Recent Events Follow-Up from ASME Executive Director/CEO Tom Costabile

Dear Colleagues,
 
As a follow-up to my recent correspondence concerning the latest events in our society, I want to reinforce that we at ASME will continue to speak out against all racial injustice, especially that suffered by those who live in underserved communities. We value their lives and demand and support actions to end policies of racial, judicial, and economic injustice that have long plagued American society. We are working hard to gain better insight into how we, as a professional society, can make a fundamental and sustainable impact on these issues. As a result, we are taking the following steps to enhance our Diversity and Inclusion efforts to:
 

• Examine ways to leverage our engineering training and expertise to end structural racism and effect lasting social justice 
• Understand the effect of the pandemic on educational disparities in our communities and how ASME can leverage this moment 
• Examine developing a standard for the identification and prevention of sources of algorithmic bias in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning
• Expand our K-12 STEM education programs, which target title 1 schools and seek to address race and gender under-representation in STEM fields
• Explore providing an ASME tool kit that Section and Division Leaders and can use to address inequality at the local level

We will continue to challenge ourselves and other professional societies to drive change for a better humanity that embraces diversity and respects the dignity and culture of all people.

With regards,


Thomas Costabile, P.E.
ASME Executive Director/CEO