How to get Involved in MESD Leadership

Are you interested in getting involved in MESD leadership?  Email any member of the current MESD leadership to get involved: Leadership of MESD. The leadership is also known as the Executive Committee. 

The Materials Engineering and Sciences Division (MESD) was established to provide a focal point for engineers concerned with materials. MESD provides programming for AIChE’s National Conference as well as organizing awards and recognizing outstanding chemical engineers in the area of materials engineering and the science. MESD has organized and presented hundreds of technical symposia on a wide variety of materials topics at national AIChE meetings. 

MESD is responsible for programming in the following thematic areas: Polymers (Area 8A), Biomaterials (Area 8B), Inorganic Materials (Area 8C), Electronic Materials (Area 8D), and Composites (Area 8E).

The Executive Committee of MESD consists of the following members: chair, 1st vice chair, 2nd vice chair, past chair, secretary-treasurer, four (4) division directors, the division level award chairs, and the area chairs and vice-chairs. 

There are two ways to get involved in MESD leadership: Either at the division level or at the area level. 

At the Division level, MESD active members elect two (2) division directors and one (1) division 2nd vice chair each year. If the secretary-treasurer position is vacant, a slate of candidates is also included for secretary-treasurer. Elections take place in the September timeframe. Ballots are communicated to MESD members via e-mail.  New officers are announced and installed at the MESD Business Meeting at the Annual AIChE Meeting. 

At the area level, elections take place at each area’s business meeting at the Annual AIChE Meeting. Generally, each area elects 1 or 2 vice chairs per year. There is also the opportunity to become a session chair associated with a pre-existing or a topical session within an area. The procedure for identifying session chairs is also conducted at each area’s business meeting. Session chairs are not a part of the Executive Committee of MESD but are encouraged to attend the MESD Business Meeting at each annual AIChE meeting. 

 The Division Award Committee Chairs are appointed by the MESD Executive Committee. 

Service Obligations of MESD Leadership Positions:

• Directors: Directors serve a 2 year term. 
• 2nd vice chair: The 2nd vice chair serves a 4 year term, which automatically progresses from  2nd vice chair (year 1) to 1st vice chair (year 2) to chair (year 3) and finally past chair (year 4) – ensuring ample overlap with the current chair/past chair for continuity in leadership. 
• Secretary-treasurer: The secretary-treasurer serves a minimum of 1 year. Ideally, it is understood that this is a 5-10 year commitment. 
• Area vice chair: The area vice chair serves a 2 year term,  which automatically progresses from area vice chair (year 1) to area chair (year 2).

Description of MESD leadership Positions:

• Directors: Directors assist the Executive Committee in the pursuit of division objectives and will ordinarily chair task committees as directed by the Executive Committee.
• MESD Chair: The chair is responsible for coordinating the official activities of MESD, which includes organizing and presiding over the MESD Summer Teleconference and the MESD business meeting. The chair is responsible for coordinating the elections of MESD officers with AIChE and area chairs with the individual Areas. Finally, the chair writes the yearly MESD newsletter communicating significant activities of MESD, announcing award recipients, and acknowledging MESD sponsors. 
• MESD 1st vice chair: The 1st vice chair is responsible for MESD programming at the AIChE annual meeting in the year that the office is held. The 1st vice chair works closely with the area chairs and the AIChE Program Committee to ensure proper session allocation between the areas and scheduling of all MESD sessions. 
• MESD 2nd vice chair: The 2nd vice chair is responsible for initiating programming of MESD for the AIChE Annual Conference in the year following the year the position is held. 
• MESD secretary-treasurer: The secretary-treasurer keeps the records of MESD. The secretary-treasurer collects and disburses funds as authorized by the Executive Committee of the Division. At the end of each year, the secretary-treasurer reports on the finances and activities of the Division to the Executive Committee. 
• Area chair/co-chair: The area chair works closely with the MESD 1st vice chair for programming of their area. 
• Area vice chair/vice co-chair: The area vice chair assists the area chair in the following duties: Identifying and appointing individual session chairs for the annual AIChE meeting, fundraising for the area as necessary, applying to available seed grants from both AIChE and MESD in support of area initiatives, planning area plenaries, and communicating suggestions from area members for topical sessions for future annual AICHE meetings.