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I have visited Ravi several times and have observed him closely
for more than 30 years. My first impression was that of a humble,
sincere man who got things done. He has extraordinary personal
skills and is always positive, supportive, considerate, and upbeat,
and is a good listener as well. He does not hesitate to encourage
people to look in different dimensions for the overall benefit of the
community. If you want a job done, engage Ravi and it will be done
right and with a lot of enthusiasm.
As an example, Al Romig and I were forming ASM Materials
Camps throughout the U.S. and asked for Ravi’s help to establish
one in Canada. Ravi jumped right in and formed the first Canadian
Materials Camp and served as its chairman. With his leadership,
our camp programs have now grown throughout Canada and India
as well. I had the same experience while reviving the Alpha Sigma
Mu International Honor Society for Materials Science and Engi-
neering.We were international in name only, had declined as an or-
ganization, and were on the verge of disbanding. I called on Ravi
and he formed an Alpha Sigma Mu Chapter at Ryerson and I was
privileged to be present when we inducted the first student mem-
bers. Alpha Sigma Mu is now thriving under Dr. Fred Schmidt’s
leadership, but it took Ravi to get Canada involved.
Ravi’s passion is in teaching materials science and engineer-
ing. He engages his students every day and builds complex
ideas from fundamentals step-by-step, explaining concepts and
relationships and also sharing his industrial experience. This
passion and “real world” industry knowledge will help Ravi lead
ASM International in the coming year and his enthusiasm will
be contagious.
Vision
Ravi brings a unique combination of senior management ex-
perience in industry and leadership in research and teaching in ac-
ademia. He is committed to using e-technology for quality and
delivery of services to our members and customers. He believes
that ASMmust ensure currency and relevancy in content, strate-
gic updating of information and delivery systems, and sound finan-
cial management. He is committed to exceptional member service
and values volunteers as pillars of our society. He feels that almost
everything we offer is due to our volunteers, with the trustees,
management, and staff as enablers.
With a dramatic decline in membership reflecting the trend in
professional societies in general, Ravi is committed to exceeding
the aspirations of members. He proposes to establish two types of
memberships—a traditional membership and an electronic mem-
bership for those who prefer electronic networking, free webinars,
and web-based downloads onto computers or devices. He thinks of
our chapters as individual marketplaces, each with its own techni-
cal focus and distinct from one region to another.
Ravi feels that ASM needs to establish and fortify a strong po-
sition as the gateway, keystone, and clearinghouse for materials in-
formation. Indeed, he is committed tomaking our products readily
accessible according to the latest speed-of-life standards. He is also
dedicated to the idea of creating a key portal system to enable on-
line links and access to government standards and sister societies
and to expanding ASM’s materials information resources and on-
line databases to include new advances and technologies.
For Ravi, one priority dear to his heart is developing students
as future members and leaders of ASM. For the past 25 years, engi-
neering students have been his extended family. He has nurtured
student participation on the Board and encouraged them to actively
participate in ASMMaterials Camps. He proposes the creation of
a Materials Camp Alumni Portal, allowing alums to remain con-
nected with peer groups as they emerge as ASMmembers. Ravi be-
lieves that chapters can also take this up at the grassroots level
through science fairs and a “Materials Day” where volunteers pro-
mote the importance of materials to society. He also proposes more
active roles for the Foundation, chapters, and the Alpha Sigma Mu
Honor Society in enabling internships, co-op placements, and jobs
with direct mutual access for employees and students in a materi-
als opportunities e-platform.
Ravi is delighted that the 2013MS&Tmega-conference inMon-
treal reinforced ASM’s leadership in joint programming with sister
and affiliate societies in delivering new and advanced develop-
ments to larger audiences. He proposes that besides large confer-
ences, ASMconsider periodic programming with related societies
such as ASME and ASCE to deliver programs that transgress
boundaries and espouse commonalities of knowledge in materials
science and engineering.
We are fortunate to have Ravi at the helm of ASM International
during revolutionary changes in information technology and contin-
ued global economic upheavals. Hewill represent all ASMmembers
worldwide with the same effectiveness he has demonstrated as a fa-
ther, husband, teacher, researcher, and leader. Let us congratulate
Ravi and join him as he moves forward in his vision for ASM.
33
Ravi and Detroit Chapter chair Susan
Hartfield-Wunsch celebrate ASM’s
100th anniversary.
Maxwell Kellogg of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
receives a $2500 scholarship check from (left to
right) Chuck Daugherty and Dick Berryman, of
the Los Angeles Chapter, and Ravi.
“Ravi is dedicated to the idea
of a key portal system to
enable online links and access
to government standards and
sister societies, and to
expanding ASM’s materials
information resources and
online databases.”
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES •
JANUARY 2014