Passing the Torch

Well, December is almost over which means my term as Chair of the Automation Federation is coming to a close. 2009 has been an exciting year for me in this important role, and it just flew by. When I started in January, I knew we would be working hard this year to push the Automation Federation’s mission and vision forward. I just did not realize the depth of what we would accomplish for our profession over the last eleven months.

Let me recap some of the major accomplishments we have achieved for 2009 (emphasis on “some”):

• Senator Barbara Mikulski (MO) included language in the 2010 Congressional Budget recognizing the importance of automation for the future of manufacturing in the United States
• AF and the U.S. Department of Labor completed and launched the Automation Competency Model which will act as the key component in building the next generation of automation professionals
• AF was honored as a winner of the 2009 Progressive Manufacturing 100 Award for the development and dissemination of the Automation Competency Model
• The U. S. Department of Education revised the 2010 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)—the accepted U.S. federal government statistical standard on instructional program)—to include new codes for “Automation Engineer Technology/Technician” and “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering”
• AF was selected to serve as a Technology Partner for the 2010 Boy Scouts of America Jamboree (We will be reaching out to thousands of Scouts about the importance of math and science and of considering a career in automation)
• AF takes message about the importance of the automation profession global by sharing it with members of the European Union
• AF was selected to be a member of the Business LEADs Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to help build the education framework for the next generation of workers
• AF exposed 600 plus high school and middle school students to the world of automation at iAU2M8.09 (part of Automation Week) in October in Houston, TX, USA

For a more detailed list of ISA accomplishments, click here.

In January 2010, Jerry Cockrell will assume the chairmanship of the Automation Federation. He and I, over the course of the last month, have discussed the passing of the torch. I can assure you that Jerry is ready to step into this vital role and is planning a very active year for the Federation. Jerry will also be taking over this blog in January. Guess that means this is my last post. Thanks for your readership!

I also want to thank the AF volunteers and staff for their dedication and hard work. We could never have achieved what we have without their efforts.

My term as Chair of the Automation Federation may be coming to a close, but my dedication to the automation profession is unending. That is why I want to take a moment to thank you for your support of the Automation Federation and our initiatives, and to invite you to contact Mike Marlowe (mmarlowe@automationfederation.org) about how you can get involved in our many AF activities.

Here is to another year of big steps forward for the Automation Federation and the automation profession!

Sincerely,

Kim Miller Dunn
2009 AF Chair