WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA — The U.S. Standardization Center of Excellence for Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETs), now rebranded ASCET – Advancing Standardization for Critical and Emerging Technologies, held its inaugural workshop on May 14-15, 2025. The two-day event, conducted in the Washington metropolitan area, drew nearly 200 stakeholders from industry, government, academia, and standards development organizations, each committed to strengthening U.S. influence in global technology standardization.
The workshop highlighted the importance of early engagement in global standardization efforts for critical and emerging technologies (CETs), such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and biotechnology. Participants engaged in panel discussions, breakout sessions, and presentations to identify key activities needed to boost U.S. leadership in the field.
“It is essential to introduce advanced standardization processes into the landscape of critical and emerging technologies as early as possible,” said Dr. Mohsen Seifi, ASTM vice president of global advanced manufacturing programs and principal investigator of the center. “This successful workshop served as the first step towards operationalizing our objectives, welcoming key stakeholders, and promoting U.S. engagement in this global endeavor forward. We will take information and feedback gleaned from the workshop and help us further define ASCET’s scope of work and next steps. We look forward to driving this effort with key partners and interested parties.”
The workshop provided a platform to introduce ASCET’s branding and mission, which is designed to support U.S. private-sector-driven engagement and capacity building for international standards development. Focused on advancing standards through pre-standardization activities, workforce capacity building, and the creation of an information sharing hub, ASCET also outlined plans for launching pre-standardization pilot programs.
Attendees explored challenges and opportunities in global standardization, while breakout sessions facilitated discussions on the specific steps required to enhance the U.S. role in CET standardization. Several presentations focused on operationalizing ASCET’s roadmap and processes.
This initiative stems from a cooperative agreement between ASTM International and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). ASCET is being supported by multiple key partners with expertise in the development of standards and workforce education. These partners include ANSI, A3 Association for Advancing Automation, ASME, IEEE, UL Standards and Engagement, CSA Group, and Nexight Group. Financial support for ASCET is provided in part through the National Institute of Standards and Technology financial assistance award 70NANB24H334.
Future workshops are already being planned as ASCET continues to refine its goals and expand its impact, with input from stakeholders across the standardization ecosystem. These efforts reflect a strong commitment to ensuring U.S. leadership in the critical global technologies of tomorrow.
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