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ASME Western Washington
Section
November 2008 Newsletter
Contents:
October 2008
RSVP Now for a Walking Tour of the Alaskan Way Viaduct
- Saturday, October 18th
Don't miss your chance to gain an up-close look at the viaduct
and learn more about the structure! WSDOT, King County and
the City of Seattle will host short walking tours of the viaduct
while the structure is closed to traffic for the inspection
on Saturday, Oct. 18. Tours will begin at the Seneca Street
off-ramp and then continue to the viaductÆs upper deck.
The tours will take place from 9:30 a.m. until noon, last
approximately 45 minutes, and will be guided by program engineers.
Participants will learn more about the history of Seattle's
downtown waterfront, how we monitor and inspect the viaduct,
construction that's already started, and upcoming work to
replace the structure.
Because the inspection limits the number of people allowed
on the viaduct, reservations are required. If you would like
to participate in the tour, please send an e-mail to viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov,
or call 1-888-AWV-LINE and leave a message with your contact
information. After we receive your reservation, you will receive
a confirmation e-mail with your tour time and other details.
Please note that for safety purposes, no children under age
16 or pets are allowed on the tours.
Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University
Mentor Night - Tuesday, October 21st, 6:00 PM
If you are interested in being a mentor for a night for college
students, the Puget Sound Engineering Council (PSEC) needs
your help! The purpose of the mentor night activity is to
bring as many practicing engineers together with as many students
as possible. We are trying to inspire the students, most of
whom are sophomores or juniors, toward a career in
engineering. The mentoring has been focused on the one night,
with engineers explaining what their experience in the profession
has been and answering questions posed by students.
Here's the agenda for this year's event:
6:00 pm Welcome & Introductions
6:10 pm Panel Discussion (4-5 Mentors)
6:40 pm Introduction of all Mentors (Mentors not participating
in panel will need to arrive by 6:30 pm)
6:50 pm Break; Food will be served only during the break!
7:10 pm Break-Out Sessions (three 20 minute sessions involving
all mentors)
8:10 pm Conclusion & Wrap-Up
Mentors are welcome to come early to hear the panel. Break-out
sessions will focus on one-on-one mentoring of students by
mentors in their discipline. Students will rotate between
mentors and tables to get a broad overview of answers to their
questions.
If you are interested in being a mentor, please sign up online
at http://www.pseconline.org/Events/MentorNights/SignUp.html
by October 15th.
Maps and further instruction will be sent out prior to the
event. For questions, please contact Joe Souther at southerjt@cdm.com.
Lunchtime Tour of Kenworth - Thursday, October 23rd,
12:00 PM
This is a rare opportunity to tour the Kenworth Truck production
line while the line is active! From the PACCAR website: "PACCAR
is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and
customer support of premium light-, medium- and heavy-duty
trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. The
company also provides customized financial services, information
technology and truck parts related to its principal business.
"Environmental responsibility is one of PACCAR's core
values. The company regularly develops new programs to help
protect and preserve the environment and PACCAR has established
ambitious goals to further reduce emissions and enhance fuel
efficiency in its truck models." The tour will include
a discussion of PACCAR's Hybrid vehicle Program, which is
a key element in their effort to improve fuel efficiency by
30% for selected medium duty vehicles.
Kenworth is located in Renton at 1601 North 8th Street (Behind
Target and Fry's, ask the guard to direct you to the front
lobby). The tour will begin promptly at 12:00 PM and will
conclude by 1:00 PM. Those with more flexibility in their
schedules are welcome to stick around for additional Q&A.
To reserve your space, visit
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/IEUDDJELRUCBYRTXANHU/paccar081023.
Note that you will be touring in a production environment,
so please dress appropriately (closed-toed shoes, long pants
or dresses, etc.). Cameras will not be allowed on the tour.
Detailed guidelines and a map are available on the WW ASME
website at http://sections.asme.org/westernwa/index.asp.
AIAA Technical Symposium -Saturday, October 25th
The Pacific Northwest Section of American Institute of Aeronautics
and Astronautics (AIAA) is hosting a technical symposium to
provide a forum for students, professors, and industry professionals
to share what they are working or have worked on here in the
Pacific Northwest. This is a great opportunity to hear and
see what is locally occurring in aerospace. Participation
is not limited to Young Professionals or AIAA members.
More information, including how you can sign up to present
or help with the symposium, can be found at http://www.pnwaiaa.org/.
You can also contact the organizers directly. Penny Lora Ramirez,
the Symposium
Organization Coordinator, is available at pennyinseattle@hotmail.com
or 206-335-7786; and Kim Hicks, the Symposium Chair, is available
at hickskp@yahoo.com or 765-404-3419.
2008 International Mechanical Engineering Congress
and Exposition - October 31st through November 6th
The annual ASME IMECE kicks off on October 31st in Boston,
Massachusetts. This year's keynote speaker will be Dr. Peter
H. Diamandis, a pioneer and leader in the commercial space
arena. The keynote will be held at the Opening Session of
Congress on Sunday, Nov. 2, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Diamandis
is chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation and is changing
the way the world thinks about its problems and their solutions.
