Pierre Mertiny receiving a Dedicated Service Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
(l to r: ASME Executive Director, Thomas Costabile; Dr. Mertiny; ASME President, Richard Laudenat; Honors and Awards Chair, ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Division, Clay Rodery)
Mechanical Engineering Professor, Pierre Mertiny, was surprised to be called to the stage during the awards gala at the ASME's Pressure Vessel and Piping division annual conference this past Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.
"I wasn't expecting it," says Mertiny. "I was called to the stage to receive the Society's Dedicated Service Award."
The Dedicated Service Award "honors unusual dedicated voluntary service to the Society marked by outstanding performance, demonstrated effective leadership, prolonged and committed service, devotion, enthusiasm and faithfulness." Mertiny was nominated for the award by the awards committee of the Pressure Vessel and Piping division.
"The award message that was delivered explained that I was selected for the award for not only being a long-term contributor in ASME leadership positions, but especially for stepping up during last year's 1000-attendee PVP conference in Prague, Czech Republic," explains Mertiny.
Dr. Mertiny was already the conference chair for the 2018 PVP conference in Prague when, at the start of the conference issues with visas prevented some organizers from attending the conference, and he was also tasked with the duties of the PVP Division Chair and Professional Development Chair.
Mertiny, who was recently named a Fellow of the ASME, was pleased to have the unpleasant surprise of 2018 become a pleasant surprise in 2019.
"I was very pleased to receive the award, which showed that the many late nights and weekends spent keeping the conference on track were not overlooked."