May 02, 2019

ASTM Staffer Meets with College Classes at Drexel, UVA

Travis Murdock, a staff manager in ASTM International’s Technical Committee Operations division,  presented information on ASTM and the standardization process to college students this semester.

Murdock spoke to a freshman biomedical engineering design class at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 4. The purpose of the class is to introduce students to general concepts, including standards, and familiarize them with the engineering approach to design. Murdock explained standards and the role of ASTM International committees in developing them.

On April 18, Murdock participated in a program on sustainable cities at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. The program brought together a diverse group of people interested in developing a sustainable learning-research-service partnership for sustainable future cities and the well-being of citizens. 

The group included representatives from public service, nongovernmental organizations, standards organizations, and academia. Murdock spoke on standards work related to smart cities underway in the committees on performance of buildings () and sustainability (). He also talked about ASTM academic outreach and student membership.

Professor of the Year Nominations Sought

ASTM International is now accepting nominations for the 2019 award. ASTM established the award to recognize and reward the contributions of educators in developing students’ understanding of standards.

Candidates for the award include professors and instructors at an accredited university worldwide who have demonstrated outstanding use of ASTM standards in their teaching. 

Cash awards will be given to the winning educator and his/her respective university. Deadline for nominations is Aug. 31. See more information .

Amusement Rides Committee Welcomes Students to Meeting

More than 70 students from 10 different schools attended the February meeting of the committee on amusement rides and devices () in Houston, Texas. The committee holds special sessions for students to give them insights into the amusement industry. 

The student event kicked off with a “students only” session where the basics of ASTM were explained. Students gained insights on interacting with industry professionals, and they were then introduced to some of the committee leaders. Students also attended subcommittee and task group meetings.

On the last day of meetings, students met with an industry panel where they were welcome to bring resumes and ask any further questions. The committee’s student program, officially launched in 2014, has grown substantially each year.

ASTM International Project Grants Available

Recognizing that students sometimes need financial assistance in completing graduate or senior capstone design projects, ASTM International annually offers a limited number of $500 grants to university students to help with projects that feature an ASTM standards component.

Students who want to apply for should submit an abstract describing their project, including:

• Summary of the project goal;
• List of the ASTM standards that are being considered to achieve that goal;
• Declaration of intent to submit an application paper for publication by ASTM on completion of the project; and
• Statement of endorsement by a faculty member.

The deadline for submissions is Oct. 31. More information on project grants can be found .