• A Note From Gana, ASEM's President
• Regional Event | Huntsville, AL
• Recording Available of the Live Event | ChrisGPT

• Newly Certified or Recertified CPEM & CAEM
• Thanks to Recruitment and Promotion Partners!

Happy New Year!

In this newsletter, I have the following topics to discuss:

1. Officer Spotlight – Meet our incoming Secretary Dr. Kara Boyles
2. EMJ access has moved to all-electronic: https://asem.org/EMJ
3. Regional Symposium: Engineering Management for Emerging Defense and Space Era in Huntsville, AL (April 3^rd, 2026)
4. 2026 International Annual Conference (IAC) – Abstract submission is now Open! -Abstracts due March 23, 2026
5. Call for EMJ Associate Editors

Officer Spotlight:

I am excited to introduce our incoming Secretary and future President of the Society, Dr. Kara Boyles. Kara was elected Secretary and took office upon completion of the 2025 International Annual Conference.

Dr. Kara M. Boyles is the new Assistant Director / City Engineer for the City of Miami Beach Public Works Department.  Dr. Boyles has more than 20 years of experience in civil engineering and municipal infrastructure. She most recently served as Director of Capital Delivery Services for the City of Austin, where she oversaw the City’s Capital Improvement Program — leading planning, engineering, project management, and construction to deliver high-quality projects.  Before

that, she made history as the first female City Engineer for South Bend, Indiana, where she spearheaded transformative initiatives such as Rebuilding Our Streets, the city’s first 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, and the award-winning Smart Streets program, which improved safety and accessibility while driving nearly $1 billion in investment downtown.

Her career highlights also include major trail expansions, vibrant streetscapes, and critical utility upgrades that strengthened communities and improved quality of life.

Dr. Boyles holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from Indiana University, and both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from Bradley University.

EMJ Online Access only:

A few years ago, we decided to move Engineering Management Journal (EMJ), our flagship publication, to all-electronic access. This meant no hardcopies would be sent. This process has now reached its final stages. Moving forward EMJ will only be available to members through electronic (online) access.

How do members access EMJ online?

1. Visit https://asem.org/EMJ
2. The top banner on that page reads “Member Access for the Engineering Management Journal.” – That is an active link; Click on that link or paste this link to be directed to that page: https://asem.org/ASEM-Member-Access
3. You are required to login with your ASEM Member credentials to view the Member Access page.
4. The first item on the Member Access page has a link with the text “Clicking Here.” Click on that link and your will be redirected to Taylor and Francis website – our EMJ publishing partner.
5. Yay! You now have access to electronic versions of EMJ. Happy reading!

Regional Symposium:

Our regional presence and events are growing every year. The beginning of 2026 will see a regional event in Huntsville, AL.

The 2nd Regional Symposium in Engineering Management for Space and Defense

Leading Through Complexity: Engineering Management for Emerging Defense and Space Era

Following the success of the Engineering Management in Space and Defense hosted jointly with Kratos in February 2025, we are happy to present The 2nd Regional Symposium in Engineering Management for Space and Defense with the theme Leading Through Complexity: Engineering Management for Emerging Defense and Space Era. The symposium will be held on April 3^rd, 2026 at the Huntsville Botanical Garden, Carnegie House, Huntsville, AL.

The Engineering Leadership for Space & Defense Symposium brings together leaders from industry, government, and academia to discuss the evolving skills today’s engineering managers need. As aerospace, defense, and civil sectors become increasingly interconnected, engineering leaders are expected to manage complex, cross-cultural, multi-organization programs; make sound, ethical decisions under uncertainty; and guide teams through digital transformation, applied AI, and rapid innovation. This symposium focuses on the emerging leadership capabilities that matter most, including communication, collaboration, systems thinking, strategic foresight, and accountability.

Sessions focus on practical lessons drawn from real engineering settings, from leading cross-sector projects to working effectively in diverse, global teams, and managing the organizational challenges that come with today’s technology-driven programs.

Registration is now open. Early Bird Registration ends on February 15, 2026.

