All about ASME

With so many aspects of university life now virtual, have you wondered which engineering RSOs are still open to student participation? A popular student society among MechSE students is the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a group whose main mission is to provide a dynamic bridge between students, faculty, and corporations.

In addition to ASME’s various professional development opportunities involving corporations and professors, most students get involved in one of the society’s six committees: Competitions, Special Projects, Freshman, Social, Outreach, and Student Affairs. There are two project groups, which are the most popular of the six committees. The Competitions Committee designs and builds a robot to compete against schools across the country in ASME’s annual E-Fest. The second project group, the Special Projects Committee, works to create projects for Engineering Open House (EOH). Normally the Special Projects Committee also designs and builds a float for the Homecoming Parade. Since this was not possible this year, they raced RC boats that members designed and built themselves using 3D printing and basic RC motors. In order to accommodate COVID-19 guidelines, the project committees have been holding most of their meetings virtually to plan out their builds and then meeting less often and for shorter periods in order to complete the builds in-person.

The Freshman, Outreach, Social, and Student Affairs committees plan events that everyone can participate in. One of the main goals of ASME is to create a network of mechanical engineers. Many undergraduates meet other mechanical engineering students through classes, but this has become increasingly difficult due to online courses and is even harder for many underclassmen who may not take many ME-specific classes.

True to its name, the Freshman Committee plans events for freshmen to help them meet other students in the department. This committee is also led by a freshman representative who is chosen in the early fall. Similarly, the Social Committee helps students connect by planning events for students in all grade levels. This semester they’ll host most of their events virtually, but will occasionally host in-person, socially distanced events outside for members.

The Outreach Committee works with local elementary schools to set up science demonstrations. This year, as they are unable to go in-person, the committee has created YouTube videos demonstrating projects the students can try at home. The Student Affairs Committee hosts technical workshops for students covering a wide range of topics, from software like MATLAB, Creo, and Solidworks, to job-hunting skills like resume reviews, practice interviews, and LinkedIn workshops, as well as other practical skills such as woodworking and soldering.

All the committees typically meet several times a week, and new members are encouraged to attend multiple committee meetings at the beginning of the semester to help them decide which they’d like to join. Attendance isn’t mandatory, and members are invited to come as often as they can within their schedule. ASME also holds general meetings where representatives from industry come to network, review resumes, talk about what it’s like to work for their company, and engage with students. Professors are also invited to join and talk about their careers, research, and opportunities for undergraduates to get involved in higher education on campus.

Venetos said he is very grateful to members of the executive board for working hard during the fall semester to provide a meaningful experience to their members, and that “students both on and off campus have responded positively to the changes that have been made. In fact, some of the activities have seen a rise in attendance due to the time and effort that has been made to provide them with an experience similar to those available pre-COVID.”

The best way to get involved is to email members of the executive board, listed on the ASME website. Contact John Venetos at jkv2@illinois.edu to find out how you can join ASME’s email newsletter and Slack channel for up-to-date announcements on upcoming events.