ASME OUTLINES ENERGY TECHNOLOGY PRIORITIES

ASME will serve as an essential energy technology resource for business, government, academia, practicing engineers and the general public, and as a leading energy policy advocate, according to a recent ASME report that outlines the Society’s strengths and capabilities and future directions in the energy sector.

The report, the ASME Energy Grand Challenge Roadmap, embodies the Society’s commitment to build and leverage ASME capabilities to help meet the energy challenges facing the world.

Drawn from the proceedings of a two-day workshop held in March 2009 which was attended by senior-level experts from the energy industry, government, and academia, the roadmap provides an assessment of ASME’s existing capabilities and resources in energy and lists four priority areas in which the Society is committed to growing its role and impact.

The Society’s four priorities for energy are:

• To serve as an impartial, authoritative and rational voice in energy matters by offering technical expertise to regulators and policymakers;
• To develop and promote codes and standards and related products and services to support energy technology innovation and commercialisation;
• To support the expansion and development of a more effective energy workforce;
• To increase public awareness and knowledge of the energy sector.

In implementing the Energy Grand Challenge Roadmap, ASME will build on and leverage its vast energy capabilities to make increased contributions to the energy sector. According to the report, opportunities exist for ASME to develop an energy-related Web portal, strengthen alliances with other societies and international organisations, increase its profile in renewable and emerging technologies, build on its existing nuclear capabilities, and develop new energy standards where needed.

In a letter which opens the document, U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, commended ASME for its initiative and leadership in exploring today’s energy challenges so as to fulfill the nation’s energy goals. “It is critical that engineers, who will likely be entrusted with the development of many of these systems that we will rely upon to power our homes and our places of work, be afforded a role in the development of an energy policy,” he wrote.

Forging a link between ASME’s expertise and the needs of the global energy sector, the roadmap says that ASME will implement its strategies by internally aligning its energy capabilities and resources and addressing issues systematically and holistically along the energy value chain.

As ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real-world challenges, the Society will continue to serve as an impartial, authoritative, and rational voice in energy matters by offering technical expertise to regulators and policy makers. In addition, ASME is committed to supporting the expansion and development of a more effective energy workforce. 

According to ASME President Amos E. Holt, Ph.D., ASME can encourage a culture of innovation needed “to produce the kind of breakthrough thinking that delivers to the world clean, accessible, and affordable energy, while meeting increased demands for power generation and efficiency. The challenges are great, but so are the opportunities and rewards.”

To read the ASME Energy Grand Challenge Roadmap in its entirety, visit http://strategy.asme.org/Energy_Grand_Challenge.cfm

ANTICIPATING EDUCATIONAL ADVANCES FOR 2030

Letter from the ASME President, Amos E. Holt, Ph.D.

“What do we need in order to succeed as engineers — in our own careers and also as a profession?
As a professional society, we see great incentive for significant and exciting projects and discoveries. There are the challenges of aging infrastructure, environmental complexities, and quality-of-life goals to alleviate poverty — all deserving of the highest of engineering priorities — but there are also the opportunities that exist for engineers to develop sustainable next-generation technology.

Where engineering mainstays, such as standards and lifelong education, once dutifully tagged along behind change and innovation, today we must proactively anticipate technology and industry needs if we are to achieve our visions for the future. Attracting and educating tomorrow’s engineers is a fundamental challenge upon which the global workforce is depending. As the nature of the engineer’s career changes to meet new technological challenges, progress demands the reinvention of engineering education.
Consider engineering education in the broadest sense — ethically grounded and involving technical, social, economic and political challenges.

We, as engineers, mentors and educators, are called to create a culture that is open to innovative thinking with strong analytical skills, complex management expertise, and better communication capabilities for problem solving across the globe. Today, the technical community is experiencing a rapid expansion of knowledge far beyond traditional geographical boundaries and multidisciplinary thinking.

From an educational standpoint, we need to recruit and retain outstanding students and make the engineering learning experience more meaningful. This begins early in the schooling process, and it requires an enhanced public understanding of engineering as a whole. We’re encouraged by higher enrollments in mechanical engineering programmes over the past 10 years, which in the United States alone have grown by 30 percent.