Please make use of this opportunity to learn more about a current topic. Follow this link to register: https://asem.org/event-6460885

2026 IAC:

I am going to take this opportunity to thank each of you that made the 2025 International Annual Conference in Boise, ID a success. The 2026 International Conference will be held in Madison, WI from October 7^th to October 10^th, 2026.

• Abstract submissions are now open: https://asem2026.exordo.com/
• Important dates and deadlines: https://asem.org/IAC_Dates

We hope to see you in beautiful Madison, overlooking Lake Monona.

Call for Nominations for EMJ Associate Editors:

Engineering Management Journal (EMJ) is looking for Associate Editors to support their growing portfolio of articles and domain areas.

Associate Editor Responsibilities

The role of associate editor is fundamental to the quality and success of the Engineering Management Journal.  Each associate editor is responsible for overseeing the review of papers that fall within one or more of the topical areas covered by the journal (described above). Core responsibilities include conducting an editorial screening of assigned papers to assess content and fit, selecting and following-up with reviewers, evaluating reviewer feedback to make decisions, confirming that revised papers have adequately addressed reviewer concerns, and communicating with authors, reviewers, editors-in-chief, and Taylor & Francis staff as needed. The position is a voluntary position; a salary is not provided.

Associate Editor Qualifications

Qualifications for an associate editor of the Engineering Management Journal include:

• A demonstrated record of research, scholarship, and application in one or more of the topical areas covered by the journal.
• Prior reviewer experience. Some prior experience specific to EMJ is also strongly preferred but not required. Prior editorial or editorial board experience is also a strength but not required.
• Strong attention to detail, ability to synthesize potentially conflicting information, and ability to oversee the review process in a timely and effective manner.
• Membership in American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) is preferred.

Further information about the journal can be obtained at the Engineering Management Journal home page: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/uemj20.

Nomination Submission

Nominations should include a resume/CV of individual qualifications related to the position. If the candidate has other relevant qualifications not contained in the resume, these can be highlighted in a one-page cover letter (optional). Self‐nominations are encouraged. Those nominating others should first confirm their willingness to serve in the position, if selected.

Please email electronic nominations to:

emjeditor@asem.org

Gana Natarajan, Ph.D., CPEM^®, F. ASEM

President – ASEM (2025 – 2026)

Interested in recruiting or promoting your organization with ASEM? If you would like to reach out to the technical and engineering management community to let them know all you have to offer, ASEM may be the perfect partner! Please visit https://asem.org/Recruitment-and-Promotion to learn more about opportunities available. Please send information and ad to asem-hq@asem.org in a Word or PDF format and submit your advertisement today!

The 2nd Regional Symposium in Engineering Management for Space and Defense

Leading Through Complexity: Engineering Management for Emerging Defense and Space Era

April 3rd, 2026
at the
Huntsville Botanical Garden, Carriage House, Huntsville, AL

ChrisGPT Presents: AI Agents for Everyone

(an ASEM Live Event)

Recording of this Live Event and other online programs available at https://www.asem.org/Webinars

Christopher M. McDermott

Description:

Join ASEM for this Live Event on building agentic workflows using AI. Chris McDermott has been on the vanguard of using AI to leverage his productivity as an engineering leader in the automotive sector. He built ChrisGPT to handle many common corporate requests and direct them to appropriate workflows. He tailored his bot so well that his own mother didn't know that the text she received was from a bot!

Chris will do a live demo of building an AI agent based on audience input. The process has become much simpler in the past few months. He'll share how AI has raised his level of productivity and how it can do the same for you. Sign up before this one reaches capacity.

About the Presenter: Christopher M. McDermott, PE, PMP, Manager, PLM Team

Chris McDermott is a seasoned engineering leader at DENSO’s North American IT Digital Center, where he leads digital transformation and Product Lifecycle Management initiatives. With more than 24 years at DENSO, including international assignments in Mexico, Japan, and Canada, Chris blends technical expertise with a human-centered leadership style. He manages a global, multidisciplinary team that includes a system architect, lead developer, product owners, offshore developers, and helpdesk associates, fostering collaboration across engineering, IT, and business domains. His work integrates systems engineering, artificial intelligence, and automation to enhance organizational efficiency and empower people. A licensed Professional Engineer and certified Project Management Professional, Chris focuses on building resilient, people-first systems that drive innovation and connect human capability with emerging technology to create smarter, more adaptive engineering ecosystems.

