September 2015
SECTION LEADERSHIP:
Chairman:
Kaykham Sysounthorn
571-357-3011
[email protected]
Vice-Chairman:
Paul Bizot
301-648-5945
[email protected]
Treasurer:
Jon Ward
571-215-8981
[email protected]
Secretary:
Roger Schaffer
202-781-1336
[email protected]
Group Page Admin:
Bethany Springer
240-422-4815
[email protected]
Executive Advisor:
Siddiq Qidwai
202-767-1466
[email protected]
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
1
Local Section News
2
Upcoming ASME Free Webinar
3
MIT Club of Washington Seminar Series
3
Engineering in the News
4
Event Calendar
5
Technical Times
6
Technical Times
8
ASME Energy Forum
YOUR SECTION:
Take control of your local ASME section! Feel free
to offer suggestions at anytime. The ASME
Washington, DC Section is always looking for
additional events throughout the year. Please submit
any ideas to Bethany Springer at
[email protected].
LOCAL SECTION NEWS
ASME SEPTEMBER EVENTS
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS TOUR
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2015
Time: 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Place: Library of Congress, Madison Building
101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, DC
The ASME Washington, DC Section’s first event of the
2015-2016 year will be a tour of the Library of Congress’
James Madison Memorial Building on Thursday,
September 17, at 6:30 p.m. The Library of Congress’
Facility Operations will present the tour, which has
already reached capacity, to a group of lucky ASME
members. The Madison Building is the third largest
federal building in the United States. Mr. Kevin
Hornberger, Facility Manager, will show us some of their
recent mechanical and HVAC upgrades, including the
transition from vacuum to direct digital control, variable
frequency drives, and fire protection improvements. After
touring the mechanical penthouse and, weather
permitting, the Madison roof for a wonderful view of the
city, the group will gather at a nearby eatery for some
appetizers and continued conversations.
Although this event is full, ASME members can email
[email protected] to be placed on a waiting list
should there be any cancellations.
https://community.asme.org/washington_dc_section/default.aspx
Washington DC Section Newsletter 2
September 2015
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO STANLEY MARVIN HALPERSON
On Wednesday, August 5, 2015, Stan Halperson of Temple Hills, Maryland passed away. Stan was
loved by many and was a wonderful member and supporter of the Washington, DC Section. By the
wishes of his family, memorial contributions may be made to www.pancan.org (Pancreatic Cancer)
UPCOMING ASME FREE WEBINAR
Mechanical Engineering Webinar Series:
Fluid Structure Interaction
September 17, 2015
2:00 pm EST
Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) is the interaction between a moving or deformable structure and an
internal or surrounding fluid flow. In this webinar we will explore characteristic FSI examples, show
how to set up FSI problems in COMSOL Multiphysics® with suitable analysis settings, and work
through a live demonstration. The demo example involves a new micropump design based on flow
rectification by tilted passive cilia. We use COMSOL for proof-of-concept and to test a wide range of
operating and flow parameters. The webinar concludes with a Q&A session.
To register for this live event, please go to:
http://lyris.asmestaff.org/t/260534/4638472/29242/8/
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Washington DC Section Newsletter 3
September 2015
MIT CLUB OF WASHINGTON
SEMINAR SERIES SCHEDULE
Each year, the MIT Club of Washington puts on a Seminar Series
especially catered towards engineers in the Washington, DC area.
At each monthly meeting, held on Tuesday evenings, a guest
speaker will be presenting over dinner:
Maggiano’s Little Italy
5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC
The agenda for the Technological Frontiers of Space Seminar
Series, for the 2015-2016 year, is shown below:
Date:
October 6
November 10
December 8
January 12
February 9
March 8
Speaker:
John Logsdon, GWU
David Miller, NASA
Steve Isakowitz, Virgin Galactic
Dean Cheng, Heritage Foundation
Tim Hughes, SpaceX
Scott Pace, GWU
To find out about each specific speaker or to register for this series,
please visit http://www.mitdc.org/seminar. The cost for all six
dinner meetings is $350.