We also understand that reinventing the engineering educational system requires interaction with the professional spectrum. ASME must play a leading role to promote and leverage the diversity and growth of our profession on a global basis. The mechanical engineering profession must be made more attractive to women and under-represented minorities. That’s where we are today — working through the spectrum and bringing issues to the surface for ASME members to address, so that we can begin to offer clearer lines of communication on the nature of the mechanical engineering profession and the educational options available.

In the past five years, ASME has benefited from a handful of major reports on the future of the profession, many from the National Academy of Sciences (NAE) and ASME’s environmental scanning efforts in its Strategic Management Sector. Among these are reports that have free summaries available online:

• “Educating the Engineer of 2020” (NAE, www.nap.edu, 2005), which proposed continuing changes in the scale, scope, and practice of engineering;
• “ASME 2028 Global Summit on the Future of Mechanical Engineering” (ASME, www.ASME.org, 2008), which identified critical uncertainties that global societies face;
• “Engineering for a Changing World: A Roadmap to the Future of Engineering Practice, Research, and Education” (James J. Duderstadt, University of Michigan, http://milproj.ummu.umich.edu, 2007), which presents a vision of the engineering profession as the only one able to support the innovation and value creation for this knowledge-based economy; and
• “Changing the Conversation” (NAE, www.nap.edu, 2008), which recommended how to improve engineering’s appeal to attract more diversity into the talent pool.
  Engineering research, formal educational institutions, and alternative learning opportunities such as personalised learning through online, continuing education, and professional development courses are all viable sources to enhance the engineer’s career.

Formal degree-programme accreditation is a guiding arm of the profession, and this is most familiar in the United States through ABET, which continues to extend its international outreach and encourages innovative educational approaches and programme evolution by focusing on learning outcomes and effective assessment processes.

Currently, with the support of The ASME Foundation, ASME’s Center for Education has begun to outline an advocacy plan aimed at helping colleges and universities meet these challenges in the next 20 years, a Vision 2030 task force led by Robert Warrington of Michigan Tech and William Wepfer of Georgia Tech, immediate past and current ASME vice presidents for education, respectively. Their project group of academic and industry leaders have led discussions and workshops at recent meetings, including the International Mechanical Engineering Education Conference in March, and the ASME Asia-Pacific Engineering Education Conference held in April in Taiwan. These meetings will continue in the United States and elsewhere in 2010.

In early 2010, the task force will deliver a progress report and strategy for ASME’s Vision 2030: Challenges for Mechanical Engineering Education, outlining what engineering graduates will need and make recommendations on curricula across a diverse range of topics, from sustainability to systems integration. Case histories and scenario-based examples will provide ample context to help build successful strategies and programs. Though framed by the major reports noted earlier, the plan that will emerge from this work will reflect the input of more than 100 ME/ MET departments heads and nearly 700 engineering managers in industry and government.

As ASME saddles up to accomplish this most important global educational effort, we understand that it may be a long, difficult and challenging ride. But once completed — if such a noble effort is ever fully complete — it will reward us greatly. In the end, as in other enterprises, significant advances in engineering education will come about from the support and alignment of all the major stakeholders. We must all do our part.

In many ways, the future is nearly here. ASME research shows that an estimated 70 percent of the engineering workforce that we expect to have in the year 2020 is already in the workforce today. But as the song writer put it, “don’t ever sell your saddle, ‘cause life is a long, long ride.” Our view of the workforce in 2030 needs better definition. In recent columns from the ASME president’s office, my predecessors and I have talked about breakthrough innovation in terms of technology, especially the energy revolution we want to see. The advancement of engineering education, in its full scope, requires the same resolve and support so that we can meet the demands of the global workforce in the coming years.
—Amos E. Holt, Ph.D., ASME President”

STRICT TARGETS NEEDED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

According to the study by the Hadley Centre at Britain's Met Office, global temperatures may rise by up to four degrees Celsius by the mid-2050s if current greenhouse gas emission trends continue. In Bangkok this September, 190 countries gathered to continue negotiations on a new post-Kyoto deal.

