Standardization News

University of Wisconsin Student Sponsored for 2015 WISE Internship Program

ASTM has selected Derek Burling, an electrical engineering student at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, as the student we are sponsoring for the 2015 Washington Internships for Students of Engineering program.

Ranked as one of the best internship opportunities in the United States by the Princeton Review, WISE is a paid 10-week summer program held in Washington, D.C. The interns are outstanding third- or fourth-year engineering students selected in a nationwide competition. During their stay, interns learn about the public policy process, including how engineers can contribute to legislative and regulatory public policy decisions.

A junior, Burling has a special interest in international issues and sustainability, areas in which ASTM is recognized as a global leader. During his WISE internship, Burling hopes to learn more about public policy and its relationship to renewable energy sources in emerging economies. He is currently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain.

The WISE internship is just one of the many scholarship and grant programs ASTM sponsors as part of our robust free student membership program. Student members also benefit from free attendance at ASTM symposia and reduced membership fees upon graduation.

Emerging Professionals

At the ASTM June committee week in Anaheim, California, James Olshefsky, ASTM's director of external relations, and other key staff launched a program to help technical committees engage the next generation of technical experts.

The Emerging Professionals Program involves ASTM members in attracting emerging professionals who have the potential to be industry and committee leaders. For this pilot program, five young professionals were selected by ASTM members for an expense-paid trip to committee week, attendance at committee meetings and participation in a daylong program hosted by members and staff that provided a comprehensive introduction to ASTM and its standards development process.

The emerging professionals named for the pilot program were Ashley Kotwal (second from left), a doctoral candidate at Texas State University nominated by Committees C01 on Cement and C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates; Brendan Casey (third from left), Exponent Inc., nominated by Committee D18 on Soil and Rock; Charles Nichols (fourth from right), NASA White Sands, nominated by Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing; and Daniel Jones (third from right), CertainTeed Roofing, nominated by Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing. Not pictured is the fifth emerging professional, Jon Belkowitz of Intelligent Concrete LLC, nominated by Committee C09.