U.S. Metric Association (USMA)

The U.S. Metric Association (USMA), Inc., is a national non-profit organization that was founded in 1916. It advocates U.S. conversion to the International System of Units, known by the abbreviation SI (ess-eye) and also called the modern metric system. The process of changing measurement units to the metric system is called metric transition or metrication.

Among other things, this site contains information about the metric system, with some specifically designed for educators, as well as information about USMA and links to some other sites.

We don't supply unit conversion utilities, but Google has a calculator that understands units.

What's New: Updated Information by Date:

2011-12-20: PDF of the 2012-January/February issue of Metric Today is now available online for USMA members.

2011-10-21: PDF of the 2011-November/December issue of Metric Today is now available online for USMA members.

2011-09-22: Updated the metric puzzles page (part of the Metric Week material) to include a solution to the "metric four-by-four" puzzle.

2011-09-13: World Standards Week is being celebrated the week of 11-14 October 2011.

2011-09-12: Added two reprints of Metric Today articles about metrication in St. Lucia to the new Recent international metric advances page.

2011-08-30: Added an item to the breakfast page in the examples of metric-sized products section.

2011-08-21: Don't forget that National Metric Week is coming the week of 09-15 October 2011!

2011-08-19: PDF of the 2011-September/October issue of Metric Today is now available online for USMA members.

Now Available:
250 mm rulers

This plastic ruler, manufactured for QSI Corporation, is available free to USMA members—or $1 for non-members—while the supply lasts.
In addition to the ruler scale, the front side contains SI prefixes. The back side contains lists of SI units, conversions, and constants.
To get one, send your name and address (plus $1, if you're not a USMA member) to USMA, 10245 Andasol Ave, Northridge CA 91325-1504.
No e-mails or phone calls, please.
Want more than one? Just add $1 for each additional ruler, or quantity discounts are as follows:

package of 5 for $3.50 (70 cents each)
package of 10 for $5.00 (50 cents each)
package of 20 for $8.00 (40 cents each)
package of 50 for $12.50 (25 cents each)
package of 100 for 20.00 (20 cents each)

All prices include shipping/handling to U.S. addresses. For non-U.S. orders, e-mail valerie.antoine@verizon.net for the cost of shipping and handling.

To be found in the 2012 January/February issue of Metric Today:

What does the CGPM have in mind for the future of the SI?
What's notable about Time magazine's Invention Issue?
Will there be leap seconds in the future of the UTC time scale?
What's a nanomaterial?
Why is Antigua and Barbuda relaunching its metrication program?

(PDF of the 2012 January/February issue available now for USMA members. Contact the USMA Webmaster for access.)

Metric Today is a membership benefit of joining USMA

Now Available:
The Metric System Poster

Lend a hand to your local school. Help spread the metric message by gifting it with this colorful poster! Sized 53 cm × 71 cm and printed on thick glossy paper in full color, this poster displays the International System of Units.

For U.S. destinations, the poster is $10, including shipping in a mailing tube (add $7 for each additional poster). [For non-U.S. orders, e-mail valerie.antoine@verizon.net to obtain cost of shipping/handling.] Visit USMA's supplies page to order.

FREE: SI Metric Units Poster

A SI Metric Units Poster is available from USMA for the shipping/handling fee of $1.50

Titled SI Units, the poster contains the seven SI base units and most of the SI derived units with special names. Printed in two colors, black and red, the poster looks very similar to the adjacent illustration. Suitable for mounting on a wall, this 28 cm by 43 cm poster was developed to accompany a set of materials sent to schools in the Montgomery County (Washington DC) area. A large supply of these posters remain, and USMA will send them free for the cost of shipping and handling.

To order, send $1.50 each for shipping/handling with a request for the free SI Units chart to:
USMA, 10245 Andasol Avenue, Northridge CA 91325-1504.

For multiple copies of the poster, e-mail valerie.antoine@verizon.net for the cost of shipping and handling.

Now Available:
Think Metric Mugs

This 250 mL mug is dark blue with gold printing showing names and symbols of common SI units, and is available for $15 each (including shipping and handling) while supplies last.

To order, send your name and address and $15 per mug to USMA, 10245 Andasol Avenue, Northridge CA 91325-1504.

U.S. Metric Association(www.metric.org)

U.S. Metric Association
(www.metric.org)