Mertiny received a certificate of appreciation for organizing the ASME in Prague, Czech Republic
Mechanical Engineering Professor, Pierre Mertiny has been elected a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The designation is a professional honorific with which the Society confers upon members whose work has made significant contributions over a period of 5-10 years, and who possess outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience. Within the ASME, Fellows are the highest elected grade of membership. The designation recognizes exceptional engineering achievements, as well as contributions to the engineering profession. To earn the designation, Fellows must have been members of the ASME for at least 10 years and be nominated by a group of ASME Members and Fellows.
Dr. Mertiny joined the ASME in 2006 and has been a member for the 13 years since.
"I joined by coincidence, really," he says. "The conference was in Vancouver. I decided to go because of the short flight."
But a chance conference turned into a professional home for Mertiny.
"I really liked the people. So the next year, in '07, I organized a couple of sessions. And every year after that I just did a little bit more and a little bit more. Last year I organized a whole conference in Prague."
Despite its size - the ASME has over 100,000 members in 140 countries - the leadership of the ASME is a tight knit groups, focused on mentorship and professional development.
"The ASME is very conscious about their succession planning. They like to mentor and nurture young people and bring them in to the fold," says Mertiny.
Beyond presenting at ASME conferences and publishing in their journals, over the years Mertiny has taken on greater and greater leadership roles within the organization. He is currently the Chair of the Society's Pressure Vessels and Piping (PVP) Division, which develops a large part of the Society's well-known codes and standards. With the increased responsibility though comes a more intimate relationship with the organization's executive, which Mertiny enjoys.
"I just got back from a meeting with the ASME executive and Board of Governors in San Antonio. It was nice to be at a smaller, leadership meeting, where you can spend time with everyone. It was a big exchange of ideas. We had the chance to sit down and really think about the future."
As part of the ASME leadership, Mertiny carries the torch of mentorship and recruitment.
"The ASME is working hard to diversify and develop a younger base population," says Mertiny. "As an academic I have daily contact with a wide range of young engineers, so I can contribute to developing that diverse membership."
The title of Fellow is a recognition, and does not come with more responsibilities. But it does come with some benefits.
"We get these really nice name tags for our shirts," laughs Mertiny. "So you don't have to wear that name tag on a string around your neck at conferences."
You can learn more about the ASME here.