ASME NEWS
New President of ASME Starts 2025-2026 Term
A roundup of recent Society events.
SU BEGINS TERM AS ASME’S 144TH PRESIDENT
Lester K. Su has begun his term as ASME’s 144th president. The Society announced the news at its annual meeting on June 8. Su, an ASME member and active volunteer, is a lecturer in the mechanical engineering department at Stanford University. His areas of expertise are experimental fluid mechanics, thermal sciences, and turbulent flows.
As a volunteer with ASME for over 20 years, Su was the senior vice president of the Public Affairs and Outreach Sector and a member of the Philanthropy Committee. Su earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Chicago and did his graduate work at the University of Michigan, where he earned master’s degrees in both mathematics and engineering and a doctorate in aerospace engineering.
The newest members of the ASME Board of Governors have already started work. They include Carlos Alberto Beatty Jr., a product strategy leader at Amazon; Nelia Mazula, an account manager for Siemens; Parisa Saboori, a professor and chair of mechanical engineering at Manhattan University; and Scott Smith, section head for precision manufacturing and manufacturing innovation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This year’s governor nominees are Alisa Morss Clyne, Daniel Kearney, Victoria Blocker Risinger, and Robert J. Stakenborghs.
A Women in 3D Printing event featuring Lizz Hill Wiker, Vice President of Business Operations at Quadratic 3D.
ASME ACQUIRES WOMEN IN 3D PRINTING
ASME has acquired Women in 3D Printing (Wi3DP), a global community of more than 13,000 members and 100 chapters. Since 2014 across diverse industries and applications, Wi3DP has been “promoting, supporting, and inspiring women using additive manufacturing technologies.”
In an ASME press release, Nora Toure, Wi3DP’s founder and board chair noted the non-profit’s 10-year journey and added that “resources were needed to sustain and expand” the organization’s mission. “Joining forces with ASME ensures that the spirit and impact of Wi3DP will be preserved, while gaining the structure and support needed to grow, evolve, and reach even greater heights,” she said.
According to Wi3DP report, “Diversity for Additive Manufacturing,” in 2022 women made up 13 percent of the additive manufacturing and 3D printer workforce. Wi3DP’s current goal is to bring that number up to 50 percent. In a letter to members presenting the news, Toure wrote, “After a decade of impact, I came to realize that for Wi3DP to continue thriving and scaling our mission, we needed additional resources, infrastructure, and support.”
Wi3DP will now operate under ASME’s Programs & Philanthropy department, led by Pooja Singh, program manager, Strategic Initiatives. The organization’s programming will be integrated across several ASME initiatives, including ASME’s Women in Engineering programs such as the Women’s Leadership Collective; ASME Foundation’s workforce development portfolio, including programs like the Engineering for Change Fellowship and Scholarships for Future Engineers; and additive manufacturing content and panels at ASME's flagship events.
CANTRELL PROMOTES STANDARDIZED ENGINEERING PRACTICES
In World Pipelines, ASME’s Chris Cantrell outlined how standardized engineering practices and certification can mitigate challenges in the critical infrastructure industry of oil and gas pipelines. This sector—that crosses countries and continents—is composed of products and components that are manufactured in different geographic possibly leading to increased inefficiencies, costs, and safety concerns.
In the article, “Catalysts for Innovation and Sustainability,” the senior managing director of ASME’s Standards and Engineering Services, outlined how standards serve as a shared technical foundation. Calling them a “common language,” he explained that standardization and certification help “ensure that all components conform to a uniform set of specifications and performance criteria.” These tools, he added, enable interoperability and boost safety while saving money and streamlining the integration of new technologies.
Cantrell pointed out that pipeline failures can have catastrophic consequences, “including environmental damage and risks to public health.” Standards, like those produced by ASME, provide commonality avoiding, for example, mismatched components, overly complicated procurement, and complex maintenance processes. Adopting standardized practices for design, construction, installation, inspection, maintenance, and repair helps ensure that products meet stringent safety and quality benchmarks minimizing the likelihood of failures.
Cantrell further made the argument that when advancing sustainable goals, a pressing priority in the oil and gas sector, standardization is crucial. “By re-engineering processes and revising product portfolios, companies can achieve scalability while reducing their environmental footprint,” he explained. He offered the example of standardized practices enabling the efficient integration of renewable energy sources into existing pipeline networks, or the ability of companies to repurpose infrastructure to transport alternative fuels such as hydrogen.
A volunteer works with a student on a hands-on project at a DropMEin! event in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago.
ASME AND COMED BRING STEM TO FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS
ASME and ComEd welcomed more than 100 elementary school students to DropMEin!, a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) initiative that brings engineers and other STEM professionals into elementary and middle school classrooms. In its fourth year, the program enhances curriculum and inspires the future STEM workforce in Illinois.
During the 2025 DropMEin! program, students participated in a series of monthly in-classroom visits with ComEd engineers who have focused on teaching students about “problem-solving for good” and the impact STEM and engineering have on the world.
During the 2024/2025 school year, nationwide ASME engaged with over 4,000 K-12 students at more than 90 events through its DropMEin! program. Eighty-four percent of the schools impacted by this program qualify for Title 1 federal funding, with children from low-income families making up at least 40 percent of enrollment. With increased electrification, data, and technology in our lives, STEM career opportunities will continue to grow throughout not only northern Illinois, but across the U.S.
“ASME appreciates ComEd’s support of our DropMEin! program and its generous contribution to our Campaign for Next Generation Engineers,” said Stephanie Viola, executive director of the ASME Foundation and managing director of ASME Philanthropy and Programs. “Together, we are working to inspire more kids to explore STEM and pursue STEM careers including engineering that improves lives.”
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