Your First Meeting! Attending your first ASTM International meeting, or thinking about it? Welcome!

To get important general information about meetings, which are open to all interested parties, check the information at www.astm.org/MEETINGS, both for committee weeks (where many committees meet together) and independent meetings (committees that meet by themselves or in conjunction with another event).

If possible, pre-register for the meeting. Pre-registration opens about two months before the meeting, and email notifications alert members about upcoming meetings. You can also register at the meeting if you miss the registration cutoff date. If you’re not an ASTM International member, you can still attend, and you can register either online or at the meeting site. You can search the online list to find meetings that may be of interest.

To help you plan for your meeting, use the member tools (MyTools) at MyASTM. You’ll find useful information there, including:

• Meeting schedules – which you can customize according to the task group, subcommittee, and main committee meetings you wish to attend,

• Agendas,

• Minutes, and

• Ballot results.

Think about your specific interests when gathering this information, which you can compile and save through these tools: Create My Schedule and Create My Meetings Materials (a zip file of agendas, minutes, ballot items, closing reports, and schedules that is emailed to you).

You can also download the ASTM mobile app for meeting information, schedules, floor plans, venue and ASTM contact info, and more.

Once you’re there, a good place to orient yourself is central registration (for pre-registered attendees and walk-ins) and an information area. Staff are on hand to help. You’ll find meeting room maps, information about special sessions — from orientation and other staff-led training modules, to what committees are holding workshops or symposia — and a workspace for your convenience. A message board is located here to show any last-minute changes, and more.

At a committee week, new member orientation sessions take place on Monday. As an alternative, staff host an online “New Member Orientation and Training” session monthly. Other sessions are regularly scheduled about online tools, negative votes, hosting WebEx meetings, and more. Click here for more information. Your committee staff manager can also help as a resource in preparing to attend and onsite.

Get involved and help develop your industries’ standards. Plus, your ASTM work helps develop collaboration and leadership skills, and you can expand your technical network.

If you have questions, email [email protected].