Ester Williams in Berlin
© DIN

Jamaican Ester Williams, the autumn 2014 winner of the ISO/DIN competition for young standardizers in emerging countries, redeemed her prize in June and visited DIN in Berlin. During her five-day stay in the German capital, Ms. Williams gained insight into the activities and functions of the German standards body.

She learned not only how standardization works in Germany, but also discovered the important role that DIN plays in innovative areas such as electromobility, Industry 4.0 and smart cities. In discussions with DIN staff, she gained knowledge regarding services standardization and the work of the DIN Consumer Council. Informative meetings with staff members from DIN subsidiaries Beuth Verlag and DIN Software rounded out the comprehensive program.

In an official letter, Ms. Williams personally thanked the Chairman of DIN's Executive Board, Dr. Torsten Bahke, for the invitation to Berlin. Williams noted that this trip was a valuable experience and that she was able to gain new perspectives into the field of standardization. Her stay in Berlin and the time spent at DIN also reinforced Williams' goal of pursuing a career in international standardization.

The objective of this biennial competition, organized by ISO and sponsored by DIN, is to foster talent among young standardizers and promote the benefits of standardization. In the 2014 competition, participants had to write an essay explaining how ISO Standards contribute to making renewable energy sources viable for the future. In her essay, Ester Williams described how standards in Jamaica and worldwide lead to environmentally friendly development by helping to lower CO2 emissions and increasing the use of sustainable forms of energy. She recommends that Jamaica expand its level of standardization activities and use more renewable energy sources in the future to lower emissions permanently.