It is never easy for anyone to say goodbye. However, life is a journey, in which we have to bid farewell to the people and things that we love and cherish.

Kathie Morgan, President of ASTM International, will step away from a career that has been far more than a job for her at the end of September. We are grateful that she shared her 40-year story with ASTM, the significant shifts in ASTM’s evolution, and many innovative milestones during her presidency.

“One of the cornerstones of ASTM’s contribution to society has been our standards development process fueled by 30,000+ members from over 150 countries and our online platform, Compass, that not only provides access to the most up-to-date standards but also offers tools that boost productivity and streamline workflows,” wrote Kathie Morgan in the article.

To help readers have a deep understanding of ASTM International, its businesses, standards development system and database, we also interviewed Hu Yanan, the Operation Manager of the ASTM International China Office. You may find out why this century-old organization still exudes strong vitality today.

The DIALOGUE column presents the seminar held by China Standardization Press to probe into the directions and difficulties of standardization discipline construction in China. Six experts from academia, research institutions, and standardization committees were invited to share their insights into issues such as the status of standardization discipline, development trend, policy support, standardization knowledge system, and difficulties of offering standardization courses.

In the RESEARCH & EXPLORATION column, three academic papers focus on the analysis of the standardization of community security fund management, TCM standardization in Sichuan province, and ISO 13205:2024 respectively.

Just as T. S. Eliot said, “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning.” May the Sept./Oct. issue inspire you to some extent.