Title: Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers: Model Partnerships (NSF 93-97, Revised 7/96) Date: May 27, 1997 Replaces: NSF 93-97 Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers: Model Partnerships The National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) Program is effecting positive change in the performance capacity of the U.S. industrial enterprise. Over the past two decades, the I/UCRCs have led the way to a new era of partnership between universities and industry, featuring high-quality, industrially relevant fundamental research, strong industrial support of and collaboration in research and education, and direct transfer of university-developed ideas, research results, and technology to U.S. industry to improve its competitive posture in world markets. Through innovative education of talented graduate and undergraduate students, the I/UCRCs are providing the next generation of scientists and engineers with a broad, industrially oriented perspective on science and engineering research and practice. Process Control for Glass-Making Glass-making, an ancient art relying more on sight and trial and error than on science, moves into a new era with the adaptation of computers to the process. One I/UCRC has developed a statistical process control program for glass-making, which is the first such program to be available to the entire industry; a number of companies are now using the technology. Two Center member companies broke a tradition of secrecy in this industry to share their batch and oxide data with the Center, making the research possible. The Center's collaborative research with its members and affiliates has led to a wide range of advances in glass-making, the characterization of glass, measurement of the properties of molten glass, and determination of its atomic structure. With industrial and other support totaling 10 to 15 times the NSF investment, I/UCRCs are a premier example of "leveraged" funding -- a model for the Federal Government in how to cost-effectively synergize the nation's research and development process. Indeed, this model has directly influenced several other Centers programs that were subsequently established by NSF and other Federal agencies. Placed in this context, the I/UCRC Program is a distinctive driver of the growing NSF-industry-university partnership. Integrated Portable Communicator One I/UCRC is focusing on the development of wireless networks that will integrate mobile telephones, residential cordless phones, pagers, and wireless business networks. For example, the Center's Integrated Cellular and Mobility Simulator is now being used by cellular phone companies to predict traffic loads. The I/UCRC Program Currently there are more than 50 I/UCRCs, all administered by the Engineering Education and Centers Division of NSF's Engineering Directorate. More than 750 faculty, along with 1,000 graduate students and 200 undergraduate students, carry out the research at these Centers, which encompass 14 broad areas. A primary purpose of the I/UCRC Program is providing high-quality interdisciplinary education. The Centers have produced several thousand MS and PhD graduates, who can be found throughout American industry and academe. NSF supports these Centers through a cooperative leveraging mechanism. NSF's financial contribution to the Centers is relatively small -- about $4 million in FY 95. Funding from sources other than NSF is much larger, totaling more than $63 million in FY 95. Currently, the Centers have well over 600 memberships. Of these, about 90 percent are industrial firms, with the remaining 10 percent including State governments, National Laboratories, and other Federal agencies. Most universities also provide direct and/or indirect support (e.g., cost sharing) for their Centers. These Centers are truly cooperative. How Does It Work? An I/UCRC often begins with a small planning grant to a university professor who seems to exhibit the scientific, organizational, and entrepreneurial skills necessary to form a team and initiate and run a successful Center. If the prospective Center can obtain commitments of strong support from industry and the affiliated university or universities, it may submit a proposal to NSF describing the progress that has been made and documenting the team's potential to operate successfully as an I/UCRC. Two or more universities may also jointly propose a multi-university Center. Following successful merit review of the proposal, NSF may make an initial five-year I/UCRC award of up to $100,000 annually to the Center team. When the initial five-year grant expires, NSF funding may be extended at a reduced level of up to $50,000 annually for an additional five years. In its final year of I/UCRC Program support, a Center may compete for a new I/UCRC award based on a proposed research and education program involving significantly new intellectual substance. Flow Probe for In Situ Chemical Analysis A flow probe system developed by an I/UCRC is the basis for sensors that can detect such things as heavy metals in drinking water, the presence of oil or gasoline from leaking underground storage tanks, or the movement or presence of an underground contaminant plume at a cleanup site. The fiber optic-based chemical probe can also be placed in-line to monitor an industrial process. Because the flow probe is placed directly