San Diego, California. The annual ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition is a premier global conference that focuses on today's technical challenges, research updates and breakthrough innovations that are shaping the future of engineering. The Congress convenes engineers, scientists and technologists of all disciplines for the purposes of exploring solutions to global challenges and for the advancement of engineering excellence worldwide. The Congress will feature a technical program that promises to be the most extensive and diverse in the history of the exhibition. In line with the national strategic initiatives, ASME and the organizers of IMECE have chosen advanced manufacturing as the overall theme for 2013. Technical presentations include aerospace technology, energy, heat transfer and thermal engineering, systems/design, advanced manufacturing, education and more.