May 17, 2010

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has honored Samuel R. Allen, vice president of TRI/Environmental Inc. in Austin, Texas, with the ASTM Award of Merit and honorary title of fellow. The Award of Merit is the highest ASTM honor for distinguished service and outstanding participation in committee activities.

Committee D35 cited Allen, a member of ASTM International since 1994, for his outstanding leadership skills. He served as D35 chairman from 2004-2009, and has led the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO TC 221 on Geosynthetics (D35.96) since 2000. He is also a member of Committee E11 on Quality and Statistics and a former member and chairman of the ASTM Committee on Technical Committee Operations (COTCO), for which he received a Service Award in 2008. Other awards he has received include the D35 Award of Appreciation in 1999, the D35 Award of Recognition in 2004, and the annual Award for the Outstanding Practice Article in the Geotechnical Testing Journal (GTJ) from the ASTM Committee on Publications in 2003.

Allen, who studied chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, has more than 20 years of experience in the analytical testing of geosynthetic products.  He joined TRI/Environmental Inc. as a senior technician in 1986, became a project manager in 1994 and assumed his current role in 1997. His work focuses on plastics testing and research, geosynthetics testing and research, erosion and sediment control testing, and accelerated testing and measurement technologies.

Outside ASTM International, Allen serves on the board of directors of both the North American Geosynthetics Society and the Geosynthetics Institute, where he is a past chairman of the board.  He is also a council member of the International Geosynthetics Society, and a member of the International Association of Geosynthetic Installers and the International Organization for Standardization.

ASTM PR Contact: Erin Brennan, Phone: 610-832-9602; ebrennan@astm.org

Release #8583