Title : NSF 93-7 - Engineering News - Winter 1993 Type : Letter NSF Org: ENG Date : March 19, 1993 File : nsf937 FCCSET AMT Seen as Technology Spur A far-reaching, multi-agency Federal program is being developed to coordinate and synergize investment in manufacturing R&D under the auspices of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET). Following approval of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) Initiative for fiscal year 1994, titled Innovation through Integration, the program's goal is to leverage the world-class technological capabilities of the United States to address the manufacturing needs of a broad set of industrial sectors. Nine agencies of the Federal Government are participating in the AMT initiative. Participants in this program have developed a taxonomy that groups all advanced manufacturing research and development into four categories: Manufacturing Design--Tools and techniques that are used for preparing for manufacturing; Manufacturing--Processes and equipment that are used for the actual production of physical products; Supporting Technologies--Underlying core technologies that are needed to provide advances in the previous two categories; and Manufacturing Infrastructure Elements--Concepts and mechanisms for managing the development of appropriate technologies and encouraging their widespread use within the industrial base. The proposed fiscal year 1994 budget initiative focuses on three interrelated, high priority thrust areas: Intelligent Manufacturing Cells--Next-generation manufacturing equipment based on innovative machine concepts, intelligent sensors and control techniques, and the seamless flow of product and production information; Integrated Design Tools--Computer-based tools needed for the rapid and effective design of new products, processes, equipment and enterprises; and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Infrastructure-- Mechanisms needed to ensure that advanced manufacturing technologies are widely understood and used within the private sector. The fiscal year 1994 plan represents an important starting point in developing a coordinated Federal program in advanced manufacturing technology. It constitutes a foundation for developing a more comprehensive interagency strategy in the future. The interagency working group is currently engaged in a series of analyses and hearings to help support selected projects in the agencies. NSF staff active in the initiative include Dr. Joseph Bordogna, Assistant Director for Engineering, who has led the working group, Dr. Thom Hodgson, Design and Manufacturing Division Director, who has helped define the initiative, and Dr. Stan Settles, who is on assignment from NSF to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Faculty Internship Program Reaps Rewards One of the Directorate for Engineering's (ENG's) newest activities--the Engineering Faculty Internship Program (EFIP)--is beginning to have an impact on narrowing a critical gap between applied research and human resource development. Initiated in fiscal year 1990, and continuing to the present with a low but an effective level of funding, EFIP provides faculty in the field of manufacturing education and research with practical experience within manufacturing organizations. These faculty study industrial problems and look for potential opportunities for applying the methods of engineering research to the solution of real problems. One such joint faculty/manufacturer study matched principal investigator Dr. Vishnawath Prasad of Columbia University with Ferrofluidics, Inc. to research fluid mechanics and heat transfer in the Czochralski crystal growth process for growing silicon single crystals. The study is putting the host company years ahead of its Japanese competition and is producing key elements of the next generation of technology. In this batch process, a crucible is charged with molten silicon, the level of which drops as the ingot is withdrawn. As a result, the flow conditions and the impurity content of the melt change. The joint research team conceived of a continuous process, in which the melt is continuously recharged with silicon pellets which thereby maintains the level and adjusts the impurity content to ensure constant growth conditions. Another success story matched Dr. Thomas Kurfess of Carnegie- Mellon University and The Timken Company, the largest U.S. manufacturer of roller bearings. Precision measurement (metrology) is a fundamental issue in bearing manufacture, since performance is a strong function of dimensional accuracy. Dr. Kurfess performed a fundamental study of problems in measurement for Timken, including a statistical analysis of measurement in three dimensions. This ground- breaking work was of general interest and, with encouragement from Timken, was submitted to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for consideration as the basis for a national standard for 3-D metrology. Based on this success, Timken is sponsoring another internship at its own expense. In the EFIP program, the NSF matches cash contributions from industry on an equal basis, up to a limit of $25,000, with one grant per individual, per lifetime. Expectations are that the awards will foster the establishment of relationships that will lead to larger joint projects, with support from NSF or elsewhere. It is also expected that the industrial experience will influence the teaching and curriculum of the involved faculty. Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega, a former program director in ENG's Division of Design and Manufacturing Systems (DDM), now at the Florida Institute of Technology, is credited with conceiving and developing EFIP. Change in Electronic Proposal Submission An improvement in software for the Electronic Proposal Submissions (EPS) system is the latest step in NSF's transition from paper-based to electronic processing of proposals. Simultaneously, steps are being taken to resolve current problems and anticipate potential barriers both at NSF and the universities. EPS software and accompanying data entry utilities and procedures enable principal investigators (PIs) and university administrative staff to access and complete the NSF proposal forms, combine them with PI-created documents (including graphics), print the proposal, and send the proposal over university electronic networks or over Internet for submission to NSF. Actual submission is via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) followed by the faxing of the signed cover sheet. Some features of EPS include: The PI-created documents must be in PostScript (a trademark of Adobe Systems Inc.) format. PostScript was chosen as the file language format for the documents because it is widely supported and easily handles text and graphics. The institution, therefore, must have PostScript compatible printers to print proposal copies. The university's authorized institutional representative's (AIR) office must have access to an Internet host computer to submit the electronic file to NSF. The entire submission must be electronic. Paper sections, e.g., paper appendices, are not acceptable. Proposals are deemed received when the electronic file and the faxed signed cover sheet (both pages) are received at NSF. Submission via FTP takes only a few minutes. The EPS office produces all required proposal copies and submits the copies to the NSF Proposal Processing Unit where they are processed in the normal manner. Additional information and assistance may be obtained by e- mail: eps@nsf.gov (Internet) or eps@NSF (BITNET), or by telephone: 202-357-7439; FAX: 202-357-7663; TDD: 202-357- 7492. New Meltdown Process Promising in Soil Cleansing NSF-supported laboratory experiments using "lightning-like" plasma arc technology hold promise for the cleansing of radioactive contaminated ground as well as other applications. Recent studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology by Dr. Lou Circeo and colleagues have used this technology for the in-situ vitrification of soils. The process involves the complete meltdown of clay, silt, or sand at very high temperatures (average = 7000<144> C) thereby forming magma, which subsequently cools into two types of igneous rock. The final products include a glassy rock similar to obsidian and porous basalt. The highly ionized gas, or plasma, is achieved using a special electric-powered plasma torch capable of temperatures between 4000<144> C to 12,000<144> C, which is hotter than the surface of the sun. At these high temperatures, all earthly things will melt or vaporize. The process essentially creates an arc nearly identical to lightning. Commercially, plasma technology is already growing in the steel and metallurgy industries. It is economical and operates at 90 percent efficiency, using a water-cooled torch and any type of gas, including air, with no requirement for oxygen in the process. In the experiment, funded by the Geomechanical, Geotechnical, and Geo-Environmental Systems program in the Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS), the torch is lowered into a steel chamber filled with clay or sand. A 100- kilowatt power supply is activated and, shortly thereafter, the plasma flame creates a pool of molten material. The cooling period requires 40 hours before it is excavated to uncover a spheroidal core of non-porous glassy rock. Applications of the method include in-situ modification of unstable foundation soils, buried wastes, and radioactive and other contaminated ground. Geo-environmental remediation is also possible, especially since the plasma process works under water. Digital Video Research Sets New Links A new research and information service at the Engineering Research Center for Telecommunications Research (CTR) at Columbia University establishes links with industries having an interest in digital video, including high-definition television (HDTV). Called ADVENT (All-digital Video Encoding, Networking, and Transmission), the service is organized by CTR's Image and Advanced Television (IATV) Laboratory. Here, principal investigators and more than 20 graduate students perform pioneering research in the field of digital video and provide hands-on technical expertise. The laboratory, which is developed over the past seven years, contains the most advanced research equipment for displaying full-resolution HDTV signals in all formats. ADVENT affiliates from industry are encouraged to send researchers to the IATV Laboratory to participate in the research. Work currently under way in the IATV Laboratory includes research on wavelets, the new function that provides an alternative to the classic Fourier functions. Other research focuses on the development of multimedia workstations that integrate digital video with data, voice, and graphics. Another area of research investigates a multiresolution technique for compression and transmission. "Digital video will be to this decade what digital audio- including compact disks--was to the 1980s," says electrical engineering professor Dimitris Anastassiou in explaining the rationale for the new service. "What we have to offer is actual expertise, with well-trained graduate students working on the most advanced equipment." Teaching Initiative May Spur Technology Transfer A new initiative announced by the National Science Foundation may significantly narrow the gap between research results and their commercial implementation. This technology transfer is accomplished by bringing the results directly to the classroom for students to absorb and can then carry into industry. The primary purpose of ENG's Engineering Research Deployment Teaching Initiative is to serve as a catalyst to support and motivate faculty and their doctoral candidates to bring the results of their research into the classroom in a form which may be used by students for subsequent transfer to industry. Goals of the Initiative include: Developing a technology deployment route