Executive Summary
STLE celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2019. If you wonder about the vision of STLE’s founders, then it’s interesting to note how almost all of today’s top-rated STLE services were formed seven decades ago when the organization was incorporated. Education, the annual meeting, the magazine, local sections, research, leadership opportunities—all were set into place in March 1944. Of STLE’s signature services, the only one not created in 1944 was certification, which the society didn’t address until 1993. Since then certification has not only become one of STLE’s most successful programs, it is a requirement for employment for certain positions in the lubricants industry. While STLE is known for world-class technical education and training, most readers rate face-to-face relationship building as equally important and note that it’s a dynamic that extends beyond peer-to-peer networking. “STLE places me in a position that lets my customers know I’m looking out for them,” said one reader.
Q.1. Please list the top benefits you get from STLE membership.
Industry information from a variety of top sources.
As a member we get (1.) security, (2.) relationships, (3.) closeness.
Education, certification.
TLT, Learning Pathways, Webinar series discounts.
Digital version of Tribology Transactions, information on upcoming tribology meetings and training information by people concerned with tribology.
Education courses. Annual meeting is a great way for us to meet our customers. TLT offers industry insights.
Professional recognition, career advancement and knowledge sharing.
Access to local STLE chapter meetings and resources. Visibility among lubricant professionals.
Technical knowledge. Networking. Recognition.
Industry information, contacts, lube product knowledge.
Being part of a great society. Networking. Courses and conferences.
Networking. Keeping up with industry developments. Annual meeting.
Professional networking. Access to technical information. TLT, Tribology Transactions and other publications. Annual Meeting.
Networking. Knowledge. Friendship.
TLT.
Networking, certification and recognition.
Tribology Transactions, industry updates and networking.
TLT, the annual meeting (papers, exhibition, networking, education). STLE is a globally recognized organization.
Technical education.
Networking. Knowledge. Opportunity.
Networking, updates on new developments, venue to present research work.
Recognition from peers and customers. Great TLT articles and Webinars. With presentation of CLS card you get instant credibility.
Interaction with students is something I don’t get elsewhere.
Networking, discounts on courses/events and TLT.
Webinars. Short courses at STLE annual meetings. TLT presents industry trends and new technologies.
Access to top-flight tribology publications. Connection to other tribologists. Continuing education.
Professional recognition. Education opportunities. Networking.
Connections within the lubricant community. Certification. A place for volunteering.
Education. TLT. Networking opportunities.
Networking, staying current on new technology, learning about new approaches to customer issues.
News and activity in my specialty. Increasing knowledge in areas outside my immediate interest. Networking with my peers.
Access to STLE’s technical library and research publications. Business networking. Discounts at the annual meeting and on other STLE resources.
Develop a network of technical support. TLT, which presents good end-user info from time to time.
Other than TLT and the pride of a technical organization membership, very little on a daily basis.
TLT articles provide continued training. Knowledge that sets me apart from the competitors.
Sources of information and friendship.
Networking, technical updates, industry information.
Cohorts, people to talk to, industry news.
Access to technical information like papers (Tribology Transactions). Networking opportunities. Tribology-related news in TLT.
TLT. Camaraderie. Professional certification.
Best practices training and certifications.
World-class tribological knowledge, TLT, training preparation.
Annual conference attendance. Current information/scientific news. Networking/collaboration.
Credibility—I’m 28 years old, so this one is huge for me in an industry dominated by experience.
Annual meeting. TLT. Webinars.
Networking. TLT. Philadelphia Section meetings.
Technical information, industry news, professional contacts.
Networking with suppliers. Staying current on industry and market trends. Educational tools.
CLS, industry contacts, TLT.
STLE annual meeting. Discounts on education courses.
I love the magazine. I enjoy being affiliated with STLE. Staying current in the industry helps my consulting profession.
The only reason I’m a member is because my employer pays for the membership and receives a discount when I register for the annual meeting.
Do you plan to renew your STLE membership when it expires?
Yes
94%
No
6%
Based on responses sent to 15,000 TLT readers.
Q.2. STLE membership has assisted me in my professional development by:
Giving me a wide variety of contacts to get ideas for lubricants moving forward.
CLS certification, ongoing education, industry trends and updates.
Opening my eyes to the complex issues surrounding lubricants and lubrication.
Collecting information on tribology worldwide.
Offering well-organized education courses and CLS certification program.
The constant knowledge sharing.
Shifting my research attention to lubricant technology.
Encouraging me to stay with tribology.
Growing my knowledge through courses and annual meeting sessions, increasing my visibility and credibility by giving presentations, earning the CMFS certification and growing my network.
Industry leads.
Content and conferences plus Webinars.
Keeping me current on the latest technologies and key players in my field.
Enriching my knowledge of the latest developments in tribology and lubrication technology.
Giving me a monthly resource where I can learn more about the field.
Connecting with the people who have hired me.
Networking and finding vendors/supplier.
Demonstrating my industry knowledge and competence through certification.
Helping me to better understand how lubrication works in the real world.
Opportunity to lead as a chapter board member and staying informed on the latest developments in lubricants and engineering.
Keeping me aware of new products and trends in tribology.
STLE certification is a requirement in my job.
Keeping me in touch with folks, even though I switched to different industries. This allowed me to stay up to date on the most recent technology.
Enabling me to become a CLS. Putting me in contact with some great people. Allowing me to contribute to the well-being of others.
Providing relevant education courses and certification programs for my field.
Providing knowledge and training for the lubricants industry.
Strong technical support.
Providing instant access to current research in tribology via STLE journals.
My employers have placed value on my designation as a CLS. That has proven beneficial to me through career opportunities.
Making industry connections. Making certification a career target. Allowing me to present my work at meetings.
Giving me a broad knowledge of my field and interacting with internationally known experts in their fields.
Providing the venue to develop long-lasting relationships.
Providing broad knowledge about tribology and lubrication science.
Providing me with the opportunity to meet and discuss business with other leading experts in tribology.
The knowledge I have gained.
Providing opportunities to see high-quality technical presentations and papers.
Opening doors to jobs because of their professional certifications they offer. CLS, OMA, etc.
Keeping me abreast of technical advances and pending industry trends and the knowledge necessary to service my customers with solid advice and applicable lubricants.
Give testimonials and deepest details of field experiences in applications and solutions of lubes issues.
Allowing me to get actual information on tribology.
Accelerating my learning when I came to this area (courses, conferences).
Placing me in a position that lets my customers know I’m looking out for them.
Keeping in contact with industry colleagues.
Providing me with numerous networking opportunities.
Providing me with industry news, lifetime industry contacts and extremely useful technical information.
Keeping me informed about our industry and providing a platform to meet other professionals and experts.
Providing me with industry exposure, and my CLS gives me more clout than my industry peers who do not have it.
Providing opportunities to continue my education.
I disagree that simply being an STLE member has assisted my career and professional development in any way.
Including STLE, how many professional organizations do you belong to?
1-2
51%
3-4
43%
5-6
5%
More than 6
1%
Based on responses sent to 15,000 TLT readers.