Engineering in
the News:
A Kid’s Kitchen
August 24, 2015
For 25 years, University of Tulsa
engineering students have used
their talents to address the special
needs of Oklahoma residents with
physical and developmental
disabilities. The program is called
Make a Difference Engineering
and students from all departments
in the College of Engineering and
Natural Sciences are invited to
participate. This year, seven
seniors designed and built a small
portable kitchen as an educational
tool for developmentally
challenged children.
https://www.asme.org/engineeri
ng-topicsretired/articles/technology-andsociety/a-kids-kitchen
A 3D Look at Bones
August 27, 2015
For additional information, please contact Kenneth Gordon at
[email protected].
Prof. Kenji Shimada didn’t exactly
have a large amount of medical
knowledge when acquaintances at
a hospital encouraged him to help
create a way to see bones threedimensionally. “X-rays give you a
two-dimensional look and doctors
should be commended on how
consistent in assessment they are
able to be based on that,” says
Shimada, a professor of
engineering in the mechanical
engineering department at
Carnegie Mellon University.
“Still, I believe being able to see it
three-dimensionally is more
consistent.”
https://www.asme.org/engineeri
ng-topics/articles/manufacturingdesign/a-3d-look-atbones
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Washington DC Section Newsletter 4
September 2015
EVENT CALENDAR
PROGRAM LINE UP FOR 2015-2016
The Executive Committee met in July of 2015 to
formulate this year’s program and continues to finalize
and organize events to serve the Washington, DC
Section.
Date
Event
September 17th Library of Congress Tour
November
Joint Reception - Embassy of the Czech Republic
Fall
Johns Hopkins University Robotics Labs – Joint
with Baltimore Section
Fall
Northern Virginia Section – Joint Event
January
Udvar-Hazy Center Smithsonian Air & Space
Museum Tour
February 24th
DCCEAS Proclamation Luncheon
February 27th
DCCEAS Awards Banquet
February 27th
Discover Engineering Family Day
March
Local Science Fairs
April
ASME Washington Fellows Dinner
April
ASME WDC Community Science Fair & College
Grant Awards Dinner
TBD
Young Engineers and New Members Event
ASME MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
It’s that time of year again to renew your ASME membership! When you renew your
membership, you will be entered into a drawing for a new Smartwatch. In addition, ASME
would like to encourage you to share this opportunity with others. The ASME Referral
Drive is your opportunity to share the value of an ASME Membership with your friends
and colleagues, and receive free gifts in the process. Participate and take pride in knowing
you are supporting ASME and the vital role it plays in promoting the art, science and
practice of engineering around the globe. The ASME Referral Drive runs through
September 30th, 2015. Start making your referrals today at: go.asme.org/ReferralDrive
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September 2015
Washington DC Section Newsletter 5
TECHNICAL TIMES
CURRENT PAPERS FOR THE CURIOUS ENGINEER
In order to promote the distribution of current, relevant, technical information, the ASME Washington, DC
section has taken the initiative to publish technical articles, such as the one below, from various ASME divisions
in the monthly newsletter. In doing so, these articles are selected based on relevancy to the ASME members that
this section serves. ASME Washington, DC does not claim credit for the content of the articles. Additionally,
ASME Washington, DC does not claim a political affiliation and does not intend for these publications to serve
as a vehicle for companies or engineers to advertise various products and technologies.
REGULATORY ENGINEERING
By A. Alan Moghissi, [email protected]
Many engineers are often frustrated when regulators and other policy makers make engineering claims that are
based on poor technical information, their ideology, or other objectives rather than sound engineering principles.
The term “regulatory science” has been used for about three decades; however, the term ‘regulatory engineering’
is fairly new and has appeared only in the last few years. Based on the definition of regulatory science, an
abbreviated definition of regulatory engineering is:
Regulatory engineering constitutes the engineering aspects or foundation of regulatory decisions.
