Engineering department head elected vice president of ASM International

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Judith Todd, head of the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics in the Penn State College of Engineering, was recently elected vice president of ASM International at the society’s annual meeting on Sept. 14. 

“I have a very strong appreciation and awareness of the challenges facing today’s professional societies,” Todd said. “I really look forward to the opportunity to apply my entrepreneurship skills, innovation, energy and enthusiasm to be part of the solution and help facilitate sustainability, growth and relevance for ASM International.”

Formerly known as the American Society for Metals, ASM International is a professional organization for materials scientists and engineers. According to the ASM website, ASM International is a society of professionals who work together to provide scientific, engineering and technical knowledge, education, networking and professional development for its members. Its aims to be a leading resource for the advancement of materials knowledge in industry, education, government and society. 

Todd has served as a fellow of ASM International since 1997 and as a member of the board of trustees since 2017. During her time as a member of the board of trustees, Todd served as a liaison to the Women in Materials Engineering Committee, a liaison to the Thermal Spray Society and the chair of a task force that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion. In these roles, she helped promote the visibility, recognition and engagement of the organization’s increasingly diverse members. 

“As vice president, my highest priorities are membership growth, technical excellence encompassing new materials frontiers and digital content and knowledge dissemination,” Todd said. “I envision ASM becoming a role model for diversity, equity, inclusion and engagement across the member spectrum.”

As the vice president of ASM International, Todd hopes to continue working with various groups to help ASM International become the preferred choice for individuals interested in materials. She also hopes to support ASM International in its mission to become a recognized world leader for materials information, by developing international chapters, strategic collaborations and partnerships to provide members with valued resources. 

“I hope to engage new generations of young ASM members,” Todd said. “I will work closely with the ASM Materials Education Foundation to engage K-12 students and their teachers in the ASM Materials Camps. As we rethink materials education in a highly interdisciplinary context, there are many exciting opportunities to attract new members from a myriad of engineering and scientific disciplines and medicine.”