Mr. Ajani Blake, a standards development and certification officer at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), will spend time at ASTM International headquarters in West Conshohocken, Pa., this fall as part of the ASTM Standards Expert Exchange Program (SEEP).

Mr. Blake, who holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, has worked at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica since 2006. In his current position, he handles conformity assessment audits and he works on the development of Jamaican national standards for cement. He also oversees technical committees on information and communications technology and food-related issues, and he serves as the member body administrator for the International Standards Organization (ISO) in Jamaica.

SEEP is a component of ASTM’s memorandum of program (MOU) program, which promotes communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide. The program facilitates the development of national standards that will aid each country's health, safety and environmental and economic conditions. The MOU between BSJ and ASTM International has been in effect since 2002.

As part of SEEP, standards experts from MOU countries participate in an intensive one-month training program at ASTM headquarters in West Conshohocken, Pa. During this time, they learn about ASTM, its standards and development process, observe the process in action by attending technical committee meetings, visit both federal government agencies and U.S.-based standards development organizations in Washington, D.C., and share information about their work and their home organization.

Release #8347 /August2009