Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., President of the National Academy of...

Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., President of the National Academy of... Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., President of the National Academy of... Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., NAE President, Presents the ASME Roy V. Wright LectureMay 11, 2018 ASME President Charla Wise with Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., at the Roy V. Wright Lecture on April 23 in Washington, D.C.ASME recently honored Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., Ph.D., president of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) with the ASME Roy V. Wright Lecture and Award, which was presented during a dinner hosted by Lester Su, chair of the ASME Committee on Government Relations. The event was held in the Mansfield Room of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 23.ASME President Charla Wise welcomed ASME members and invited guests, first introducing the Honorable Gary Peters, a U.S. senator from Michigan, for opening remarks. Senator Peters discussed the technological progression being made by engineers today, specifically in regards to self-driving ve hicles, noting that the Federal government has a role to play in ensuring ur nation is able to meet the challenges and opportunities that come with the rapid technological advancements that are currently taking place. The senator shared his excitement for the potential opportunities self-driving vehicles will offer as they are further developed and manufactured here in the United States. Before departing, Senator Peters recognized Dr. Shawn Moylan, an ASME Congressional Fellow, who has been serving in his office since September 2017.Wise then introduced the Keynote Speaker, Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., Ph.D., for the ASME Roy V. Wright Lecture. The lecture, established in 1949 to honor Wright, ASMEs 50th president, is a tribute to his contributions as a citizen to our nation and to his community. By means of this lecture, ASME hopes to impress on engineers and all young people, the duties, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship in our democracy. The Honorable Gary Peters, a U.S. senator from Michigan, provided opening remarks at the event.ASME members and guests were engrossed by Dr. Motes lecture, titled The National Academy of Engineerings Grand Challenges for Engineering and the Scholars Program, which presented an aspirational vision of what engineering needs to deliver to all people on the planet in the 21st century.Dr. Mote shared how the NAEs Grand Challenges report, which was published in 2008, spawned a biannual series of Global Grand Challenges Summits hosted by the NAE, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the U.K. Royal Academy of Engineering. The NAE Grand Challenges Scholars Program was launched at a U.S. national summit on the Grand Challenges in 2009.The vision for the NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering and their solutions are global, so a principal goal of the NAE Grand Challenges Scholars Program is to engage young engineers to work on global challenges. A second, broader goal is to prepare students for the multicultural, multi disciplinary, socially conscious global engagement needed for 21stcentury engineering, through an educational supplement that is adaptable to any university engineering education program. The Honorable Gary Peters, U.S. senator, with ASME President Charla Wise. Dr. Mote informed guests that initially, 122 U.S. engineering deans signed a letter to President Obama in 2015 committing to launch Grand Challenges Scholars Programs and to prepare at least 20,000 Grand Challenges Scholars over the next decade. Currently, approximately 56 U.S. universities have operational programs or programs under review and another 33 are exploring programs. The NAE ultimately anticipates expanding to 200 domestic programs, more than half of the engineering colleges in this country. In addition, Grand Challenges Scholars Programs are operational or being formed at 19 foreign universities. According to Dr. Mote, interest in the program among students is high, so continued growth, often driven by the st udents themselves, is realistic. The NAE Grand Challenges have also been incorporated in K-12 curriculums and in after-school programs across the United States.In his closing remarks, Dr. Mote stated that as the Grand Challenges Scholars Program continues to expand nationally and globally, the bridges for solutions to Grand Challenges for particular locales will be built by the young engineers who participate in the program, which is why this program is the key to fulfilling the vision of the Grand Challenges for Engineering in this century.Before adjourning, President Wise presented Dr. Mote with an award in recognition of his dedication and commitment to ASME, the U.S., and the world community by preparing the next generation for the 21st century global engineering initiatives. Charla Wise (right), president of ASME, presents the Roy V. Wright Award to Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr.Dr. Mote was first elected to NAE membership in 1988 and then to the positions of councilor, treasurer, a nd now president for a six-year term beginning July 1, 2013. He has served on the National Research Council (NRC) governing board executive committee since 2009.Dr. Motes recognition as an ASME Roy V. Wright lecturer will complement his previous recognitions, which include the NAE Founders Award, the ASME Medal, and Germanys Humboldt Prize. He is an Honorary Fellow of ASME and ASEE, and Fellow of AASS, the American Academy of Mechanics, the Acoustical Society of America, and AAAS. He holds four honorary doctorates and three honorary professorships. He was also elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2015. Samantha Fijacko, ASME Senior Government Relations Representative