The Hadley Centre study reiterated a UN report which found that climate changes were outpacing worst-case scenarios forecast in 2007 by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  Leaders of the main greenhouse gas-emitting countries recognised in July a scientific view that temperatures should not exceed two degrees above pre-industrial levels, to avoid more dangerous changes to the world's climate. The IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for its fourth assessment report, or AR4. One finding was that global temperatures could rise by four degrees by the end of the 2050s. Hadley Centre's study confirmed that warming could happen even earlier, by the mid-2050s, and suggested more extreme local effects.

Some 190 countries will try to reach an agreement on how to slow global warming at a meeting in Copenhagen in December.  Chinese President Hu Jintao won praise for making a commitment to limit emissions growth by a "notable" amount at a UN climate summit in New York. Other leaders made pledges to agree to a new climate pact. The EU has pledged to cut emissions to maintain temperature rises at no more than two degrees.

CONTRIBUTE AND WIN!

CONTRIBUTE to ASME EMEA eUpdate

ASME EMEA eUpdate is looking for contributions on the following topics (maximum of 300 words):

• Use and implementation of the ASME codes and standards in the EMEA region. How does your company implement the ASME codes and standards and what has been the impact on the business?
• Updates on technological developments on the following sectors: Nuclear power, Bioprocessing Equipment, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, Oil and Gas Production and Transport, Boiler Pressure Vessel Equipment.

What’s in it for you?

• gain visibility and exposure to over 27.000 mechanical engineering professionals in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
• register for the 2009 European Training course in Barcelona with the early bird fee

Please send your contribution and your photo, company logo or a company photo (jpg format, high resolution if possible). Send it to fortesc@asme.org

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

  

Do you need to further enhance your knowledge and expertise on the ASME Boiler Pressure Vessel Code?

Register Today!

The ASME courses in Barcelona offer you an excellent opportunity to expand your skills in Pressure Vessel Codes, as well as on the API 579 "Fitness-for-Service" Standard.

Gain valuable knowledge, meet with colleagues and visit Barcelona with the following courses:

• Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code: Section IX: Welding & Brazing Qualifications
• Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code: Section XI: In-service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components
• API 579: Recommended Practice for Fitness-For-Service and Continued Operation of Equipment
• Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code: Section VIII, Division 2: Pressure Vessels
• Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code: Section III, Division 1: Class 1, 2 & 3 Piping Design

For more details visit http://www.asme.org/Education/Europe/

What past attendees have to say about ASME Training & Development courses:

"The best feature about the course was the instructor's expertise, who provided some information that is not necessarily detailed in the Code itself" (Anonymous - attended Section VIII Div 2 course in Stockholm, Sweden, June 2009)

"ASME training programme in Europe has given opportunities for more engineers to participate and to increase code awareness. The course also exposed me to more information on piping and provided strong insight into piping design" (Olabulo Adewale, Engineering, Head of Department at Oando PLC, Nigeria - attended B31.1 course in Stockholm, Sweden, June 2009)

In Partnership with
ALITUR (Associazione dei Laureati in Ingegneria di Tor Vergata, Università di Roma); BSMEE (Belgian Society of Mechanical and Environmental Engineering); Coordinamento Meccanica; DMS (Danish Society of Mechanical Engineers); FABI (La Maison de l'Ingénieur); IDA (Danish Society of Engineers); SNE (Spanish Nuclear Society).

 

Upcoming Courses

Other Educational Activities
ASME organises a variety of educational activities worldwide. Check the upcoming dates and locations and further your knowledge and ensure the next steps in your professional future.

For the online educational opportunities please click here

Companies who wish to organise a taylor made course in their premises for their staff only can contact ASME Europe to design the programme and discuss the details.

CONFERENCE AND EVENTS

ASME EMEA Events Calendar

Turbo Expo, ASME’s premier gas turbine technical congress and exhibition, acts as a discussion forum for engineers, research scientists, academics, regulatory officials and business executives involved in the design, operation, and maintenance of gas turbines.

