FAQs
Membership Benefits
How will being an SPE member benefit me?
How can SPE membership help me solve day to day work problems?
How can SPE Membership help me make contacts?
How can I use my SPE membership to enhance and advance my career?
Does SPE offer personal benefits?
Does SPE offer career development services?
How do I access member only online services?
Technical Affilitations, Sections, Getting Involved
As a member, why should I be more involved with SPE?
How can I become more involved?
What is a technical Division?
Can I participate in more than one technical Division?
What is a Section?
How do I choose a geographic Section?
Can I participate in more than one geographic Section?
What is
a Special Interest Group?
What Are the Discussion Forums?
Dues
What are SPE's current membership dues?
How are membership dues set?
Why have dues?
What portion
of SPE revenue do dues represent?
Are my dues
deductible?
Renewing Online
What is my SPE User ID?
What is my Password?
If I renew online will I get a receipt?
Is renewing online secure?
What type of payment is accepted online?
Membership Administration
How do I apply for membership?
What forms of payment does SPE accept?
How long before my
membership is activated?
How long is my membership valid?
When will I receive my first issue
of Plastics Engineering magazine?
How can I get a receipt for dues payment?
Your Membership
Record
What is my join date?
Why is my join date important?
Can I lose my join date?
What is
my member ID?
How do I get my member ID?
If I was a member of SPE and decide to
return,
would I have the same member ID?
Why do you need my birth date?
Why do
you need my email address?
Why
do you ask for a business and home address?
What is a preferred address?
Other Membership Questions
What are distinguished grades of membership?
Does SPE sell its membership list
to third parties?
Who to contact?
Membership Benefits
How will being an SPE member benefit me?
SPE, and the 20,000 plastics professionals we
represent around the globe, act as your partners
in developing and securing your career as a plastics
professional. SPE has the technical and professional
tools, and the worldwide peer network you need
to succeed, including the latest, most authoritative
technical information; Plastics Engineering magazine;
24 targeted technical Divisions; 90+ local geographic
Sections and Special Interest Groups; free online
access to more than 6,000 conference proceedings;
free access to our extensive career and job search
resources; members-only savings on hundreds of
technical publications and journals, more than
150 state-of-the-art training and education opportunities;
low-cost health insurance, and more. Visit our
Membership Benefits
page for more information.
How can SPE membership help me solve day to
day work
problems?
By providing you with immediate access to the
experts and answers you need. SPE’s online
forum, exclusive Member Directory, and Sections
enable you to ask questions and get answers from
SPE’s worldwide network of plastics professionals.
Our free, searchable online databases of more
than 6,000 technical conference proceedings, online
technical journal database and 24 technical Divisions
mean you can pinpoint the answers to your technical
questions. SPE’s more than 150 technical
conferences and seminars, including ANTEC, the
premier plastics technical conference, and targeted
topical conferences address the specific areas
where you need help. And, SPE’s more than
300 other technical publications, plus our peer-reviewed
and designed resources put the answers to your
challenges at your fingertips.
How can SPE
Membership help me make contacts?
By linking you with a local, national, and international
network of plastics professionals, through local
Geographic Sections, online forums and discussion
groups, technical Divisions, Special
Interest Groups, and Leadership Development opportunities,
and the SPE Member Directory. And, SPE conferences
and seminars draw plastics
professionals from around the world, enabling you
to meet face-to-face with your colleagues and peers
in the global plastics marketplace.
How can I use
my SPE membership to enhance and advance my career?
Use your SPE membership to stay on top of the
latest developments in plastics; keep your technical
skills up-to-date; make valuable professional contacts;
find solutions to the problems
on your desk today; better market yourself to
potential
employers; promote and support your profession;
develop your leadership skills,
and more. Visit our Membership page for a more
complete understanding of the entire suite of
career-enhancing benefits
available with your
SPE membership.
Does SPE offer personal benefits?
Members may qualify for special rates on credit
cards and group health and life insurance.
Does SPE offer
career development services?
Yes, SPE has several online resources available.
Members can post a resume, review job postings
and read articles about career
development.
How do
I access member only online services?
You need an active member ID and password. When
you join or renew your membership this information
is sent to you when you are notified that your
membership has been processed. You can also contact
customer relations at +1 203-740-5403 or membership@4spe.org
for this information.
Technical Affilitations, Sections, Getting Involved
As a member, why should I be
more involved with SPE?