He is also the chairman and co-founder of the Rocket Racing
League, and serves as the CEO of Zero Gravity Corporation,
a commercial space company developing private, FAA-certified
parabolic flight utilizing Boeing 727-200 aircraft. Diamandis
is a co-founder of Space Adventures, Inc., the company which
brokered Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth's flight to the
International Space Station.
Dr. Diamandis attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
where he received his undergraduate degree in molecular genetics
and graduate degree in aerospace engineering. After MIT he
attended Harvard Medical School where he received his M.D.
In 2005, he was also awarded an honorary doctorate from the
International Space University. He is the winner of the Konstantine
Tsiolkovsky Award, twice the winner of the Aviation &
Space Technology Laurel, and the 2003 World Technology Award
for Space. DiamandisÆ mission is to open the space frontier
for humanity. His personal motto is: "The best way to
predict the future is to create it yourself!"
The IMECE will also include an Early Career Development Forum
on Sunday, November 2nd. The ECDF provides an outstanding
opportunity to learn the skills necessary to get your engineering
career on the fast track. Industry experts offer key advice
on how to advance in both technical and management areas.
In one information-packed day, learn how to work with different
groups of people to accomplish objectives and develop relationships;
develop mentoring relationships with the experienced engineers
around you; create a project roadmap; gain insight into how
a design moves from concept to reality and how the internal
and external customers drive improvements in order to make
the best product available. And more!
For details on the IMECE visit http://www.asmeconferences.org/Congress08/.
November 2008
Forensic Engineering Dinner Meeting - Tuesday, November
11th, 6:00 PM
Wikipedia defines forensic engineering as "the investigation
of materials, products, structures or components that fail
or do not operate/function as intended, causing personal injury
or damage to property. The consequences of failure are dealt
by the law of product liability. Generally the purpose of
a forensic engineering investigation is to locate cause or
causes of failure with a view to improve performance or life
of a component, or to assist a court in determining the facts
of an accident."
Our presenter, Chris K. Lane, P.E., has been called as an
Expert Witness on highly technical cases. He will discuss
the many facets of forensic engineering, including fitness
for purpose, practical application of codes & standards,
engineering economics, "useful life" definitions
for emissions sources such as diesel engines, static vs. dynamic
temperature measurement in engines, and maybe even flesh burn
thermodynamics.
Mr. Lane is widely published and holds many patents for inventions
relating to gas and diesel engines. He is currently working
as the Project Manager for Propulsion Systems for the 144-Auto
Ferries being provided to Washington State Ferries and WSDOT.
The meeting will be held at the Old Spaghetti Factory, 2801
Elliott Avenue (Elliott Avenue at Broad Street), in downtown
Seattle, across Alaskan Way from Pier 70. The meeting will
begin with a social hour at 6:00 PM,
dinner will be served at 6:30, and the presentation will begin
at 7:00. To register, visit
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/CFQRFQWGPBUTDOCQKQOJ/novdinmtg.
North Puget Sound Section Retirement Planning Presentation
- Thursday, November 13th, 6:30 PM
With the recent economic troubles, many engineers are re-thinking
their financial strategies for retirement. If youÆre
among them, this presentation may be of interest. The presenter,
Gary M. Arford, CFP, CSA, CCIM, is the President of Comprehensive
Wealth Management, LLC (www.ComprehensiveWealth.com).
Mr. Arford will be presenting at Paine Field Building C-80,
the EvCC Aviation Maintenance Technology School, 9711 32nd
Place West., Paine Field, Everett, WA 98204. Dinner will be
provided free for students and NPS Section members; $5 for
guests. Please RSVP to Marcia Smith (smithm1@asme.org) by
Tuesday, November 11th.
Museum of Flight Restoration Center Tour - Saturday,
November 22nd, 12:00 PM
Join us for a guided tour of the Restoration Center, where
Museum of Flight staff and volunteers work daily to preserve
aviation history. Projects such as the de Havilland Comet,
FM-2 Wildcat, the XF8U-1 Crusader, the Boeing 727 prototype,
and the Link trainers are recent examples of restoration efforts.
On display are the Boeing 247D, Heath
Parasol, and many other aircraft.
The Restoration Center is located on the east side of Paine
Field at 2909 100th St. SW, Everett, WA 98204. The tour will
start at noon. Please eat lunch before, as food is not available
at the center. The tour will last approximately one hour,
and you are welcome to stick around afterwards (until the
center closes at 5:00 PM). A $3 donation is suggested. Please
register to attend at http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/ETHBPLNNGSSESOHPYXKL/nov08tour.
