Fostering New Standards Leadership: More Member Resources for Tomorrow's Trailblazers

Providing support and guidance for the next generation of leaders in standardization is crucial to ensuring a better future for all. In part two of its ongoing series highlighting resources for emerging standards leaders, ANSI takes a look at some of the standardization community’s efforts that help new professionals in standards and the STEM fields that support them.

Recognition and Scholarships for Emerging Leaders

• The International Organization for Standardization (ISO)’s Next Generation Award recognizes young professionals ages 18-35 from ISO members who are championing sustainability-driven standardization to tackle issues from a multi­disciplinary perspective. Applications for the next award are open through February 2025.
  
  
• SAE International’s Award for Student Achievement and Technical Proficiency recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding technical expertise through the presentation of a technical paper or engineering project in association with a major SAE meeting, event, or student competition. More information is posted online.
  
  
• Battery Council International (BCI) has opened the application process for its first-ever BCI Foundation scholarships, to award $5,000 to individuals studying electrochemistry, science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), or a related technical discipline that will support energy storage applications. Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2025.
  
  
• The U.S. National Committee (USNC) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a fully integrated committee of ANSI, recently announced that it is accepting applications for the 2024–2025 Don Heirman Award Program. Students and emerging professionals are invited to compete in this annual award program, which honors the legacy of Don Heirman, a prominent expert in the field of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), for a $1,000 cash prize. Submissions should be in the form of a short article or video clip, and the deadline is June 6, 2025.

Resources for All: Students and Educators

• The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) offers a monthly Student Services Update newsletter featuring career tips and tricks, and the latest news relevant to training and mentorships. ASSP also provides a year of membership to new graduates as a graduation gift to help the transition from their academic lives to their professional careers.
  
  
• CSA Group offers undergraduate and graduate research scholarships, as well as academic materials to support research and learning about standards in the classroom. Their student and facilitator modules (available at no cost) cover how to get involved with standards, how to apply them, and why standards matter.

ANSI is dedicated to supporting the next generation of standards professionals! Read about more ANSI’s resources, as well as other member efforts: Creating a Brighter Future: Supporting the Next Generation of Standards Professionals.

Stay tuned to ansi.org for more coverage and share your resources with us at [email protected].