for completed research results that have high potential for impact in industry; Supporting the deployment of work that has high potential for impact on the effectiveness of teaching and the delivery of technology to industry; Transferring research results to students in a form that can be taken to industry; and Evaluating the effectiveness of the deployment methods in industry, after they have been implemented. Institutions eligible to submit proposals are those with faculty members who are performing research as well as teaching in the undergraduate and/or graduate classrooms. Address inquiries to the Division of Design and Manufacturing Systems, FAX: 202-357-5167, Telephone: 202- 357-5167. Materials Program Coordinator Named Dr. Tapan Mukherjee, a director in the Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) program, is assuming the role of Coordinator for the Advanced Materials Processing Program (AMPP). He oversees coordination efforts in this initiative, which focuses on the engineering and scientific foundations of synthesis and processing methods for new and existing materials. Materials synthesis, processing, and engineering and their synergy are critical national research areas. Their importance has been highlighted by the National Research Council Report, "Materials Science and Engineering for the 1990s," and by studies by government agencies and the private sector. The consensus is that it is essential to enhance the nation's materials research base in order to provide the new materials and creative people to strengthen the competitive position of U.S. industry in the 21st century. Dr. Mukherjee, who will continue his role as an ERC program director, succeeds Dr. Robert Wellek, Division of Chemical and Thermal Systems (CTS) deputy director. In announcing the transition, Dr. Joseph Bordogna, Assistant Director for Engineering, praised Dr. Wellek for his productivity and success during his tenure as AMPP Coordinator and cited Dr. Mukherjee's research background and organizational contributions. 1994 Grantees Conference Scheduled The Division of Design and Manufacturing Systems (DDM) annual grantees conference, which includes manufacturing- related programs in the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) and the Computer and Information Science and Engineering's (CISE's) Division of Information, Robotics, and Intelligent Systems, will be held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on January 5-7, 1994. The conference provides a unique opportunity to view the full range of manufacturing-related research supported by NSF and to discuss the projects with investigators, exchange ideas, and compare research results. The aim of the conference is to enhance the overall research effort, reducing duplication, and encourage cooperation among researchers. Dr. Nicholas Patrikalakis of the Department of Ocean Engineering at MIT will chair the 1994 conference. The format for the conference includes a keynote speaker for each session, which fits the current research supported by NSF in a given discipline into the context of the current stat of the art. The keynote paper is followed by a poster session, where the NSF grantees are available to explain the research project and answer questions. Each day's program will conclude with a general discussion period, chaired by the reporters for that day, is held in the main auditorium. Inquiries about conference arrangements and registration may be directed to Ms. Frances Page, MIT, (617)-253-5179 Steaming Oxidizes GaAs Chips One reason why silicon is the material of choice in microelectronics is because it forms a stable oxide, permitting circuits to be etched into the surface easily. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) has long been a promising semiconductor material, but engineers have been unable to oxidize its surface. However, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Engineering Research Center's (ERC's) Center for Compound Semiconductor Microelectronics (CCSM) recently discovered that steam can be used to oxidize the surface of GaAs chips. It is then possible to create the microscopic circuitry needed for guiding light, and possibly electrons, in lasers and other electronic and optical devices. The Illinois team starts with a GaAs chip sandwiched between layers of GaAs in which aluminum atoms have replaced some gallium atoms (in the GaAs crystal). The process proceeds by putting a chemical mask with the desired pattern on top of the chip surface, steaming the chip, removing the mask, and coating the chip with a thin conductor. Because the oxidized parts of the chip are insulated, current reaches the light- emitting GaAs core of the chip only where the mask prevented oxidation. In education news from CCSM, there is a new CCSM outreach program directed at elementary school students that provides them with positive role models while stimulating their interest in science and technology. The Bouchet Outreach and Achievement in Science and Technology (BOAST) brings children from a local after-school program in a housing project together with volunteer CCSM graduate students every other Saturday for hands-on scientific demonstrations. In another development illustrating a CCSM-industrial interaction, CCSM is making use of software donated by the Hewlett-Packard Corporation. The High Frequency Structure Software (HFSS) and Microwave Design Systems (MDS) software is being used by a research group that operates the high- speed devices and integrated circuit design center. The donation, valued at more than $100,000, is only the second of its kind made by Hewlett-Packard to a university. The same research group also recently received hardware--a complete noise parameter test system for making noise parameter measurements from 2 to 18 GHz-valued at $35,000 from Cascade Microtech, Inc. Centers Impact on Education A statistical study of Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) indicates that their educational