The more involved you become in SPE, the
more you come into contact with a wide range
of professionals from whom you can
draw knowledge.
How can I become more involved?
There are many opportunities to volunteer.
Here are a few ideas: Begin at the local
level (Sections) by participating in
meetings and events. Get involved with
your technical
Division by volunteering to be a speaker.
You can write a technical
paper for
a newsletter or to present at a conference.
Volunteer to be on a committee. As a volunteer,
you gain valuable leadership and team-building
skills. To learn more about volunteer opportunities
available click
here.
What is a technical
Division?
SPE's 24 technical Divisions sponsor technical
conferences, secure authors and papers for presentations,
provide members with the latest in technical information,
and publish newsletters. A primary technical Division
is included with membership.
Can I participate in
more than one technical Division?
Yes, your choice of a primary technical Division
is included with membership dues and you can select
additional Divisions for a nominal fee.
What is a Section?
A Section is a local group that a
member is affiliated with based
on their geographic location. SPE
has about 100 Sections in over
70 Countries.
How do I choose
a geographic Section?
When your application is
processed, SPE Headquarters will assign the
closest Section geographically
near you based on
the address on your application.
Can I participate in more than one geographic Section?
Technically speaking, you can only participate
in one geographic Section. SPE Headquarters assigns
your Section based on your preferred address.
However, if you travel outside your area, you
are welcome to attend any SPE Section meeting.
If you want to change your Section, please contact
customer relations at +1 203-740-5403 or membership@4spe.org.
What is
a Special Interest Group?
SIGs (Special Interest Groups)
explore new and/or emerging
areas of science or technology
not presently being
covered by SPE and determine
where
those areas
fit into
the Society's structure.
Affiliation with a SIG is free.
What Are the Discussion Forums?
Forums where members can post
technical questions and exchange
ideas.
Dues
What are SPE’s current membership dues?
The SPE Council, as part of the 2009 budget process, has approved a dues increase. Effective April 1, 2009, new members will pay US$ 144.00, which includes a one-time $15.00 initiation fee. Effective April 1, 2009, annual dues fro renewing members will be US$ 129.00. Dues for Student and Emeritus members wil be US$ 31.00.
How are membership dues set?
Dues are set by a vote of
Council, the governing
body of SPE.
Why have dues?
Dues income is used to
support Section, Division,
Special Interest groups programs
and activities, government
relations, new product
development,
and direct
services
to members. A portion
of dues income supports
the general fund to help
offset expenses related
to Plastics Engineering
magazine.
Other sources
of income include technical
publications, advertising
sales, meetings,
conferences,
and seminars.
What portion
of SPE revenue do dues represent?
Approximately 30% of
all revenues come
from dues. Other main sources include
SPE journals, magazine
advertising
sales,
ANTEC, Topical
Conferences and other
educational product
sales.
Are my dues
deductible?
SPE dues are not
deductible as a
charitable contribution for federal income
tax purposes, but
may be
deductible as a
business expense. SPE
suggests that you
contact your tax
advisor for advice.
Renewing Online
What is my SPE User ID?It’s the same as your SPE Member ID # and is listed on your SPE Member ID card.
What is my Password?
It’s your last name unless you changed your password. Trouble accessing your password?
Click “forgot password” on the Login page to receive a temporary one.
If I renew online will I get a receipt?
Yes. It will be emailed immediately upon completion of the online renewal.
Is renewing online secure?
Yes. The site is protected through Verisign.
What type of payment is accepted online?
MasterCard, Visa and American Express credit cards.
Membership Administration
How do I apply for membership?
SPE offers several ways to apply for membership.
Please note that dues payment must accompany application
- Apply online. A valid credit card for payment is required
- Download a membership application. (You will need adobe acrobat to view and print) and mail or fax with your payment
- Email us at info@4spe.org and request an application
- Call customer relations at +1 203-740-5403 to request an application
What forms of payment does SPE accept?
SPE accepts the following for payment
Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard and American Express
Checks : Must be drawn on US or Canadian banks
in US or Canadian funds
Wire Transfer: Contact Customer Relations at +1
203-740-5403 or membership@4spe.org
How long before my
membership is activated?
Membership applications are usually processed within
3 business days of receipt and your membership is
active once your dues payment is applied. If you
supplied an email address on your
application, you will receive email notification
that your membership has been processed and will
include your member ID number, which
can be used to access SPE members-only services.
