Serving on a Technical Committee 7

[Lion06]

How does a young engineer get involved in serving on a technical committee?

This is meant for any material, really, but I'm especially interested in concrete (maybe PT).

Do the committees even want young engineers or are they looking for guys with more experience?

 

[rowingengineer]

I wish that people on committees followed had to meet certain criteria but alas the ones i have been involved with generally don't. Generally you will see a mix of people.

From my experience they fall into the following three categories. 1. Because of their job requires them to be on the committee, some because of their experience and some just to piss you off.

What I will say is that if you wish to be on a committee try to pick one that is active. Active committees are great to be a part of, they are trying to improve the engineering knowledge and generally things are happening for you to be a part of, an inactive committee is really bad if you want to be active.

ANY FOOL CAN DESIGN A STRUCTURE. IT TAKES AN ENGINEER TO DESIGN A CONNECTION.”

 

[dhengr]

Lion:
Check with professional organizations, like ASCE, ACEC or NSPE, etc., or various materials organizations involved in research and code writing, like AISC, ACI, PCI, AWS. They are all always looking for new blood, and of course, you tend to get out of it what you are willing to put into it, the old std. saw. Look up their committees and the list of committee members, you might even know some of them. Call the organization and/or chairperson, or any of the members, most of them can’t bite you over the phone. Consider an area of engineering or business which your own office is interested in, and get them to help defray your costs and subsidize your time, because it makes them better or look good to have you involved.

Certainly we want young engineers, we need you to do all the leg work, while we take the credit, as the older guys on the committee. What you have shown here, on this forum, would likely quickly make you valuable member of most any professional organization or committee. Like Rowing suggested pick something you are interested in, and then an active committee, and talk to a few of the members to see what’s going on. It might take a couple tries to find a subject fit, and a group of people you like working, but it’s well worth the effort if you’ve got the time and energy. Looks good on your CV too.

Good Luck

 

[DTGT2002]

If you are interested in joining an ACI committee, do it.

If you are a member of ACI, you may join up to three committees as an associate member. You do not get to vote, though you may provide a negative vote for consideration. You will be kept up to date with committee documents and so on and can be selected for committee membership based on your contributions.

Not all ACI committees have the associate tier, but most do. Notable ones that don't are 301 and 318 - generally the code committees and specs committees do not. The guides and so on are usually open.

I got my start in committee work by joining 347 as an associate, which led to work with a 301 coordnation committee.

I serve on two main committees, several subcommittees and am the chair of two subcommittees. And we aren't that far apart in age.

Frankly, ACI needs some young blood. Not to be in charge or take control, but to waatch, learn and grow into leadership in the years to come.





Good luck!

Let me know if I can provide more info.

Daniel Toon

 

[DTGT2002]

I forgot to mention the Associate member deal is a simple as applying online.


The other end of it is people actually expect to you to work and be engaged.

For ACI, there are two conventions a year and attendance is pretty much mandatory for voting members in order to get work done. Similarly, to prove yourself, attendance and contributions would be key for you to move up to a voting membership.

 

[jaypartain]

Another option is to volunteer for work with your state SEA. This is a good way to get organizational work experience, meet fellow engineers in your state, and get your feet wet working with others. Also, this limits your travel needs, which is great if you have to pay everything out of pocket. One good way to help and focus in your area of interest is to help plan a conference or seminar. I prefer wood design and I have taken the lead with planning our 2011 Conference for wood. Making speaker and vendor contacts has been great.

Also, I know ASCE committees generally have more educators than practitioners, making them more open to bringing in anyone who practices.

Jason A. Partain, P.E.

http://www.myconstructionfinds.blogspot.com

 

[Ron]

Lion06...BTW...good handle change.


Yes, young engineers are usually welcomed on committees. As others have noted, there's usually a mix of people on committees, particularly if the organization is not limited to engineers. ACI, ASTM and others have a broad cross-section of membership and a broad cross-section of committee members.

One reason it is important for engineers to be involved in such committees is to help moderate those who have a vested interest in the decisions of the committee. For instance, ASTM committees often have a lot of suppliers and industry representatives who are trying to push their products. The decisions of the committee must be maintained in an objective sense whenever possible. Many of the suppliers fail to see beyond their own application or product (there are many exceptions of course...many of them are very professional and work diligently toward the overall good).

Most committee liaisons with the organization will try to control the mix by not letting too many of one type of representative be on the committee or subcommittee. That applies to engineers, suppliers, industry, etc. After all, it can be non-productive to have a committee of all engineers trying to dictate a product's features, when in fact the manufacturer probably knows much more about the product and its performance than we do. If they don't they're in trouble!

Also, the manufacturer's and suppliers usually support having their people on committees much better than engineering firms do. They have budgets for that and it usually comes under marketing. As engineers, we are usually limited in our reimbursed involvement, particularly to attend national meetings.

Join. ASCE, ACI, ASTM, PCI...any or all. You'll be an asset to the committee process.

 

[hawkaz]

Lion-
Good for you. I wish more practicing engineers would participate in these committees (myself included).

We have allowed academia to hijack the codes. The only way we will get some sanity back into the codes is if more people who use the codes daily take part in the code writing process.

 

[ToadJones]

My previous boss was on an AIST committee (even got his name is a few design guides) at a pretty young age. At the time of his sitting on the committee, I would say he was barely over 30 yrs of age.
Experience is experience whether it takes you 5 yrs to gain it or 25.

 

[ToadJones]

hawkaz-
Good point on the codes.
I sometimes feel they have turned the codes into science projects. I truly do appreciate the research, I just wish it was packaged in a manner that made it more readily applicable to design.
I see engineering as an applied science, not a science in and of itself.
(speaking of hijacking! Sorry!)

 

[msquared48]

Lion:

Regardless of what technical committee you do get involved with, please, please, help to limit the erratta! Just be determined to get it right. And kudos for your efforts. (bigsmile)

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[PEinc]

Before you get on any committees, make sure that your employer will allow you time away from the office to attend conferences and committee meetings. It's hard to be active if you aren't allowed to attend.

http://www.PeirceEngineering.com