About
ASM International was founded in 1913 as the American Society for Metals. Today, ASM is the world's largest association of metals-centric materials scientists and engineers with over 30,000 members worldwide. ASM is dedicated to informing, educating and connecting the materials community to solve problems and stimulate innovation around the world.
Who we are
ASM International is the world's largest association of metals-centric materials engineers and scientists. We are dedicated to informing, educating, and connecting the materials community to solve problems and stimulate innovation around the world.
What we do
As a member and volunteer based organization, ASM International serves as a central resource that gathers the latest applied information from the field and disseminates it back to industry, academia and government through published content, classes, events and local chapter engagement.
How we do it
By acting as a catalyst for vigorous professional activities, ASM International fuels a passionate sense of community, energizes members to aspire to new levels of success and satisfaction, advances the development of materials and ultimately elevates the importance of our professions.
Progress Report and Strategic Plan
ASM's Leadership meets annually to review and discuss our organization's strategic direction. In our strategic planning sessions held this past summer, the leadership validated our mission, vision and core values as well as our value proposition, which states:
ASM serves materials professionals, nontechnical personnel and managers worldwide by providing high-quality materials information, education and training, networking opportunities, and professional development resources in cost-effective and user-friendly formats. ASM is where materials users, producers, and manufacturers converge to do business.
Despite the challenges of a rapidly changing marketplace, economic and political uncertainty, ASM's Leadership affirmed that the organization today stands as a one-of-a-kind world class Materials Information Society dedicated to the professional advancement of its members and the materials community. We also believe that there is more to do to enhance our offerings.
ASM’s Five Critical Issues:
Life-Long Learning and Education
Life-Long Learning and Education help materials professionals remain technically current so that they may advance their careers at any point in the professional life cycle and contribute to the continued growth and sustainability of the materials community.
Content is Everything Material
ASM International has a strong history as a resource for high-quality materials science and engineering content. Most of this content is created through a framework that enables members and volunteers to capture and share their knowledge and expertise. ASM also has strategic partnerships with other organizations to increase its content assets, which are available to the greater materials community.
With advances in web infrastructure and online networks, and based on ASM's work to create a strong technology environment, ASM has the opportunity to further expand its position to provide content assets that are "Everything Material."
Emerging Technologies
To keep up with the changing needs of our members and other professionals, we have identified materials-related areas where rapid changes and developments are taking place, and we are working to disseminate authoritative and useful knowledge related to these technologies.
Volunteerism
Volunteers provide the energy that propels ASM at the chapter level as well as the national level. Not only are volunteers the leaders of our society, they are the foundation for developing new content, products and services that our members and customers need and value. As with all volunteer-driven organizations, we face challenges in bringing new volunteers to our society and our chapters — challenges that involve not only attracting new volunteers, but also helping them stay motivated and connected, and feeling appreciated for their contributions.
The achievement of our long-term goals can only be realized through teamwork that includes ongoing member participation through ASM Chapters, Committees, and Affiliate Societies, partnering with ASM staff to develop programs, products, and services that add value to the materials community.
Branding
ASM has a broad and diverse membership, affiliated groups, and product mix. This has led to a lack of clarity and understanding of the society's value and relevance.
We are working to identify our key differentiating factors and improve how we deliver and communicate their value to the materials community. We will align our communities and build a brand platform that defines our organization's attributes, values and behaviors.