A member ID card, new member certificate, and paper
receipt for dues will be mailed
to you and should arrive 4-6 weeks after your application
is processed.
How long is my membership valid?
SPE annual membership is valid for twelve months
from the month your application is processed.
When will I receive
my first issue of Plastics Engineering
magazine?
SPE members have online
access to current and archived issues of the magazine.
All Members will receive the magazine via post.
If your application is processed before the 20th
of a given month, you should receive the next
month's issue of the magazine. If it is processed
after the 20th of a given month, your subscription
will start with the 2nd month's issue. For example:
If your application was processed February 15th,
you will likely receive the March issue. However,
if it was processed February 28th, your first
issue will likely be the April issue. Regardless
of when you receive the first issue, you will
receive 12 months of Plastics Engineering
included with your membership.
How can I get a receipt for dues payment?
A paper receipt will be mailed to you with your
member ID card. It generally takes about 4
weeks from the date your application is processed to receive.
If you provided an email address, you
will receive an email notification that your
membership was processed. If you paid for dues
online, you
will be able to print out an order
acknowledgement.
Your Membership Record
What is my join date?
The date your application is processed is your join
date.
Why is my join date important?
Your join date allows us to calculate how long you
have been a member of SPE. It determines whether
you are eligible for different grades of membership
and other recognitions.
Can I lose my join date?
Yes, if your membership lapses you can forfeit your
join date. When you re-join, your new join date
will be assigned based on the date your new application
is processed
and you will
lose your tenure with the organization.
What is
my member ID?
Each member is assigned a unique identification
number. This member ID is used to access member
only benefits.
How do I get my member ID?
Each member receives a member ID card. If you
misplaced your card, you can contact customer
relations at +1 203-740-5403 or membership@4spe.org
to request a new one.
If I was a member of SPE and decide to
return,
would I have the same member ID?
Most likely your member ID number would remain
the same.
Why do you need my birth date?
With over 20,000 members, there is likelihood
that our database includes duplicate names.
Your birth date is used to help us identify
you and locate your member record.
Why do
you need my email address?
Email has become a preferred communication
tool for SPE because it is a cost effective
way to keep members informed about the
Society and their membership status.
Your address allows us to send you monthly e-bulletins,
online newsletters, and other correspondence.
Email
addresses are
for
Society business only.
SPE does not rent or sell email addresses.
Why
do you ask for a business and home address?
We ask for both addresses so we have
an alternate way to contact you should
you move or leave
your current employer and
we are not notified. You can select
a preferred address that we will use for Society
mailings.
What is a preferred address?
Your preferred address is the mailing
address that SPE uses to send correspondence.
Other Membership Questions
What are distinguished grades of membership?Distinguished grades of membership are based on education and work experience credits. New members are granted affiliate membership status when they join SPE. Members wanting to change their grade of membership need to complete a request form and provide work and education history. To learn more about the different grades of membership, click here.
Does SPE sell its membership list
to third parties?
SPE does not sell its membership list. We do not
share phone numbers or email addresses. SPE does
rent member names and mailing addresses only to
third parties that are marketing a product or
service that could benefit our members. SPE staff
personally reviews each request before permission
is granted. Members can choose to exclude their
address from third party mailings by checking
off the appropriate box on the member application
or contacting customer relations at +1 203-740-5403
(phone) or membership@4spe.org
(email)
Who to contact?
SPE members wanting to change their address, renew
membership update membership records or have questions
about membership status: Contact membership@4spe.org
or call +1 203-740-5403
- To change your address, renew your membership or update your membership record go online or contact our customer relations departments via email at membership@4spe.org or via phone at +1 203-740-5403. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST. Questions about your membership status: Contact membership@4spe.org or call +1 203-740-5403
- Questions about an invoice, payment made or bill received? Contact membership@4spe.org or call +1 203-740-5403
- Need to order training products, register for a seminar or conference? Browse our online store catalog or call+1 203-740-5403
- Interested in exhibiting at ANTEC, our annual technical conference? Contact antec@4spe.org
- Interested in attending a conference? Browse upcoming events
- To post a job opening or to search for a position, visit SPE’s career solutions site.
- Want to subscribe to one of our journals, visit our Journals Page.
- Have a question about your volunteer position?
Contact leadershipservices@4spe.org
or call +1 203-740-5430
