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A D V A N C E D
M A T E R I A L S
&
P R O C E S S E S |
M A Y
2 0 1 5
5 3
FROM THE
PRESIDENT’S DESK
ASM Chapters:
Your Local Materi-
als Community
As ASM President, one
of my favorite responsibili-
ties is to visit local chapters
to give a technical presen-
tation. It’s an opportunity
to make new acquaintances
and visit old friends. Each
chapter is a little different
and is a reflection of the local materials community. In-
evitably, I come away with new ideas and insights, an-
other experiment to try, or a new book or article to read.
ASM chapters provide incredible programming and ser-
vice to both our members and the local community. Vol-
unteers judge science fairs, set up plant tours and golf
outings, highlight local companies at sustaining mem-
ber nights, and teach technical courses.
The chapter network, a strength of our Society,
dates back to ASM’s original roots in Detroit over 100
years ago: A community of likeminded individuals be-
gan meeting to share technical knowledge. Chapter
meetings are where many of our members have their
first experience with ASM. If you haven’t been to a meet-
ing lately, make room for it on your calendar. In a typical
year, there is something for every interest, whether you
are looking for insights into the latest materials technol-
ogy or wish to enjoy a theater outing. While there, be
sure to thank the tireless volunteers who keep the chap-
ters running!
Your local chapter is also a gateway to a larger net-
work. If your job changes, or your career takes you to
another part of the country, the local ASM chapter will
happily take you in. It’s like finding an instant network
in a new place. A friend of mine once told me, “All insti-
tutions are the result of conversations between people.”
Chapters arewhere peoplemeet and have those conver-
sations. And that is another reason for getting to your
local chapter meetings: You never knowwho you are go-
ing to meet or what conversations you may have.
Sunniva R. Collins
sunniva.collins@case.eduEMERGING
PROFESSIONALS
Navigating an Experienced Workplace as
a Young Professional
Rachel Bethancourt, Cherry Aerospace, a PCC Co.
Entering the workforce as
a young professional is an ex-
citing time for new engineers
full of ideas and eager to put
their skills to use. However, in-
novative ideas can sometimes
be met with opposition from
those who are more seasoned.
Relationships between young
engineers and experienced co-
workers can be difficult to nav-
igate, but if done correctly, can
yield great results.
Working in a manufacturing facility, some of my co-
workers are skilled operators who have been employed
here for longer than I have been alive. Their years of ex-
perience have given them an immense knowledge of the
processes and products at our company. This also means
they aren’t immediately willing to change lifelong practices
at the instruction of a brand new, inexperienced engineer.
As one recent example, the volume of an internal
feature needed to be increased in order to improve a part
design. The width or depth could be increased, with either
change yielding the desired results. In talking to an oper-
ator who made the product, I learned that increasing the
width would require new tooling and many changes to the
setup, but changing the depth would only involve a simple
adjustment to the machine. Understanding the impacts
of my engineering decisions allowed me to make changes
with consideration to the entire process.
My coworkers have become one of my best resourc-
es. I never hesitate to ask to be shown how something is
done or if they need anything fromme to perform their jobs
more effectively. Knowing that I am eager to lead projects
and consider their input, when they see problems in their
areas, they bring it up to me instead of accepting the inef-
ficiency, thinking no one would take the time to address it.
There is amazing potential in new engineers who are ready
to use their education to make improvements. The collab-
orative efforts between motivated young engineers and
employees with years of experience can be one of the most
effective combinations.
HIGHL IGHTS
EMERGING PROFESSIONALS
Bethancourt
Collins