ASEM Proudly Recognizes Recent CAEM, CPEM and EMSSGB Certified / Recertified Individuals:

• Natalie Waters
  
• Erica Ahlschwede
  
• Alex Gorod
  
• Kalen Berry
  
• Nasrullah Khan
  
• Michael Uytingco
  
• John Bauer
  
• Clement Potoki
• Reginald Burroughs
  
• Mike Koper
  
• Steve Wang
  
• Michael Burlamachi
  
• Hyuk Soo Son
  
• Andrea Foutch
  
• Bryan Wahlfield
  
• Ipek Bozkurt
  
• Matthew Hennings
  
• Joseph Wilck
  
• Sandro Serpone
  
• James Brino
  
• Faizan Warraich
• Anthony Doran
• John Bennitts
  

• Ben Domingo
  

• Saim Salim
  

• Laith Abu Haija
  

• Derrick Buck
  

• Ona Egbue
  

• Alireza Jamalipour
  

• Vishwas Mathur
  

• Seong Dae Kim
  

• Alexandra Africano
  

• David O'Toole

• Reza Bahari

• Ali Zare

• Akhmad Yudhono
  

• Aaron Ofosuhene
  

• Scott Young
  

• Sivakumar Natarajan
  

• Joel Ludwig
  

• Monib Shahzad

• Mohamed Awwad
  

• Omar Abdelkarim
  

• Cristi Haygood

• Saksham Poudel​

• Joel Jackson
  

• Adnan Mahmood
  

• Walter Barnes II
  

• Tugrul Daim
  

• James Warren
  

• Chris Jardin
  

• Hares Rassuli
  

• Gariann Gelston
  

• Danielle Hilliard
  

• Feras Elimam
  

• Joseph Isodje
  

• Ibrahim Peerzada
  

• C'Anna Wiens
  

• Tara Asgarpoor

• Abhilash Markkassery
  

• Nicholas Hughes
  

• Robert Crowder
  

• Jonathan Sullivan
  

• Jamebel Mahan
  

• Rochelle Watson
  

• Muhammad Bilal
  

• Nicholas Underwood
  

• Raed Fatehi Hasan Ali
  

September 24th - 27th, 2025

The 2025 ASEM International Annual Conference was a Terrific Event!

Hosted at The Grove Hotel, Boise, Idaho, USA

The University of Alabama in Huntsville's Office of Professional and Continuing Education is offering an online on-demand Certification Prep Course. Course registration offers 26 hours of instruction and includes:

• Complimentary ASEM^® Membership
• Digital Course Materials
• Exam Voucher for either the CAEM^® or CPEM^® Exam

Find out more at https://www.uah.edu/opce/program-topics/ASEM

ASEM is proud to now offer the 3rd edition of the Engineering Management Handbook. This EM Handbook edition focuses on the practical application of the domains thus differentiating it from the second edition.

You may download this text through your ASEM membership portal as an member benefit. For non-members, the PDF is available for purchase on the ASEM Store website. Hardcopies will soon be available for purchase on the ASEM Store website as well.

The 11 Domains covered in this handbook, each of which include related topics, are:

Validate Your Skill Set with Professional Certification through ASEM

ASEM offers the two most important industry-recognized certification for technical managers. You can find CAEMs and CPEMs involved in managing and leading at all levels and types of engineering and technology-driven organizations in nearly every country. Over the past twenty years, ASEM has been engaged in intensive research and development to identify the education, skills, and knowledge critical for success as a technical management professional. This work has supported the development and continuous improvement of this formal method for recognizing the CAEM or CPEM engineering management professional designation.

Visit https://asem.org/EM-Professional-Certifications to find out more, and to begin the process to becoming professionally certified as a technical manager, today!