ASTM International, one of the world’s largest standards developing organizations, has initiated the ASTM International 2007 Advantage Award, a case study competition with prizes up to $25,000. The award is an opportunity for the users of ASTM standards worldwide to convey the positive outcomes of an ASTM International standard or a group of ASTM International standards.

ASTM International conducted its first campus visit of the year at the University of California, Irvine, on Jan. 31, 2007.  ASTM has marked 2007 as the Year of the Student in an effort to build greater awareness of standardization among students and educators worldwide.  This latest event was coordinated in conjunction with the ASTM standards development meetings held in Anaheim, Calif. the same week. 

STP 1474, Skiing Trauma and Safety:  Sixteenth Volume, is now available from ASTM International.  STP 1474 contains ten peer-reviewed papers that provide the latest information on winter sports safety.  Topics covered in the publication include:
 

On February 19, 2007, ASTM International (ASTM) will hold an Organizational Meeting for a new standards development activity on Inspection of Residential Dwellings. The meeting will take place in conjunction with the Annual Conference of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), and will be held at the Riviera Hotel & Casino, 2901 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109 (phone: 702/794-9412; www.rivierahotel.com). The meeting will commence at 9:00 a.m.

ASTM International, one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world, today announced that it is marking 2007 as the Year of the Student. As part of this initiative, ASTM will embark on a series of academic efforts aimed at building greater awareness and involvement in standardization among students and educators worldwide.

The multi-faceted Year of the Student campaign expands on ASTM’s ongoing educational outreach programs, including its popular student membership category launched in 2003. Highlighting the Year of the Student initiative will be:

Building on years of successful cooperation with standards organizations in China, Beijing will be the location of the 2006 fall meeting of the ASTM International Board of Directors.  The ASTM Board meetings, as well as other events, will take place in China’s capital city during the week of October 16, 2006.

ASTM International Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications, in cooperation with Committee G03 on Weathering and Durability, is sponsoring a technical seminar on recent advances in accelerated weathering tests for coatings on Jan. 23, 2007, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Reaffirms WTO Obligations to Recognize International Standards based upon the Principles Embodied in their Development Process

In a recent communiqué to the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) sought to counter any confusion or misperceptions concerning the implementation and obligations of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) with regard to international standards development. 

A new edition of a popular ASTM International publication on concrete expands and updates the information included. STP 169D, Significance of Tests and Properties of Concrete and Concrete-Making Materials, is now available for purchase through ASTM Customer Service.

Joseph Lamond, consulting engineer, and James Peilert, of the Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory, edited the volume, which contains the latest technology in concrete and concrete-making materials.