ASME President, 2002-2003

Susan H. Skemp was the 121st president of ASME International serving the 2002-2003 term.  During the past 22 years, Ms. Skemp has worked within all five of ASME’s councils.  In addition to her tenure as president, she has served on the Board of Governors, Committee on Planning and Organization, Committee on Member Interests, Committee on Staff, Board on Member Interests and Development, International Gas Turbine Institute, Board on Performance Test Codes, and other units.  She is also an ASME fellow. 

Susan Skemp, of Mansfield, Conn., is manager of advanced technology planning at Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, Conn.  Her duties and responsibilities encompass materials assessment, emissions, safety and reliability, and other technical issues associated with the company’s aircraft engines and space propulsion systems.  Ms. Skemp has spent her entire professional engineering career at Pratt & Whitney, rejoining the manufacturer in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1981, upon receiving her bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering

As senior analytical engineer from 1981 to 1990, Susan Skemp worked on a variety of Pratt & Whitney’s acclaimed engine programs for the United States military, NASA, and commercial markets. On the company’s PW220 and PW229 projects, Ms. Skemp was the lead engineer in charge of qualifying the fighter aircraft engines for critical operating regimens in the U.S. military.  Ms. Skemp also contributed to the PW4000 and PW5000 engines of Pratt & Whitney and managed programs to meet ISO 9001 as well as U.S. government standards and regulations. During her initial career with Pratt & Whitney, she performed systems analysis and test verification on the 250K engine and RL10, the first liquid hydrogen-fueled rocket in space, which is an ASME Mechanical Engineering Landmark.

In 1990, Ms. Skemp became program manager of advanced technology, a position she held until 1999.  She worked on Pratt & Whitney’s Advanced Technology Engine Gas Generator Core Demonstrator, an ambitious $100 million program focused on increasing the thrust and weight capabilities of the military fighter jet.  Ms. Skemp also managed the $8 million NASA Test Engine System Technology program, developing combustion technologies that reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides by 50 percent.  This engine was later refined and placed in commercial service.

In 1999, Ms. Skemp assumed the responsibilities of manager of advanced technology planning in East Hartford.  In this position, she integrates technology planning across all Pratt & Whitney business platforms and manages a team of corporate engineers and technicians responsible for technology development, timelines and resource requirements.  Her duties also include quality control, risk analysis, and budgeting.
Pratt & Whitney has recognized Ms. Skemp’s contributions and bestowed awards for technical achievement and also for mentoring.

Susan Skemp received her education and training at Florida Atlantic University, earning a bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1981.  In addition to ASME, Ms. Skemp is a member of civic organizations and other technical/professional organizations.