//Recognizing Quality Innovation

Recognizing Quality Innovation

2018-05-25T17:20:08+00:00

Honoring those in the mobility industry who demonstrate ability and talent to further innovation and broaden the impact of

Quality & Me

Subir shares his own personal efforts to work toward continuous improvement within his own community, among his friends and family.

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Books by Subir

The Power of LEO
The Ice Cream Maker
The Power of Design for Six
The Power of Six Sigma
Organization 21c

The Subir Chowdhury Medal of Quality Leadership was established by the Society of Automotive Engineers along with the Subir and Malini Chowdhury Foundation. Established in 2010, the award is honors individuals and organizations who demonstrate ability and talent to further innovation and broaden the impact of “quality” in mobility engineering, design and manufacture.

This award is offered in the spirit of my lifetime of work toward quality in the engineering professions. It’s purpose is to recognize the benefit to our global society when engineers practice the utmost quality in their work. The SAE website says that the award recognizes, “the power of quality in engineering.” I may add that we use excellence of this type to broaden our vision of what is achievable.

Certainly, I hope that this award enhances the public perception of SAE International as an organization that celebrates contributions of all individuals and their work in this area. My aim comports with theirs: to demonstrate “the deeper scope and reach of SAE International” and engineering professions to the public.

I honor medal recipients – past and present:

LOGO_sae_international

Recipient Award Employer
Gerald Johnson 2017 General Motors
Shahjada Ahmed Pahlovy, PhD 2016 Dynax Corporation
Glen A. Barton 2011 Caterpillar Inc
James D. Power 2010 JD Power And Associates

Step back so you can move forward

When I need to recharge my batteries, I usually go for a long walk. Sometimes by myself, sometimes with one of my kids. I always end up feeling refreshed and reenergized when I return. It’s critical that you’re passionate about what you do—otherwise, what’s the point? However, there’s a difference between passion and obsession. Let me explain.

Center for Bangladesh Studies at UC Berkeley

The Subir & Malini Chowdhury Center for Bangladesh Studies at the University of California, Berkeley has an ambitious mission ahead. At the top of their list are innovative projects that aim to improve garment-industry safety, apps to solve social problems, and gathering data on antibiotic-resistant bacteria found on fruits and vegetables. And that's only a month after it opened on March 30.

Making Choices

Subir reflects on his arrival into the United States with the promise of a job, only to find that the promise is broken. Practically penniless, Subir searches deep into his soul. Undefeated and undeterred, Subir pursues professors and department heads until he meets one who asks: You went to 20 departments, and now it is the 21st one; if I say no to you what you would do? Subir tells him, "I will go to the 22nd." This is Subir's story, not of conquest, but of perseverance in the face of making difficult choices.

Valuable Trash

Not all waste is created equal. Some of it is extremely valuable; especially when it teaches us something about the way we run our business. The owner of an insurance brokerage in Los Angeles, CA – we will call him “Cooper” – relayed this story to us recently.