U.S. Standards Community celebrates World Standards Day 2011.
Press Release Summary:
More than 275 members of the standards and conformity assessment community gathered in Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day 2011. The exhibition, reception, and dinner marking occasion focused on theme Advancing Safety and Sustainability Standards Worldwide. Event included presentation of Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award to James M. Shannon, president of NFPA, and announcement of World Standards Day Paper Competition winners.
Original Press Release:
U.S. Standards Community Celebrates World Standards Day 2011
More than 275 members of the standards and conformity assessment community gathered in Washington, DC, yesterday for the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day 2011. The exhibition, reception, and dinner marking the occasion focused on the theme Advancing Safety and Sustainability Standards Worldwide.
The event is co-chaired each year by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) served as this year's administrating organization.
"World Standards Day celebrations like ours take place all over the world, and the U.S. Celebration is made possible through the efforts of many organizations," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. "It is a partnership between those who develop standards and compliance systems, and those who use them. I am proud to be a part of a standards community that is diverse, dedicated, and motivated to find solutions and create a better tomorrow."
The evening's festivities included the presentation of the prestigious Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award to James M. Shannon, president of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Mr. Shannon was honored for his contributions to the development, promulgation, and use of standards and construction codes to ensure safety and sustainability in the United States and worldwide.
Also announced during the celebration were the winners of the World Standards Day Paper Competition. Jorge Contreras, visiting associate professor at American University's Washington College of Law, and Meghan Lewis and Hannah Roth of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis won the first place prize of $2,500 and a commemorative plaque for their paper, "Toward a Rational Framework for Sustainable Building Materials Standards." The paper will be published in Standards Engineering, the journal of SES - The Society for Standards Professionals.
A second place prize of $1,000 was awarded to Joseph Bocchiaro III and Ann Brigida of InfoComm International for their paper, "Curtains Up! Let's Put On a Sustainable Show Using Standards."
The third place prize of $500 was awarded to William P. Fisher, Jr., of the University of California at Berkeley for his paper, "What the World Needs Now: A Bold Plan for New Standards."
Celebrated annually each fall, World Standards Day pays tribute to the thousands of volunteers around the world who participate in standardization activities and helps to raise awareness of the role that standards play in addressing national and global priorities. The global celebration is coordinated by the principal international standards organizations: the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