down a well or into a process line, chemical analysis can be done in place rather than at the laboratory, saving both time and money while perhaps providing more representative information. The I/UCRC teamed with Sandia National Laboratories to design and build a robust flow probe prototype for field testing at industrial sites. The versatile, inexpensive chemical analyzer is available through a commercial vendor beginning in 1996. NSF's investment in the I/UCRCs is intended to seed partnered approaches to new or emerging research areas, not to sustain the Centers indefinitely. The Foundation intends for I/UCRCs gradually to become fully supported by university, industry, state, and/or other non-NSF sponsors. Each I/UCRC is expected to maintain at least $300,000 of industrial support through membership fees, at least six industrial members, and a plan to work toward self-sufficiency from NSF. In addition to the basic I/UCRC award, Centers and Center researchers can compete for other NSF support for research and education projects. At any point -- even at the end of its life cycle -- NSF may provide funding to the Center under special arrangements involving joint participation by other NSF program offices. NSF supplemental support may include collateral programs such as a TIE project, whereby two or more Centers and their industrial members engage in a cooperative research project of interest to all parties (with NSF and industry sharing costs). Industry/University Cooperative Research Fellowships are offered to Center faculty, whereby the faculty member can spend time in a corporate research lab or factory, again with NSF sharing the cost. Other supplements to I/UCRC awards may be made in the form of joint sponsorship of projects with other federal agencies, Research Experiences for Undergraduates and other educational activities, workshops, and other purposes consistent with the goals of the Program. The structure of a typical I/UCRC is illustrated in Figure 1. The Center Director reports to university management -- in most cases, directly to the Dean of Engineering. An Academic Policy Committee composed of the deans of engineering and science and other top university officials such as the provost and vice president for research is available to address important policy issues such as patents and licensing, promotion, and tenure. The various research programs usually consist of several projects with a coherent focus on an industrial interest; they are pursued by graduate students under the direction of faculty researchers. Across the Program, these Centers have established an extraordinarily effective partnership with industry. This partnership takes full advantage of the strength of each participant. University faculty contribute their skills in research and their understanding of the knowledge base; industrial researchers contribute their knowledge of both the technical needs of industry and the challenges associated with competing successfully in the marketplace. The partnership is formalized in each Center's Industrial Advisory Board (IAB), which advises the Center's management on all aspects of the Center, from research project selection and evaluation to strategic planning. It is important to note that all IAB members have common ownership of the entire I/UCRC research portfolio; however, individual firms can provide additional support for specific "enhancement" projects. The partnership is given even greater depth through the direct involvement of industry re-presentatives in research projects. Each project in the Center has a principal researcher (typically the project's research professor) and a monitor from industry (who may be an IAB representative or an engineer assigned from an IAB member company). The principal researcher maintains close oversight of the progress of the research by the student(s) and briefs the industrial monitor on a regular basis. The monitor can, and often does, have direct input into the direction of the research. Advanced Driving Simulator One I/UCRC has created real-time mechanical system simulation methods and software that form the foundation for a National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) being developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This $32 million facility will be operated by the Center's host university to support both highway traffic safety research and automotive system design by Government and industry. The NADS represents a quantum jump in research capability, offering simulation in which the driver interacts with the vehicle's controls, views an ultra-realistic scene, and experiences realistic sounds and feelings of motion. This extensive industrial involvement in research planning and review leads to direct technology transfer, bridging the gap that traditionally has kept U.S. industry from capitalizing fully and quickly on the fruits of research at American universities. The close involvement of industry in the Centers also eliminates the perennial problem of "Not Invented Here"; in the cooperative research model, all Center-developed research products are owned by all the members. The participation of NSF, although small financially, nevertheless sets the tone for the I/UCRCs. Strong program management ensures that each of the Centers continues to follow the I/UCRC model -- each in its individual fashion -- and that each