Nov 08, 2024

Cynthia Annett has been named the 2024 ASTM International Professor of the Year. Annett is a research associate professor at Kansas State University (KSU), a position she’s held since 2000.

Annett uses ASTM environmental standards from ASTM’s environmental assessment, risk management and corrective action committee (E50) in her graduate classes to demonstrate how consensus-based standards can be used to improve the social and economic fabric of underserved and at-risk communities.

Some of her former graduate students are now employees of FEMA, the U.S. Geological Survey, state agencies, and tribes using ASTM standards in their efforts. Many of them are developing programs and policies to address climate issues, inland flooding, mapping of environmental hazards, and risk-based corrective action. Other graduate students are applying ASTM standards to redeveloping brownfields for tribal communities.

Annett is currently the task group co-lead for the development of proposed standards for climate resiliency in nature-based solutions for inland flood mitigation (WK85259) and for climate and community mapping (WK76938). She is also currently working with the ASTM training department to develop workbooks and on-demand curriculum for ASTM standards that will be provided to Native American tribes and Alaska Native Corporations.

ASTM launched the Year of the Professor campaign in 2009, with the goal of having professors become more aware of teaching students about ASTM standards. As part of the campaign, ASTM created the Professor of the Year award to recognize professors who expose students to standards and encourage their use. Winners receive an honorarium of $2,000 USD, with their university also receiving $2,000 USD.

Media Inquiries: Gavin O’Reilly, tel +1.610.832.9618; goreilly@astm.org
Committee Contact: Travis Murdock, tel +1.610.832.9826; tmurdock@astm.org

Release #11929      

                                                                           ###