For obvious reasons, regulatory engineering is not only interdisciplinary but also multi-disciplinary. Although
regulatory engineering covers not only regulatory, but also legislative, judicial and other policy issues due to the
number of regulations and their impact, ‘regulatory engineering’ is used to describe this emerging technical
discipline. There are three distinct groups with interest in regulatory engineering:
1. People with an engineering background involved in developing regulations or other policy decisions.
2. Engineers who are responsible for compliance with regulations.
3. Professional societies, such as ASME, that can play a key role in these activities by providing
engineering services to the two groups, to the technical community, and ultimately to the entire society.
Many engineering professional groups including ASME are already involved in regulatory engineering. Various
ASME Divisions and other entities have traditionally cooperated with various government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and others in a variety of activities including innovative programs.
There are those who suggest that the engineering profession already provides these engineering services,
undertakes research, develops new processes, and otherwise supports those who need assistance. Therefore, why
one would need regulatory engineering? What is overlooked is that the same argument can be made for any new
discipline. The discipline of toxicology goes back to Paracelsus who lived in the 16th century. Although
toxicology is well developed, a new discipline, regulatory toxicology, has been formed. Similarly, pharmacology
has a long history but the profession decided to establish a new discipline devoted to regulatory pharmacology.
There is not only a professional society but also a journal dedicated to the regulatory toxicology.
One of the primary tools of regulatory engineering is Metrics for Evaluation of Engineering Claims (MEEC), a
tool that is derived from the concept of Best Available Science (BAS) and Metrics for Evaluation of Scientific
Claims (MESC). Please visit www.nars.org and click “What is Regulatory Science” under BAS/MESC for
further information. The MEEC process is being developed but its fundamental aspects are included in
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Washington DC Section Newsletter 6
September 2015
REGULATORY ENGINEERING
By Alan Moghissi, [email protected]
BAS/MESC. Regulatory engineering is largely based on evolving engineering, notably partially reproducible and
lower levels of maturity, implying that it is inherently predictive in nature. On occasion, the regulators decide to
use existing technologies for a specific regulation. However, in the majority of cases a technology may already be
developed but must be applied to much larger operations. Similarly, the regulators may believe that the
technology is developed but the regulated community may not agree. Often the regulator computes the cost of a
technology but in practice it proves to be more expensive. Experience shows that for a number of reasons, there
are often inherent uncertainties in regulatory engineering decisions. These are caused by the need to rely upon
assumptions or judgments; the need for application of default data; etc. Let us now address three examples of
key shortcomings of the currently practiced regulatory engineering.
1: Compliance with Transparency Principle: As described above, many regulations are based on scientific and
engineering claims that include assumptions, judgments, and related issues. The Transparency Principle requires
that the decision maker must not only identify them but must also describe how their modification would impact
the decision.
2: Application of Mathematical Models: Many regulations are partially or entirely based on predictive models.
Models are most useful for starting a technical process; can provide areas requiring research and development;
and prioritize areas requiring additional investigation. A mathematical model consists of an attempt to identify
relevant parameters that establish a relationship between two items and develop an equation that quantifies such
a relationship. The resulting equation is typically based on numerous assumptions, judgments, inclusion of
default data, and many other items. In practice, modelers recognize the uncertain nature of the process and try to
verify the model by a variety of methods. However, often a model is used before it is verified or it is virtually
impossible to verify it. The proponents of the application of mathematical model in regulatory engineering
should recognize that a competent mathematical modeler with access to a computer having sufficient power can
develop a mathematical model that produces whatever results the modeler desires.
3: Information Dissemination: Another key shortcoming of the current process is how the regulatory
engineering information disseminated. It is imperative that decision makers explain regulatory engineering
information in a language that is understandable to the affected community. The evidence is overwhelming that
regulatory engineering materials including mathematical models can be described in a language that is
understandable to the majority of people. Unfortunately, a decision maker who is asked to describe a regulatory
engineering issue often claims that, “I am a lawyer and cannot explain the technical issue”.
The Environmental Engineering Division of ASME has decided to establish a Regulatory Engineering
Committee. This decision provides the ASME members a unique opportunity to participate in this emerging
engineering discipline.
