting, the ISO Council passed a resolution underlining the importance of emerging issues in relation to social accountability and asked its Consumer Policy Committee (COPOLCO) to consider the viability of International Standards in this area. COPOLCO will study the matter and deliver its recommendations at the June 2002 COPOLCO plenary meeting.

Helpful Measurement Web Pages

How do you find accurate measurement standards for gauging the thrust from a jet engine? How do you verify the accuracy of your new infrared spectrometer for EPA-required emissions monitoring? Where do you order a NIST measurement standard for optical fiber diameter that’s accurate to within a micrometer? Answers to these and many more questions are just a couple of clicks away on a new National Institute of Standards and Technology “Information for Industry” Web site.

NIST has created these new Web pages to help industry personnel find the specific NIST standard, measurement, or technology they need with minimal effort. Click here for pages for nine different industry sectors—aerospace, automotive, chemical processing, communications, computers, construction, electronics, health care, and manufacturing.

New Pub from Masonry Society

TMS Responds is a new bimonthly publication addressing practical questions about masonry design, construction, and evaluation. Contact: The Masonry Society, Boulder, Colo. (phone: 303/939-9700).

Test Your Quality Quotient

A new, Web-based tool called e-Baldrige Organizational Profile can help determine whether an organization is ready to use the performance excellence criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award as a way to assess and improve performance. Using e-Baldrige takes a few minutes and will help identify key gaps and areas for which an organization has conflicting, little, or no information. In conjunction with this tool, a beginner’s manual to Baldrige called “Getting Started with the Baldrige National Quality Program” has been updated. Contact NIST by phone: 301/975-2036 or download. //

Copyright 2001, ASTM