National Volunteer Week

By Rebecca Lintow, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report April 2024

Thank you to those who dedicate their time and expertise to STLE.
National Volunteer Week is an annual celebration of the contributions of volunteers and the work they do to strengthen their communities. This year, it takes place April 21-27. Now is a great time to acknowledge those who make a difference, and STLE will be doing that all week through our website, newsletter and social media channels.

In honor of National Volunteer Week, STLE would like to thank the dedicated, talented individuals who have given their time and expertise to make STLE the valuable resource that it is today. Our volunteer force is made up of nearly 300 individuals with diverse backgrounds in industry and academia. They are leaders in our community and in their own fields, representing all technical areas in tribology and lubrication engineering. A list of current volunteers is available at www.stle.org/CurrentVolunteers.

If you are a part of the STLE community and haven’t volunteered before, this is your invitation to come join us—there are opportunities for everyone, even those with only a small amount of time to commit or who are new to the industry. STLE volunteers help spread awareness about careers in the field, educate their industry peers on technical topics, plan events and conferences, contribute to publications and more. In fact, TLT itself is the collaborative effort of the many talented volunteers on the Editorial Advisory Board. While giving back to the community is rewarding in itself, volunteers also enjoy more networking opportunities, leadership and communication growth and other career-boosting benefits.

You can see STLE volunteers in action at the upcoming 2024 STLE Annual Meeting & Exhibition, May 19-23, in Minneapolis, Minn. STLE Member Ambassadors, a key group of STLE volunteers, will be ready to eagerly greet attendees and answer questions at the STLE Membership Booth. Be sure to stop by and find out more about ways to get involved! Throughout the year, STLE Member Ambassadors volunteer their time to connect with new members by email or phone to offer them a personal welcome to the STLE community.

Some STLE members volunteer their skills and expertise by participating in technical, administrative or educational committees. Committees advise on a wide variety of topics, from certification to finances, and scholarships to section affairs. Joining a committee is a great way to deepen your involvement in STLE while enjoying personal and professional growth. Participating in committees also is one step on the path toward one of the highest volunteer achievements: a term on the STLE Board of Directors. The advice, direction and strategy provided by our board members is essential to STLE’s success and relevance to the industry.

If a one-time commitment sounds more manageable, you can volunteer to present an STLE Webinar on a topic related to your technical expertise. This opportunity is open to both members and nonmembers, and involves creating an hour long technical presentation to share in a live virtual environment. Webinars are a key piece of STLE’s professional development offerings, providing our community with the latest technical developments and emerging trends in the industry in an expert-led environment. You also can consider volunteering to present at an STLE Industry Insights virtual event for members only or share your expertise on the STLE podcast. Volunteers also have the opportunity to create short learning courses, using their industry knowledge to design courses and assessments to assist colleagues in their advancement in the field.

These are just a few of the ways you can get more involved with STLE as a volunteer. For more information on volunteering and for the membership application, visit www.stle.org/volunteer. For questions, email volunteer@stle.org. To all of our past and current STLE volunteers—thank you for your service! Our society is truly better because you are a part of it.

You can reach Certified Association Executive Rebecca Lintow at rlintow@stle.org.