remains strong. With such extensive industrial support and participation, NSF's role is crucial in influencing industry to take a longer-term view of its needs, with appropriate attention to research quality. This ensures that the fundamental research conducted in the Centers continues to add to the knowledge base that will be vital for solving the problems and meeting the needs of the future. Smart Design Optimizes Batch Processing Batch chemical manufacturers strive to bring new products to market quickly and cost-effectively while minimizing environmental emissions. It is preferable to prevent rather than treat pollution, but this goal has been elusive and costly to attain. One I/UCRC has now developed and commercialized a software package that meets the need. BatchDesign KIT (BDK) is a smart CAD system that guides the designer of a batch process (e.g., chemicals, pharmaceuticals, military ordnance) toward an optimum process design, with the lowest possible environmental emissions and cost, while staying within economic or regulatory constraints. One of the unique features of BDK is its capability to automatically translate a chemist's "batch sheet," or chemical recipe, into an equipment flow diagram. BDK operates on an expert system platform developed by Gensym Corporation, one of the Center's sponsors; several other member companies tested the product. Gensym began marketing BDK in early 1996. NSF also helps to ensure high standards among the I/UCRCs through a mechanism that is unique to this program: Independent professional Evaluators are engaged to study the industry-university interaction onsite, both qualitatively and quantitatively, to determine (1) the quality and impact of Center research, (2) the satisfaction level of faculty who participate in the program, and (3) the degree of satisfaction of industrial participants. A historical profile of each Center is maintained; and annual assessments are conducted of Center processes and results, finances, and structural issues. One indication of the high quality of I/UCRC research is that faculty publish their work in the most prestigious journals. I/UCRC faculty as well as students regularly win awards from the professional societies for their innovative research. Measures of Success Perhaps the strongest indication of the value of these Centers to industry is the continued and growing participation of industry, even during periods of economic fluctuation. While industrial in-house R&D continues to decline nationally, another indicator of the positive impact the I/UCRCs are having is the R&D activity they spark among their members. In FY 95, I/UCRC research resulted in at least $55 million in "follow-on" R&D funding invest-ments by member firms. The total industrial R&D investment attributable to the I/UCRCs in FY 95 came to almost $110 million. This "new money" investment by I/UCRC members may be the most tangible evidence that successful transfer of knowledge and ideas is occurring. The follow-on investment by companies demonstrates that they derive something from the I/UCRCs that they believe merits further development and commercialization. Machines That Can Maintain All-day Accuracy Machine tools often lose their fine tolerance and accuracy over time. New technology developed by an I/UCRC pursuing measurement and manufacturing control research has made a significant impact on the machine-tool and aerospace industries. The real-time error compensation (RTEC) techniques developed by Center researchers have been successfully commercialized by a machine tool builder, Saginaw Machine Systems, Inc. The RTEC technology allows manufacturers to produce high-quality parts and achieve all-day accuracy regardless of the ambient temperature fluctuations. The RTEC also has been successfully implemented by Boeing Commercial Airplane Company to improve and maintain the accuracy of their manufacturing equipment. From the standpoint of member companies, one of the outstanding benefits of participation in an I/UCRC is the opportunity to work with graduate students who are being exposed to industrial needs and practices and who have learned to pursue their research with a view toward improving the competitiveness of U.S. industry. Graduates of I/UCRCs represent for their employers an effective and long-lasting form of knowledge transfer. Pneumatic Fracturing to Remove Soil Contaminants An I/UCRC devoted to hazardous substance management research has developed a novel way to speed up the removal of contaminants from subsurface geologic formations. This in situ method involves injecting high-pressure air to create fractures in the soil and rock matrix. The "pneumatic fracturing" process allows subsurface liquid and vapor contaminants to be transported and extracted more quickly, thus permitting existing in situ technologies to be extended to more difficult geologic conditions. This project was funded by a number of agencies, including the U.S. Geological Survey, AT&T, BP America, the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Air Force, and Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. AT&T provided support for testing the full-size prototype system at one of their manufacturing facilities. A U.S. Patent has been issued, and commercialization is underway. To industry, it is results that count. And evaluator surveys show that industry is satisfied with the