Turbo Expo 2010 highlights include:

• A five-day Technical Congress that sets the world standard for gas turbine technology events
• A three-day premium exhibition of turbine products and services supported by leading companies in the industry
• A dynamic keynote session featuring prominent industry leaders
• A value-packed registration package that includes proceedings, access to all activities and abundant networking opportunities, including receptions and daily lunches
• In-depth workshops providing fundamental study on career development

Exhibition
Turbo Expo brings together the top players in the turbine industry and academia - attracting a key audience from aerospace, power generation and other prime mover-related industries. Exhibiting at Turbo Expo will maximise your ROI by placing your company in front of a focused target market, enabling you to generate high-quality leads to achieve your marketing objectives.

Exciting brand-enhancing sponsorship packages are also available! Packages are designed around your particular corporate goals and are an extremely effective way for your company to really stand out from the crowd – before, during and after the show.
More information on the opportunities that are available to you at Turbo Expo 2010, please click here. To ensure your company’s participation in the 2010 exposition or to secure a sponsorship, contact Geraldine Damar at +32 2 743 1543 or via email at damarg@asme.org.

The Organising Committee of ESDA 2010 invites you to participate in the 10th Biennial ASME Conference on Engineering Systems Design and Analysis. The ESDA Conference will take place on 12-14 July 2010, in Istanbul, Turkey.

You are invited to submit your abstracts until the 16 November 2009 on the following conference topics:

• TRK 1 Advanced Energy Systems
• TRK 2 Advanced Materials and Tribology
• TRK 3 Applied Mechanics
• TRK 4 Automotive Engineering and Technologies
• TRK 5 Bioengineering and Biomedical Technology
• TRK 6 Computational Mechanics
• TRK 7 Design Engineering
• TRK 8 Dynamic Systems and Control
• TRK 9 Fluids Engineering
• TRK 10 Heat Transfer
• TRK 11 Manufacturing Systems
• TRK 12 Mechanisms and Robotics
• TRK 13 Mechatronics
• TRK 14 Micro and Nanotechnology
• TRK 15 Optical Engineering
• TRK 16 Science, Engineering & Education
• TRK 17 Systems Engineering

Please note that contributions of original research or innovative practical applications should be in English. The conference proceedings will be digitally published by ASME.

For more information: http://www.asmeconferences.org/esda2010/

DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY NEWS

2009 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition

The 2009 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE) is a flagship event for the Mechanical Engineering profession. Furthermore, the event offers good opportunities for the District H Community.

This year, Bernard Gindroz, District H Leader, Memis Acar, UK and Ireland Section Leader, and the DHOB Students Senior Advisor, will be representing the District H at the IMECE. They will exchange experiences, share the strategic plan for the District H community and learn more about the Student Professional Development Conferences (SPDCs). The District H will organise its first SPDC in the UK next year.

There will also be the competition finals with every worldwide district winner from the Student Professional Development Conferences. For the first time, District H will have a representative, Alex Scott, from the UK Section, winner of the District H oral competition.

Also attending the Congress will be Roger McLaughlin, former Secretary General (SG), and the current SG Evert van Lieshout, invited to represent EYE at IMECE. The partnership between ASME and EYE (European Young Engineers) is at an early stage.  McLaughlin and van Lieshout will be holding a panel session about mobility of Young Engineers in the European Market.

For more information please visit: http://www.asmeconferences.org/Congress09/index.cfm

ASME PUBLICATIONS

Book of the month

Quick Guide to API 570 - Certified Pipework Inspector Syllabus, by Clifford Matthews

The API Individual Certification Programs (ICPs) are well established worldwide in the oil, gas, and petroleum industries. This Quick Guide is unique in providing simple, accessible and well-structured guidelines for anyone studying the API 570 Certified Pipework Inspector syllabus by:

• Summarising and helping them through the syllabus
• Providing multiple example questions and worked answers

Technical standards covered are referenced from the API ICP “body of knowledge” for the examination, i.e. API 570 Piping inspection code; API RP 571 Damage mechanisms affecting fixed equipment in the refining industry; API RP 574 Inspection practices for piping system components; API RP 577 Welding and metallurgy; API RP 578 Material verification programme for new and existing alloy piping systems; ASME V Non-destructive examination; ASME IX Welding qualifications; ASME B16.5 Pipe flanges and flanged fittings; and ASME B31.3 Process Piping.

Buy Online: http://catalog.asme.org/books/PrintBook/Quick_Guide_API_570Certified.cfm

 

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