Dr. Moghissi has been credited for having established the regulatory science discipline (see regulatory science definition at
Wikipedia); has published over 400 papers and reports; has written or edited 20 books and has led 300 independent peer
reviews for government agencies at federal state and local levels mostly in cooperation with of ASME. Examples of relevant
publications:
Moghissi Regulatory Science Sunshine Act, Testimony before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment: Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the US House of Representatives. November 30, 2011
Moghissi et al, Innovation in Regulatory science: Evolution of a New Scientific Discipline. Technology and Innovation, 16;
155-165: 2014.
Moghissi et al, Regulatory Science: An Emerging New Scientific Discipline. Clinical Evaluation (Japan), 41; 597-608: 2014
Moghissi et al. Scientific Foundation of Regulating Ionizing Radiation: Application of Metrics for Evaluation of Regulatory
Science information. Health Physics, 107; 388-394: 2014
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September 2015
Washington DC Section Newsletter 7
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Washington DC Section Newsletter 8
September 2015
ASME ENERGY FORUM:
ASME Energy Forum is a multimedia series that explores the technical aspects and workings of a
broad range of energy sources and related technologies. From fossil fuels to fuel cells, and from solar to
hydro power, you will get leading expert perspectives on how these technologies really work, the
technical issues and market challenges, and the economic implications for businesses.
Register now: https://www.asme.org/events/asme-energy-forum
FREE WEBINAR:
Power Plant Efficiency: Saving Fuel
Register anytime to get immediate access.
Companies are working to build plants in the U.S. that can turn natural gas
into a liquid to export.
Learn More
FREE WEBINAR:
Small Modular Reactors: Nuclear's Big Opportunity in a Little Package
Register anytime to get immediate access.
A new concept in nuclear power could make it easier to build and finance
new reactors.
Learn More
MASTER CLASS SERIES
PRESSURE VESSEL & PIPING TECHNOLOGIES
HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH ASME B31 CODE WEEK
SEPTEMBER 13-17, 2:00 PM ET
CHICAGO, IL
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Led by Industry Experts and Codes & Standards Leaders, the ASME MasterClass Series on Pressure
Vessel and Piping Technologies examine techniques and strategies to explain application of critical
design rules and technologies to address issues in today's industry. To learn more about the classes
being held, please click here.
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September 2015
Washington DC Section Newsletter 9
ASME MENTORING
PROGRAM
GET VALUABLE CAREER ADVICE FROM A
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL!
The ASME Mentoring Program is designed to
provide rewarding experiences that both mentor and
mentee can learn and grow from. This is a unique
opportunity for you to get career-guiding advice from
an engineering professional with broader experience or
more advanced skills. Benefit and learn from their
real-life expertise, while sharing your own valuable
insight and perspective!
Participating in the program is easy with our Webbased platform, made available through a partnership
with WisdomShare™. Our targeted matching system
will pair you with someone who can provide anything
from general advice and a fresh point-of-view, to help
identifying the right training or niche in mechanical
engineering, or even assistance with finding a nontraditional career path.
The valuable insight you can gain by participating in
the ASME Mentoring Program can have a positive
impact on your career for years to come!
If you are ready for a most rewarding experience,
please go to: http://go.asme.org/mentoring to
become an ASME Mentor or Mentee.
The ASME Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS2015) will
be held September 21-23, 2015 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Adaptive Structures and Materials Systems by definition are intelligent, flexible systems that have sentience
and responsiveness to ever changing environments. The field has rapidly matured due to synergistic
interdisciplinary efforts across sectors of universities, government and industry. To continue the high impact
growth of this field and lead it into the future, the purpose of this conference is to assemble world experts across
engineering and scientific disciplines (mechanical, aerospace, electrical, materials, and civil engineering, biology,
physics chemistry, etc.) to actively discuss the latest breakthroughs in smart materials, the cutting edge in
adaptive structure applications and the recent advances in both new device technologies and basic engineering
research exploration.
To meet this goal, the conference is divided into symposia broadly ranging from basic research to applied
technological design and development to industrial and governmental integrated system and application
demonstrations.
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