impact is as strong and important as the impact of their research. An objective of the ERCs is to educate a new generation of engineering students in a cross-disciplinary team approach to problem- solving and expose it to industrial perspectives on research, design, and manufacturing. In addition, the ERCs initiate innovative undergraduate and graduate degree programs and courses and update curriculum and course materials as new research discoveries occur. Statistics compiled by Dr. George Brousseau, a program director in the Engineering Education and Centers Division, measured the educational impact during the first five years of the program. As of the 1990-91 school year, the cumulative totals for degrees granted were: 385 PhD, 431 MS, and 363 BS degrees. Across all ERCs, a total of 222 new ERC- related courses had been developed; 138 courses were significantly modified to include ERC- related material; and 88 new textbooks on ERC-related subjects were published or in press at the end of the year. In 1989-90, there were 864 PhD students and 386 MS students participating in ERCs either through courses or center research. Four new graduate programs have been established as a result of the ERCs: MS programs at the University of Maryland (Systems Engineering), Ohio State (Manufacturing Systems), and Purdue (Manufacturing), and a graduate program at MIT (Biotechnology). Five ERCs Renewed Five Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) received new five- year awards totaling $62.5 million. The renewal awards were recommended by review teams who conducted three-day site visits as part of NSF's evaluation after six years of operation. The awardees and amounts to be received from NSF during fiscal year 1992 and for the five-year renewal period are: The Advanced Combustion Engineering Research Center, a joint effort of Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, $2.3 million and up to $11.7 million. The research goal of this Center is to develop fundamental engineering knowledge and tools to achieve clean and efficient use of fossil fuels, particularly coal and other low-quality fuels. The Engineering Design Research Center at Carnegie-Mellon University, $2.9 million and up to $13.4 million. This Center continues its research to provide industry with tools, concepts, and methodologies to improve the practice of engineering design. It strives to develop a rational basis for design resulting in methodologies to help designers exploit advances in computers and communications to enable better design. The Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems at Lehigh University, $2.7 million and up to $12.5 million. The Center conducts cross-disciplinary, systems- oriented research to improve the design, construction, and in-service performance of large structural systems such as buildings, bridges, and ships. The Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing at the Ohio State University, $2.3 million and up to $11.3 million. The focus of the Center's research is the cost- effective manufacturing of discrete parts to finished or near-finished dimensions (net or near-net shape) via polymer processing, precision die casting, or mold forming from a sheet or billet. The Engineering Research Center for Compound Semiconductor Microelectronics at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, $3.1 million and up to $13.6 million. The Center focuses on research on the fabrication of optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs) and their application in optical interconnect systems. Guest Columnist On the Need for Intellectual Integration by Dr. Henry A. McGee (Dr. McGee is on leave from the Chemical Engineering Department at Virginia Tech and serves as Director of ENG's Chemical and Thermal Systems Division.) We professors tend to analyze everything. We divide problems into ever smaller pieces where we can control the variables and really understand what is going on, usually from a molecular mechanistic point of view. This painstaking analytical approach has made basic research in America the best in the world. But along with this process, much of our teaching, as well as our research, is now also heavily analytical in tone. There is little synthesis, little integration, few goofy ideas, little playfulness, and little that evokes a sort of "gee whiz" reaction from the reader. The psychologists would say that engineering education is a preponderantly left-brain activity with little right-brain activity. There is little in engineering school that is intellectually equivalent to the studio courses in architecture school or to composition in music school. Not surprisingly, our enthusiasm for analysis and our shunning of synthesis in engineering education is reflected in both the acknowledged excellence of American basic research and the present difficulties of American industrial innovation. Another outcome is our difficulty in holding on to very bright young people who are initially attracted into engineering. Some excellent students find in our homework assignments, not provocative problems demanding sensitive reflection but analytical exercises demanding stamina. We professors need to give the synthesizing side of our minds freer reign both in the classroom and in the laboratory. This is the way to stimulate in our students a lifelong love affair with engineering. Let's have more talk in class about quantum wires where the structure is so small that electrical conductivity is not described by Ohm's law but is a quantum mechanical problem. Does Fourier's law describe thermal conduction in such systems? Or more talk about laser-based chemical separation processes. Or more talk about the combustion synthesis of diamond films. Or more talk about thermal plasma techniques for large-scale synthesis of particles of nanometer dimensions for subsequent sintering to make new materials. And, of course, on and on limited only by one's imagination. It is that right-brain concept of