Happy New Year from ASEM!  I hope you were able to find time to relax and ring in 2017 with friends and family.  I certainly hope that you will continue your membership and participation in ASEM as we move into this new year.   I always find the new year motivating and look forward to sharing ASEM successes and program with you throughout the year.

I am happy to report that ASEM ended 2016 in good financial standing.  This is indication of our strong membership base and evidence that the Society is bringing value-adding products and services to our EM constituents.  Please feel free to share ideas on how ASEM can bring increasing value to the EM community at our ASEM Networking and General Forums https://www.asem.org/Introductions-and-Networking-Forums.

We are excited to start 2017 announcing two new ASEM Student Chapters at University of Colorado Boulder and Michigan Technological University. The Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program at the University of Colorado Boulder was established in 1987, and offers a Masters of Engineering (ME) degree in Engineering Management, undergraduate Engineering Management minor, and a variety of graduate and undergraduate certificates (http://www.colorado.edu/emp/).  Dr. Christy Bozic, ASEM’s Southwest Regional Director, will serve as their new faculty advisor, and Mr. Diego Gomes will serve as the new chapter president.  The chapter already has 15 student members!  Our new student chapter at Michigan Technological University also has 15 student members including Kalli Hooper who will serve as the new chapter president.  Dr. Dana Johnson will serve as their faculty advisor.  The School of Business and Economics offers a BS degree in Engineering Management, which is the fastest growing program in their school (http://www.mtu.edu/business/undergraduate/engineering-management/).  New ASEM student chapters are always welcome.  Inquires can be sent to Bill Schell at StudentMembership@asem.org.

I am also pleased to announce two new ASEM academic partnerships with London Southbank University in the United Kingdom and Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Being an academic partner allows departments and programs to simplify larger volumes of student membership registrations and related funds management.  To learn more about ASEM Academic Partnership Program, access https://www.asem.org/AcademicPartnership.

Please consider submitting an abstract for paper/presentation at our 2017 ASEM International Annual Conference to be held in Huntsville, Alabama from October 18-21, 2017.  Abstracts are due February 27, 2017.  Please visit https://www.asem.org/2017_IAC for more information.  Proposals for Tutorials, Workshops, Panels, Roundtables and Special Sessions are also due on February 27^th.  Huntsville is a hub of engineering management excellence which reinforces our conference theme, Reimagining Systems Engineering and Management. 

We were very saddened to learn about the passing of one of our esteemed EM members, Dr. Ronald Cox.  Ron was a pillar in the EM community, and his sound wisdom and expertise will be missed by ASEM.

Heather Nachtmann, Ph.D.

2016-2017 ASEM President