Come on board!
Dr. Ali Erdemir | TLT President's Report January 2017
Serving as an STLE volunteer is a good cause and an experience you will never regret.
On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank all STLE volunteers. It is their hard work that has made STLE a world-class technical society.
© Can Stock Photo / AlexMax
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT STLE'S greatest strength is its ability to entice the support and efforts of many great volunteers who have, in turn, made STLE what it is today.
These volunteers work hard around the clock in support of STLE’s strategic goals and value propositions, which are embodied in three simple words:
Connect. Learn. Achieve. Volunteers work quietly but very effectively with STLE’s board of directors, Executive Committee and headquarters staff to survey the field and develop wide-ranging strategies that ensure top-of-the line technical content, educational materials, certification programs and other tools and trades that are a prerequisite for a world-class professional society.
Our strategic plan process uses volunteers and thought leaders at every conceivable level. This in turn helps STLE solidify its leadership role in improving expertise, advancing innovation and advocating tribology and lubrication engineering across the globe. Although these goals might sound like music to our ears, there are always some unexpected downturns or hiccups—especially when taking up on something new or navigating through unchartered territories—but these are all good challenges for our volunteers in redefining our focus and further sharpening our resolve for continued success and significant strides in what we stand for.
When I volunteered for STLE the first time, it was as a paper solicitation vice chair, a position I still vividly remember and cherish. I was a bit nervous in the beginning, but the help and support I received from STLE friends and staff were incredible. It was not me but many other volunteers who worked hand in hand for a successful outcome. From that moment on, I’ve always felt that I was an important part of STLE and never said no to any inquiry for help. In return, what I have done for STLE over the years as a volunteer carried me to where I am today.
As you can imagine, recognizing and nurturing the needs of new volunteers and future leaders for an organization like STLE is not an easy task. For this reason, STLE puts a lot of emphasis on mentoring new volunteers to clearly define the scope of what is expected from them. In fact, at every leadership level, we have well-structured training sessions and written guidelines that clarify the specific requirements of a particular volunteer position.
STLE really shines in embracing new volunteers and helping them assume elevated leadership roles. In particular, STLE’s headquarters personnel are extremely well qualified, helpful and resourceful in terms of helping volunteers achieve their specific tasks. This is one of the key reasons why most of our volunteers remain engaged and still active in all kinds of society activities.
Overall, the continuing success of our society depends on its volunteers’ time and efforts. STLE salutes and recognizes those volunteers who extend their helping hands and spare their precious time in making STLE the greatest tribology society in the world. Thanks to these volunteers, STLE offers the best educational and certification programs at its meetings year after year. These volunteers also are the pinnacle of success stories behind our cutting edge technical meetings, STEM programs and local sections’ activities.
Volunteers, thanks a million for what you do for STLE and our tribology field. Please keep on volunteering for a good cause and an experience you will never regret or forget.
Ali Erdemir is a Distinguished Fellow at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Ill. You can reach him at erdemir@anl.gov.