imagination that is so central. Interestingly, the Chemical and Thermal Systems Division is now supporting research in all of the above example areas and many more that are equally integrative in tone. A recent study by the Industrial Research Institute reveals that industrial R&D executives value most our product of highly trained and enthusiastic young engineers. Industrial research managers frequently find our actual research results to be much less interesting or valuable. But our feelings should not be hurt, for that is always the character of much basic research. The penalty for experimental failure in the university setting is, however, very low, which again argues for more synthesis and more risk to balance better our tried and true analysis. In fact, both analysis and synthesis are essential to successful engineering practice. Both play essential roles in wealth creation. Proposals that display this greater intellectual integration fare better in the Chemical and Thermal Systems Division. Grantees to Study Hurricanes Several Florida universities received NSF grants for studying various aspects of Hurricane Andrew that devastated southern Florida last August. The University of Miami, the Florida International University, Florida State University, EQE Consultants, Texas A&M University, and Clemson University were awarded Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER), which are administered by ENG's Hazard Mitigation Section, Division of Biological and Critical Systems. Another grant was given to the University of Hawaii for the study of Hurricane Iniki. A preliminary review of Andrew's structural and non- structural damage and the available wind speed data suggest wind speeds of between 110 and 125 miles per hour. An economic loss of more than $20 billion is estimated. Twenty- five deaths were directly attributable to the hurricane, which also displaced almost a quarter of a million people. Hurricane Iniki made landfall on Kauai, damaging some 15,000 buildings and causing losses of about $1 billion. Industry/University Collaboration New mechanisms to aid technology transfer and to enhance university and industry ties are being identified following a NSF co-sponsored workshop. Held recently in Washington, D.C., and co-sponsored by the private Whitaker Foundation, the workshop-"Mechanisms to Enhance University/Industry Interaction in Biomedical Engineering"--brought together 35 participants. They included university researchers and technology transfer officers, scientists and technical managers from industry, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, lawyers, and representatives from the NSF, NIH, FDA, and NIST. The workshop's goal was to identify new industry/university collaborative programs that would foster the further development of biomedical engineering research and the translation of research results into useful products. A report on the workshop is being prepared and will be available on request from ENG's Division of Biological and Critical Systems (BCS), Telephone # 202-357-9545. Industry/University Evaluators Serve Many Purposes A key feature of NSF's Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) Program is that each center has an NSF evaluator. The evaluator is an independent consultant assigned by ENG's Engineering Education and Centers Division. This person usually has a program evaluation background and is familiar with research methodology but is not necessarily knowledgeable in the center's area of research. An evaluator is responsible for gathering and analyzing data about the center's operations, impacts and perceived success, and its evolution, as well as for implementing the NSF's assessment program. Most evaluators also serve a useful function within the center as an advisor to the center director or perhaps as an intermediary with the industrial advisors. One typical active evaluator is Dr. Craig Scott, who serves at the Center for Process Analytical Chemistry (CPAC), University of Washington, and the Center for Design of Analog/Digital Integrated Circuits (CDADIC), Washington State University. Scott, a faculty member at the University of Washington's School of Medicine, has an extensive background in program evaluation and development. For both centers, he serves as both an external analyst and an internal advisor/consultant. At CPAC, Scott recently conducted a series of four evaluation studies aimed at identifying factors contributing to or inhibiting attainment of center goals and outcomes, whether scientific or economic. The studies focused on a comparative analysis of the center's development history; a network analysis of interaction patterns between university and industrial researchers; an organizational description of the center; and intermediate as well as long-term studies of organizational effectiveness. Regarding CPAC's activities and benefits, one study showed high marks from the center's Industrial Advisory Board members and faculty. Scott reported recently on a followup study of graduates of I/UCRCs nationwide. Results strongly indicated that the graduates have had more positive career experiences than their non-I/UCRC counterparts. Another survey of industry employers of ERC graduates indicated that the graduates were better than non-ERC graduates in a number of key skills and attributes. NSF evaluators like Craig Scott represent a resource that I/UCRCs can use to build external awareness of the center's mission, as well as to expand their understanding of their own performance and development. Intern Success Story Many Engineering Research Centers with large education budgets have programs that connect center undergraduate students with industrial sponsors for employment and experience. However, such programs are relatively rare among the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs). One exception is the Wireless Information Network Laboratory (WINLAB) Internship Program, in which outstanding Rutgers University undergraduates