Standardization News

ASTM’s global cooperation department is continuing its standards expert and technical visitor grant programs this autumn by hosting four technical experts from the standards development organizations of the Dominican Republic, Mauritius, Vietnam, and Trinidad and Tobago. The following experts will be at ASTM headquarters in November.

Standards Experts

Carmen Brito worked for more than 15 years as a quality assurance manager at private sector manufacturing companies in the Dominican Republic before joining the staff at that country’s national standards body, Instituto Dominicano para la Calidad (INDOCAL). Brito coordinates four technical committees and supports INDOCAL’s department of standards.

Kaviraj Ramsarrun is the standards information officer for the Mauritius Standards Bureau. Ramsarrun manages the library of standards for referencing and sales of standards. He also oversees and operates the Mauritius national enquiry point as part of the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade Committee.

Technical Visitors

Thai Quynh Hoa is head of consumer products (standard division no. 5) at the Vietnam Standards and Quality Institute (VSQI). A chemist by education, she has been working for 14 years at VSQI. Hoa also works as secretariat on national technical committees and subcommittees, including plastic products; plastic pipes, fittings, and valves for transport of fluid; and safety of toys. Hoa will be focusing her studies on biodegradable plastics during her stay.

Dinesh Maharaj has been at the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards for eight years. Maharaj studied environmental science and was an inspector of construction goods and prepackaged goods for TTBS. He now works in management, overseeing implementation, conformity assessment, certification, and education on standards. Mararaj will be studying standards for steel reinforcing bar during his visit.