Young U.S. Electrotechnology Professionals Sought for Prominent 2017 International Standardization Competition

NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. National Committee (USNC) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is currently seeking nominations of emerging electrotechnology professionals to participate in the upcoming IEC Young Professionals 2017 Workshop, which will be held on October 9–13, 2017, in Vladivostok, Russia, in conjunction with the 81^st  IEC General Meeting (GM). Nominations can be submitted using the USNC Young Professionals Workshop Nomination Form until May 1, 2017.

Each year, the Young Professionals Workshop assembles international candidates at the beginning of their careers in electrotechnical standardization who have been chosen by IEC National Committees around the world, based on a candidate's demonstrated leadership and dedication in connection with standardization and/or conformity assessment activities, as well as their vision of the larger commercial and strategic impact of standards and conformance work, and their accomplishments in their chosen field of activity. The program supports the increased involvement of young professionals in international electrotechnical standards and conformity assessment work, bolstering the future of technology transfer and long-term national involvement in the international standardization arena.

The USNC will select up to three young professionals to represent the United States at the 2017 workshop. The selectees may be employed by industry, the government, academic bodies, consumer organizations, or any other member of the U.S. standards and conformance community that uses, benefits from, or contributes to the IEC's work in electrotechnical standardization and conformity assessment. The program is intended for individuals who have completed their undergraduate education and are in the early stages of their profession—graduate engineers or managers, for example.

Alongside recipients from other nations, the USNC-selected young professionals will take part in a workshop focused on information about the IEC and relevant strategies for international standardization and/or conformity assessment work. Participants will also be given the opportunity to visit local industry, receive guidance from a mentor, and observe a meeting of the IEC Standardization Management Board (SMB) and Conformity Assessment Board (CAB). Individuals chosen to take part in the 2017 Young Professionals Workshop will be financially supported for their travel to Vladivostok and for up to three nights' accommodations.

Candidates may be nominated by any interested stakeholder who is not a member of the program's selection panel; letters of support from members of the standardization community testifying to the  candidate's appropriateness for the workshop and significant achievements to date are highly encouraged. Prospective candidates may also nominate themselves, but must provide at least one letter of professional recommendation and written assurance that their employers have agreed to allow them to attend the 2017 IEC GM if selected.

Nominated individuals will be assessed by a selection panel made up of USNC officers, standing committee officers, former U.S. Young Professionals Workshop participants, and a pool of USNC Honorary Life Members. All individuals chosen to take part in the 2017 Young Professionals Workshop will be notified in June 2017. To nominate yourself or another individual, complete the USNC Young Professionals Workshop Nomination Form and submit it to Kendall Szulewski-Francis, program administrator, international policy, USNC/IEC, via email at [email protected] by Monday, May 1, 2017.

IEC Young Professionals Background
Now in its eighth year, the Young Professionals Workshop program was initiated to encourage emerging electrotechnology professionals' participation in standardization and conformity assessment activities. The U.S. Young Professionals selected in 2016 were:

Edward Hong, senior product certification design engineer, Solar Turbines Incorporated
Jesse S. Jur, Ph.D., assistant professor, North Carolina State University
Andrew Northup, director, global affairs, Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).

About ANSI
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is made up of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.

The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

About the USNC/IEC
The U.S. National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (USNC/IEC) serves as the focal point for U.S. parties who are interested in the development, promulgation, and use of globally- relevant standards for the electrotechnical industry.

The Committee is also engaged in the assessment of conformance to standards, undertaking work in areas such as testing, certification and accreditation. As the U.S. representative to the IEC and many related regional standardization bodies, the USNC/IEC serves as a conduit to the global standards-setting community for technical and policy positions arising in the U.S. and brings issues from the global arena to the U.S. for review, consideration, and response. The USNC/IEC is a totally integrated committee of the American National Standards Institute.

SOURCE American National Standards Institute