are employed by WINLAB corporate sponsors during the summer between their junior and senior years. As Rutgers seniors, the interns take additional communications courses including Wireless Access to Information Networks. They can also receive academic credit for working on a project related to their summer experience that is supervised jointly by a corporate sponsor and a Rutgers professor. One WINLAB student reported his experience as an intern: "My duties were to assist other group members in setting up the propagation measurement system, participating in the measurement, as well as developing software for analyzing the data obtained from the measurement. During these two months, I had the opportunity to participate in the project and to work closely with a group of dedicated researchers and professionals.... By helping each other, we were able to achieve our goal...." Other news from WINLAB concerns its recent move to a new home. The new facility contains office space for all of WINLAB's faculty, staff, graduate assistants, postdocs, visiting scholars, and undergraduates--a total of 31 offices. U.S.-Latin Joint Studies May Be Forthcoming More cooperative research projects between the United States and Latin American countries may be forthcoming following a two-day grantees' conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this summer. Approximately 60 research papers were presented at the first Grantees' Conference of the Structures, Geomechanics and Building Systems Program, Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS). Results of the June 1992 conference include better methods for grantees to inform their program directors of progress and a face-to-face exchange of views from Latin American, Canadian, and U.S. researchers. Ideas were discussed for developing joint research projects among the international researchers. A copy of the "Proceedings of the 1992 NSF Structures, Geomechanics and Building Systems Grantees' Conference" may be obtained by writing to Dr. Rafael Munoz Candelario, Research and Development Center, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 5000, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00709-5000. "Benchmark" Book from Hazards Project A project funded by the Natural Hazard Mitigation Section, Division of Biological and Critical Systems (BCS), may well pave the way for a "benchmark" document on natural hazards. This was the consensus of a recent Estes Park, CO, workshop organized by Professor Dennis Mileti, Colorado State University. Some 60 experts in natural hazard prevention met to discuss the framework and scope of the project that assesses and reports on the state-of-the-art in this research area and will address activities in all major natural hazards. The two-year project is multidisciplinary, involving engineering and the physical and social sciences that have been active in this field for several decades. Results from this research will be published and are expected to provide the natural hazard community with a benchmark document similar to "Assessment of Research of Natural Hazards" by White and Haas, which was published 20 years ago. Young Scholar High on Engineering The following is excerpted from an article by a student, David Artiglieri of Watkins Mill High School, who participated in one of the Engineering Research Centers Young Scholars Programs: "What is engineering? That is the question that I hear all the time from my friends. Since I am in high school, I really do not have a good answer for them. I guess that is why I signed up for the Young Scholars Program, a program for young, mathematically, and scientifically gifted seniors in high school. This six-week program at the University of Maryland, College Park, gives a basic background on the main engineering fields. Along with the many field trips, laboratories, and seminars given, a three college credit course in engineering is offered. "Engineering 101, the beginning for all engineers in college, is the course we took. For six weeks, three times a week, two hours a day, we learned Microsoft QBASIC computer language, the fundamentals of drafting, and the basics of electronics.... There were the few people that said the class was too slow or too fast, but that was to be expected with people from so many different backgrounds. "One of the great things about the Young Scholars Program was the fact that every second of our time was spent doing something. When we were not in class, we were at seminars, or in labs, or on a field trip. "The seminars that were planned for us were excellent. We had graduate students from the University of Maryland come and talk to us; professional engineers also visited to tell us what it is like being an engineer. The seminar from the students was very helpful to me in finding out what it takes to succeed in engineering school. The consensus from all of the students was that engineers are people that are very adaptable to all situations, are very hard working, and have the ability to learn quickly.... "The seminar from the professional engineers--one from academia, one from the military, and one from industry--was very interesting, too. From them we learned that engineers must be able to integrate science and technology with practical knowledge, have an interest and knowledge in a problem, be aware of foreign cultures--maybe learn a second language-- function as an individual and in a group, communicate clearly, be versatile and flexible, and possess values and integrity. They stressed that the most important part of being an engineer is to like what you are doing.... "What a great idea to have an ethics seminar! I think that this was one of the most important activities that we did...my favorite seminar was the personal profile seminar...we could discuss the personal side of our life.... "There were five different labs, three of which we were allowed to choose.... In the chemical process lab we simulated real-world happenings such as temperature, pressure, and