December 2008
Brewery Tour with North Puget Sound Section - Thursday,
December 4th, 5:00 PM
Join fellow ASME members from the North Puget Sound and Western
Washington Sections for our traditional brewery tour. This
year we'll be touring the Scuttlebutt Brewing Company at 3310
Cedar St. in Everett. The tour will begin at 5:00 PM and will
be followed by dinner at 6:00 PM. Please RSVP to Marcia Smith
(smithm1@asme.org) by December 1st.
Other News
2008 Summer Survey Drawing Winner: Steve Meginniss,
PE
Everyone who completed the 2008 WW ASME Summer Survey was
invited to enter a drawing for a free dinner meeting ($15
value). The winner of this year's drawing was Steve Meginniss,
PE. Steve is the Chief Technical
Officer at Magic Wheels, Inc. in Seattle. You may have met
him at the Magic Wheels tour last May. Congratulations to
Steve, and thanks to all who completed the survey!
ASME Foundation Launches Major Capital Campaign
In 1973, the first ASME Federal Fellow was charged with drafting
a committee staff report on "Initiatives in Energy Conservation,"
which laid out the rationale for possible legislative action
to ease energy prices in the wake of the Arab Oil Embargo.
Initial hearings on automobile fuel economy standards and
appliance efficiency labeling followed and, in time, the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act was signed into law. Thus was
born the ASME Federal Fellows program, which continues to
offer unbiased technological and scientific insights and advice
to our public policy
makers in Washington D.C. to ensure that public policy based
on sound engineering principles.
Today, the results of that first ASME Federal Fellow's contributions
are clear: automobile fuel efficiency ratings, or CAFE standards,
are in place and will increase to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
The appliance efficiency rating program - those yellow stickers
on appliances large and small - has been expanded. And, of
course, there is much more. The world has undergone tremendous
change since 1973. At no time in history have our nation and
our world confronted more technologically complex challenges
requiring engineering solutions than at the present.
The ASME Foundation will announce at this year's Congress
that a three-year campaign is underway to raise operating
and endowment funds to ensure the future of the ASME Federal
Fellows program, and of technologically sound public policy.
The official launch of the campaign will take place at the
beginning of the keynote address on Sunday, Nov. 2,
in Boston. Don't miss hearing Governor John Sununu make the
formal announcement.
2008-09 Diversity Action Grants Now Available
Sponsored by ASME's Center for Leadership and Diversity,
the Diversity Action Grants program provides awards ranging
from $500 to $1500 to ASME
Student Sections to sponsor events which:
- Promote the inclusion of women and under-represented minorities
in ASME Student Sections and in mechanical engineering;
- Inspire K-12 students to excel in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM) education;
- Engage international participation in ASME Student Sections;
- Assist minority- and/or women-owned businesses solve engineering
design problems
Projects that emphasize collaborative partnerships with other
engineering societies on campus, as well as international
in scope are strongly encouraged to apply. To be considered
for the 2008-09 academic year, all applications should be
submitted by November 10. For more information on the DAG
program and an online application, contact Marina Stenos at
stenosm@asme.org, or visit http://www.asme.org/Communities/Diversity/Diversity_Action_Grant.cfm.
2009 ASME I-Show: Student Teams Wanted!
ASME's Third Annual Innovation Showcase -- I-Show -- is currently
looking for creative and entrepreneurial student teams that
are looking to commercialize their innovation. The ASME I-Show
provides the full experience of technology product development,
bridging the gap between engineering school practicum and
business school theories.
More than a standard business plan competition, teams with
the most creative yet commercially viable ideas will be rewarded
with industry recognition and seed funds. The deadline for
team submission is December 12th, 2008.
The 2009 ASME I-Show is scheduled for June 13, 2009. For
more details, visit www.asme.org/events/ishow or contact Patti
Snyder at snyderp@asme.org.
Volunteers Needed for ENGINEER YOUR LIFE!
Help inspire the next generation of young women to become
engineering leaders! ASME (as part of its Engineers Week collaboration)
actively supports Engineer Your Life (EYL), the national campaign
to encourage college-bound girls to consider engineering enrollment.
A key element of EYL outreach is collaboration with the college
counseling community through the National Association for
College Admission Counseling (NACAC). We are asking for volunteers
- engineering and engineering students - for high school fairs
throughout the U.S. this fall.
Cities, dates and locations of fall fairs can be found at
http://www.eweek.org/site/pdfs/college_fair.pdf. For more
information or to sign up, contact Marina Stenos at 212-591-8614
or stenosm@asme.org.
For more information about Engineer Your Life, visit www.EngineerYourLife.org.
Call for WW Section Volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to work on the following Section
Committees: Programs, Professional Development, Membership,
University Relations, Industry Relations, and Government Relations.
If you are interested in helping out in one of these areas,
please email Kalan Guiley at guileyk@asme.org.
Online Job Board
Our online job board, with a listing of job opportunities
we've become aware of, is available through the section website
(http://sections.asme.org/westernwa/). Section members who
are aware of opportunities that should be posted can forward
them to Kalan Guiley, at guileyk@asme.org.
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