Mechanisms and Robotics (M & R) Committee Financial Report July 31, 2008 Update of the accounts: M&R (Discretionary) account (#4-0414-5034) Balance on DEC.31.06 $7907.32 Balance on SEP.30.07 $7201.27 Balance on JUN.30.08 $22366.28 M&R Award account (#4-0414-5006) Balance on DEC.31.06 $14778.95 Balance on SEP.30.07 $14223.72 Balance on JUN.30.08 $14054.19 A.T. Yang Memorial Award account (#4-0414-5009) Balance on DEC.31.06 $56409.02 Balance on SEP.30.07 $60227.84 Balance on JUN.30.08 $54892.53 M&R Best Paper Award (#4-0414-5011) Balance on DEC.31.06 Account did not exist Balance on SEP.30.07 $10000.00 Balance on JUN.30.08 $9081.55 Activity of Note: Mechanisms and Robotics Awards The M&R Best Paper Award account has been established, #4-0414-5011. The account is being used, for the first time, to fund the Best Paper Award at the 2008 IDETC&CIE. 1RW LQFOXGLQJ WKH 6WXGHQW 'HVLJQ &RPSHWLWLRQ WKH DZDUGV DW WKH ¶8 IDETC&CIE acknowledged the work of 13 individuals with a total award amount of $5500. Name of Award DED Mechanisms and Robotics Award A.T. Yang Memorial Award in Theoretical Kinematics Mechanisms Committee Best Paper Award MSC Simulation Software Award Compliant Mechanism Theory Award Compliant Mechanisms Application Award Freudenstein/General Motors Young Investigator Award
No. of awardees 1 2 1 4 2 2 1
Value $1000 $1000 $1000 $1000 $250 $250 $1000
Account 5006 5009 5011 MSC A. Midha A. Midha GM
Thank you to GM for funding the Freudenstein/General Motors Young Investigator Award, awarded directly by GM to a single winner this year for $1000. Thanks are also extended to Madhu Raghavan at GMR for continuing to oversee this process.
Thank you to Ashok Midha for continued support of The Compliant Mechanism Theory Award and The Compliant Mechanisms Application Award. Each award is worth $250 for a total contribution on behalf of Prof. Midha of $500. Thank you to MSC Software for continued funding of the Simulation Software Award at the $1000 level. This is in addition to the $2000 contribution to the Student Mechanism Design Competition. The cost of plaques and certificates acknowledging awardees and certificates of recognition is $534. Student Mechanism Design Competition The organizers of the Student Mechanism Design Competition raised $2650: o MSC Software, $2000 o OC Robotics, $650 The unsold texts from the John Wiley & Sons, Inc. exhibit booth at the 2008 IDETC&CIE will be distributed to the NSF Essay Competition winners and the Mechanism Design Competition winners. Planning for 2008 The balance of the discretionary M&R Account (5034) is substantial relative to previous annual balances. A budget should be considered for appropriate use of our considerable funds. An incoming Treasurer needs to be appointed, this being the current Treasurer¶s last year. The exiting Treasurer pledges to work closely with the new Treasurer to ensure a smooth transition of operations and information. Appropriate use of the M&R Accounts has been achieved, a frequent concern raised in previous Financial Reports. The recently established M&R Best Paper Account (5011) funds only that award. The M&R Award (5006) account funds only the DED Mechanisms and Robotics Award. The A.T. Yang Memorial Award account (5009) funds only that award. All funding generated or spent otherwise should occur from the M&R discretionary account (5034). A close working relationship between the Awards Chair and the Treasurer of the M&R TC helps to minimize many of these errors. Access to account activity is not readily granted by ASME, but seems to be improving. Due to the combination of limited access to account information and the Treasurer not acting as a gatekeeper for the accounts, approving spending from these accounts proves problematic. Thus, a systematic process needs to be instituted for keeping a reasonable estimate of the current balance of, at least, the M&R discretionary account (5034). A proposal should be considered requiring the treasurer to be an email signatory to all M&R transactions.
Points of Contact: At ASME for financial matters concerning the M&R Technical Committee: LaShion Pettiford ASME International Three Park Avenue, 22W3 New York, NY 10016-5990 Phone: (212) 591-7387 Email:
[email protected] The exiting Treasurer of the Mechanisms and Robotics Technical Committee: Andrew P. Murray Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering The University of Dayton 300 College Park Dayton, OH 45469-0238 Phone: 937.229.2201 Email:
[email protected] Respectfully submitted, Andrew P. Murray Treasurer of the Mechanisms and Robotics Technical Committee