force and then converted these into signals that the computer can understand.... The purpose of the neural systems laboratory was to understand how the ear processes sound into something we can understand. Experiments were run where a model of the ear was simulated by a computer program running under the UNIX operating system.... The alternative energy lab showed us the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy sources, especially solar energy. "The first field trip was to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.... (At) NASA, one of the projects that they are working on is trying to repair the Hubble Telescope with corrective lenses.... "...I have decided that engineering is the art of solving problems. Engineers work in separate groups.... They solve a problem to the best of their ability, trying to protect the environment, and keeping the costs low.... The funny thing is that the problem is never solved; generations will improve on the problem you thought was solved...." SBIR Meeting for High Tech Firms Small high technology firms are explaining research and development opportunities as a result of two federally sponsored National SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) Conferences. Each of the conferences, one in Phoenix, November 17-19, 1992, and the other in Minneapolis, April 27-29, 1993, includes representatives from 18 Federal agencies, 18 to 25 major corporations, and other private sector fields. The focus is on R&D opportunities within the $500 million SBIR program in fiscal year 1993 and other government technology procurement, on the commercializing of SBIR R&D, and on 16 management areas critical to high technology firms. ERC Publications Available A book by researchers at the Engineering Research Center for Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, promises to be of value to those having an interest in rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective electrochemical analysis on specific drugs of interest. "Pharmaceutical Applications of Membrane Sensors" (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida) by Drs. Vasile V. Cosofret and Richard P. Buck is divided into three parts: design and principles of membrane drug sensors, analytical assay procedures for biologically active compounds, and drug- release monitoring by membrane sensors. Another publication, an NSF report entitled "Highlights of Engineering Research Centers Technology Transfer (NSF 92-6), contains descriptions of 55 examples of successful technology transfer between Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) and industry. Copies are available from the Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) Division. Also available are copies of "The ERCs: A Partnership for Competitiveness" (NSF 91-9), which summarizes the proceedings of a major symposium on the ERCs and contains many of the experiences and lessons learned in the ERC program. To obtain this report, contact Ms. Mary Poats at the EEC; Telephone # 202-357-9707. Staff Update Dr. Jerome L. Sackman, a program director for Mechanics and Materials, Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS), is a newly elected member of the National Academy of Engineering. The inauguration, which took place during NAE's annual meeting last fall, recognizes Dr. Sackman's scholarly and professional achievements. Dr. William Hakala received a certificate of appreciation for his cooperation and service at the First National Conference on "Diversity in the Scientific and Technological Workforce," sponsored by the Division of Education and Human Resources. Dr. Hakala served as a judge for minority student papers at this conference, which was held in October 1992. Systems Research Center Project Succeeds for Both Industry and University by Peter A. Minderman, Jr., Ph.D., P.E., SRC Post-Doctoral Research Associate One of the first six Engineering Research Centers established by NSF in 1985 with Harvard University, a leader in control systems research, the Systems Research Center (SRC) of the University of Maryland. A central premise of research conducted at the SRC is that advanced control system design not only must be considered early in a project's life but also must be integrated simultaneously into the engineering design process. Exxon Chemical Company, an industrial affiliate of the SRC, found that early interaction with the Chemical Process Systems Laboratory of the SRC eased the burden of devoting costly resources to this effort. In 1989, Exxon was planning to market a new family of products requiring the design and construction of a novel plant. Because of strict product quality specifications and unusual process characteristics, advanced process control techniques would be needed for safe and profitable operations. Exxon entered the process design phase and began to search for technical resources to address the control problems. In order to leverage its limited advanced control resources, Exxon decided to utilize university experts to study the problem. Along with other universities, the SRC submitted a proposal. The project evolved into a joint effort between Exxon, the SRC, and the School of Chemical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The SRC team focused on the reaction modeling and control component of the novel process, and the Georgia Tech team focused on the plant-wide control component. This article focuses on the SRC-Exxon components of the project. The SRC assembled a diverse group of people for this project, including faculty from the Chemical and Electrical Engineering Departments. This trademark of SRC projects-- bringing together researchers from different disciplines-- provided a critical link in the project's success. The first phase of this project was to understand the mechanisms behind the unique chemical reactions. After surveying the state of the art, the SRC team proposed a kinetic "first principles" model of the process and identified model