Fall Newsletter 2020 - web version - Flipbook - Page 8
IAS Newsletter | Fall 2020
Assessor Spotlight – Dr. Max Porter, P.E.
Dr. Max Porter has worked as an IAS assessor for the past seven years. He earned his BS in Civil
Engineering in 1965 and an MS and PhD in Structural Engineering from Iowa State University (ISU)
in 1968 and 1974, respectfully. In 1966, he became an Instructor at ISU, later earning the title of
Assistant Professor in 1974, Associate Professor in 1977, Professor in 1981, and the distinction of
University Professor in 2010 until his retirement in 2012. He now holds the title of University Professor Emeritus.
Dr. Porter, a nationally and internationally recognized structural expert, building standards developer
and experienced disaster investigator brings his expertise to his role as an IAS assessor for Inspection
Agencies, Special Inspection Agencies, Product Certification Agencies, and Testing Laboratories.
Dr. Porter serves his community and is actively involved in several professional associations. Some
positions that he currently holds include chair of the King-Am Neighborhood Association in Ames, IA
(a position he has held for nearly 25 years) and chair of the Fiber Composite and Polymer Standards
Committee (FCAPS) of ASCE. He has chaired several standards committees, including the Steel
Deck with Concrete of ASCE, the Masonry Joint Standards (MSJC) for TMS, ACI, and ASCE and
the Administrative Committee of the Codes and Standards (CSC) of ASCE. Besides chairing these
standards committees, he has served on several other standards and building code committees and is still active on several of them.
He is also a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and a member of the Committee on Ethical Practices of
the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Committees of Fiber Reinforcement for Concrete Structures and of Fiber Reinforced
Concrete of the American Concrete Institute. He is also a fellow of the American Concrete Institute, the Masonry Society, and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He has served as President of the Structural Engineering Institute and President of The Masonry Society.
He has served in multiple terms on his church Board of Trustees, including President and is currently the Vice President.
When he isn’t doing assessments for IAS, or participating in committee or community work, Dr. Porter enjoys playing and following
sports (his favorites are football, basketball, and racquetball), collecting model trains, and adding to his stamp and coin collections. His
consulting, investigation, and inspection work has taken him to different locations in the US, however Ames, Iowa has been his home
base since 1961 where he currently lives with this wife (also an ISU graduate and employee) of 51 years. Here’s what he had to say
about doing IAS assessments.
Q: What is your favorite part of doing assessments?
A: The rewarding feeling of being able to help improve a laboratory or facility or process during the assessment. I try to aid in the process to make improvements as well as making an evaluation at a facility.
Q: What is the most challenging part of doing assessments?
A: When there is a loss of the signal or internet during a remote assessment. Another challenge is to squeeze in all the items to review
within the limited time frame.
Q: How did you start doing assessments for IAS?
A: I was recruited by a long-time acquaintance on one of the mutual code committees who worked for the ICC-ES system who told me
when I decided to give up teaching, I would be eligible to be considered as an assessor for IAS. He asked me if he could submit my
name, and after passing multiple courses and exams in the IAS system, I was “sucked in”.
Q: What did you enjoy most about being a professor?
A: The most rewarding experiences were my opportunities to pursue research in areas related to building codes; namely, structural engineering, composite structures, FRP, composite steel deck floor slabs, reinforced concrete, structural steel, masonry structures, and
disaster investigations. My most fond memories were the awards received from these activities and the outstanding people that
I’ve had the privilege to work with on the national code committees, leading to fruitful contributions to the building codes resulting
from my research.
Q: What skills did you take from your time as professor to becoming an IAS assessor?
Upcoming Online Trainings and Webinars
Webinars
Listen to industry experts, ask questions, and learn during these live IAS
webinar training sessions. Check out
the schedules and course descriptions below.
ISO/IEC 17025: 2017 for Testing and Calibration Labs
Learn about the updated ISO/IEC 17025 standard and its structural components, traceability of measurement, and estimations of
uncertainty.
September 30-October 1 - Learn more
ISO/IEC 17021-1 for Management Systems
Better understand the ISO/IEC 17021 standard and its critical
requirements. Learn details about the accreditation process and
cost-effective implementation recommendations.
October 7-9 – Learn more
ISO/IEC 17065:2012 Product Certification Agencies
Introduction and refresher course to ISO/IEC 17065 standard,
Management System requirements, IAS assessment process,
Auditing techniques.
October 13-14– Learn more
Quality management
Membership in standards development
organizations
Accreditation authorities and the staff of
testing and measuring laboratories
This course is delivered via a cohort format consisting of four
modules instructed by recognized subject matter experts in their
areas of standardization and conformity. Class meetings will
take place via Zoom on four Saturdays and one additional all-day
symposium. Delegates must attend all sessions and pass an
examination with a score of 70% or better on the final Saturday to
receive this certificate.
Class Topics and Meeting Days
Module 1 - Conformity Assessment Principles /Management
System | Oct. 3
Module 2 - Systems of Accreditation /Systems of Certification |
Oct. 10
Introduction and refresher course to ISO/IEC 17020 standard,
Management System requirements, IAS assessment process,
Auditing techniques.
Module 3 - The World of Standardization /Global Issues in Conformity Assessment | Oct. 17
October 21-22 - Learn more
Module 4 - Risk Analysis in Conformity Assessment /Metrology in
Conformity Assessment | Oct. 24
Online Training
Exam/Project Presentation | Nov. 7
Learn about the key ISO/IEC standards using IAS online courses
when it is convenient for your schedule. Get the details for each
course and download the syllabus. Start and stop the training
when necessary. These courses provide in-depth training and
range from 3 to 10 hours to complete. Check out the sample
online training pages.
Program Cost
AC 473 Requirements for Accreditation of Cold Formed Steel
Component Inspection – Learn more
For more information, visit the CSUDH website or email Michael
Casner
ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratories – Learn more
California ELAP Training
ISO/IEC 17025 Revision to 2017 version – Learn more
The following IAS training sessions
presented by Dr. Tony Francis have
been made available for your viewing.
ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection bodies – Learn more
ISO/IEC 17065 for certification bodies – Learn more
The total price for Accreditation, Standardization and Conformity
Assessment is $599. Registration must be completed by September 30, 2020. Discounts are available for groups of 3 or more.
To Register for this course, call 310-243-3741 (Option 1)
Webinar 1: CA ELAP/2016 TNI Standard for Testing Laboratories Training
Video. (90-minutes)
Webinar 2: Get ready for the new California ELAP Accreditation
Requirements Training Video. (60-minutes)
Q: In your opinion, what is the best value of becoming accredited?
Webinar 3: How to prepare your Laboratory for an ELAP Assessment Video. (90-minutes)
A: The international reputation and recognition of a facility to carry out a testing or other procedure according to prescribed recognized
criteria, such as those standards developed via the consensus process.
IAS Fall 2020 Newsletter
CSUDH and IAS have developed a 4-Module Certificate for IAS
clients, ICC membership, Assessors, and Subject Matter Experts
involved in conformity assessment. The program is for University
students/alumni, STEM and technical professionals with practical
experience in one or more of the following areas:
ISO/IEC 17020:2012 Inspection Agencies
A: The experiences from being a president of 7 organizations from speaking at numerous conventions, national meetings, and being
an invited speaker of special meetings, including, e.g. ethics presentations based upon my work on the national ethics committees,
and the opportunities to work with a lot of great people in the various professional organizations.
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International Accreditation Service (IAS) and California State
University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Program
Webinar 4: The Importance of QC in an ELAP Laboratory Video.
(100-minutes)
www.iasonline.org
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