parameters with ongoing pilot plant data from the company process studies. The researchers then helped the company's personnel design additional experiments to validate the model structure and parameters, forging a close working relationship early in the project. After the plant started up, University of Maryland personnel repeated the model parameter identification process with actual plant data, and they helped propose plant-level experiments. The first-principles model's predictions of the actual plant conditions correlated unusually well. Both models were delivered to the plant site. Process engineers and control engineers are now using these models for process analysis, optimization, and debottlenecking in the plant. However, in a complex process, there is little hope of using a first principles model for on-line control. Chemical processes typically do not have enormous computing cycle reserves, so the on-line process control model has to be "fast." This is an ideal application for neural network models. One researcher and his students developed new neural network modeling techniques for this project, and the team developed process models of pilot plant and actual plant operations. A Ph.D. student pioneered the dynamic model identification efforts, developed a neural network model reduction algorithm, and began the work of developing a neural network model to predict the residual between actual plant data and a first principles model. Another Ph.D. student completed the dynamic modeling development through research on recurrent network technology and the development of Hammerstein neural network technology. Although the recurrent networks are the tools of choice in the academic environment, the Hammerstein networks proved to be better suited to the experimental limitations of the actual plant. Researchers analyzed pilot plant and actual plant data and then developed neural network models of these operations. Technology transfer receives great emphasis in the ERCs, and this project was no exception. The software deliverables included several first principles models, two neural network model identification packages, and numerous neural network model sets. SRC personnel helped Exxon personnel plan plant-level experiments to assist in the model development tasks. Finally, SRC personnel visited the plant site to review project progress and to give training sessions. Working with ERCs on projects such as this one can be very costand time-effective for industry. In this case, the company received both custom and general-purpose process modeling tools for less than the cost of two technical person-years. According to Exxon control specialists, the first-principles modeling component alone will yield cost savings in excess of the price of this contract. The project also serves as a classic example of the two-way benefits of ERC research. Just as Exxon benefited from the project, the SRC and the University of Maryland also benefited, receiving real-time data that would otherwise be impossible to obtain. The industrial experience that SRC graduate students received provided another direct benefit for the SRC. As a result of this successful interaction, the company and the center are now discussing opportunities for follow- on work. New Institute Responds to Changing Needs Through Novel Engineering "Think Tank" A newly created institute at the University of California, San Diego, is bringing together people from various engineering disciplines to encourage innovation and help define research objectives. The Institute of Mechanics and Materials (IMM) was established in November 1992 at the University of California, San Diego, after two years of planning and proposal solicitation by the National Science Foundation. It is supported by an NSF grant of $1 million per year for five years. The main focus of the Institute is to combine research and industrial goals in the areas of mechanics and materials. To that end, the institute promotes stronger ties between academe, industry, and governmental organizations. According to NSF's Assistant Director for Engineering, Joseph Bordogna, this liaison will provide an intellectual forum, or "think tank," rather than a means to conduct extensive in- house research projects. The "think tank" will be filled with such activities as short courses, workshops, and visits by graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, professors, engineers, and scientists. "This is a part of a national response to changing research priorities and needs," said Bordogna. "We need to use every asset, and the best of every discipline, in order to keep pace with the changes happening in the world. Interdisciplinary efforts and collaborations like this one help ensure that no asset is wasted or idea unnoticed." Richard Skalak, professor of bioengineering at USCD and the Institute's director, explained that the Institute "will aim to serve as an intellectual forum to catalyze the formation of research groups when new areas or methods of approach are identified." He pointed out that new materials are essential ingredients for progress in every technology, ranging from smart materials for space structures to fusion rector containment and new biomaterials for implants. "We will aim to contribute to many of these applications, and we will focus on practical, industrial problems," said Skalak. The Institute has already begun to collaborate with local industries such as McDonnell Douglas and General Atomics. An external Board of Governors of prominent senior engineers and scientists will direct the Institute's activities and assess its progress. Calendar of Events (Listed events involve ENG sponsorship or participation) Feb. 5, 1993 NASA/NSF Conference on Japanese R&D in Satellite Communications, Arlington, VA. For more information call 703- 684-2116 April 27-29 National SBIR Conference, Federal R&D Opportunities for Technology Intensive Firms, Minneapolis, MN. For information call 407-274-4005 (III)