results of I/UCRC membership -- not just in terms of new products and processes (as described in the enclosed fact sheets), but also in terms of access to the best new ideas and first-rate prospective employees. Their enthusiastic participation and support are the proof of their satisfaction. Engineering Education and Centers Division Directorate for Engineering National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22230 (703) 306-1383 (703) 306-0326 Fax (703) 306-0090 TDD E-mail: eng-eec@nsf.gov NSF 93-97a (rev. 7/96) INDEX Advanced Manufacturing Center for Grinding Research and Development (CGRD) (University of Connecticut) Material Handling Research Center (MHRC) (Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Arkansas) Center for Machine-Tool Systems Research (CMTSR) (University of Illinois) Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) (Iowa State University) Center for Dimensional Measurement and Control in Manufacturing (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor) Web Handling Research Center (WHRC) (Oklahoma State University) Nano/Micro Fabrication Technology Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center (BSAC) (University of California, Berkeley) Advanced Materials and Processing Center for Microcontamination Control (CMC) (University of Arizona) Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research (CISR) (Carnegie Mellon University) Center for Applied Polymer Research (CAPRI) (Case Western Reserve University) Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center (ASPPRC) (Colorado School of Mines) Advanced Materials and Processing (cont.) Cooperative Research Center in Coatings Eastern Michigan University (EMU), Michigan Molecular Institute (MMI), and North Dakota State University (NDSU)) Polymer Interfaces Center (PIC) (Lehigh University) Biodegradable Polymer Research Center (BPRC) (University of Massachusetts at Lowell) Center for Micro-engineered Materials (CMEM) (University of New Mexico, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and New Mexico Highlands University) Center for Glass Research (New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University) Center for Electromagnetics Research (CER) (Northeastern University) Center for Surface Engineering and Tribology (CSET) (Northwestern University and Georgia Institute of Technology) Corrosion in Multiphase Systems Center (CMSC) (Ohio University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Particulate Materials Center (The Pennsylvania State University) Center for Ceramic Research (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) Composites Design Center (Stanford University) Chemical Processing The Center for Separations Using Thin Films (CSTF) (University of Colorado at Boulder) Research Center for Energetic Materials (RCEM) (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology) Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research (CPPR) (Purdue University) Measurement and Control Engineering Center (MCEC) (University of Tennessee at Knoxville with Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Center for Process Analytical Chemistry (CPAC) (University of Washington) Civil Infrastructure Systems The Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPT) (Carnegie Mellon University) Advanced Electronics Center for Optoelectronic Devices, Interconnects, and Packaging (COEDIP) (University of Arizona and the University of Maryland) Center for Ultra-high Speed Integrated Circuits and Systems (ICAS) (University of California at San Diego with San Diego State University) Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Packaging of Microwave, Optical and Digital Electronics (CAMPmode) (University of Colorado at Boulder) Center for Dielectric Studies (CDS) (Intercollege Materials Research Laboratory, Penn State University) Center for Electronic Materials, Devices, and Systems (CEMDAS) (The University of Texas at Arlington and Texas A&M University) Advanced Electronics (cont.) Center for Design of Analog-Digital Integrated Circuits (CDADIC) (Washington State University, University of Washington, Oregon State University, and State University of New York at Stony Brook) Biotechnology Industry/University Center for Biosurfaces (IUCB) (State University of New York at Buffalo, The University of Memphis, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University) Advanced Computing Software Engineering Research Center (SERC) (Purdue University, University of Florida, and Oregon Associated Universities) Center for Advanced Computing and Communication (CACC) (North Carolina State University and Duke University) Information and Communications Center for Information Management Research (CIMR) (University of Arizona and Georgia Institute of Technology) Research Center for Wireless Information Networks (WINLAB) (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) Center for Advanced Communications (Villanova University) Energy and Environment Advanced Control of Energy and Power Systems (ACEPS) (Colorado School of Mines, Arizona State University, Wichita State University) Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center (ACRC) (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Energy and Environment (cont.) Emission Reduction Research Center (ERRC) (New Jersey Institute of Technology) Hazardous Substance Management Research Center (HSMRC) (New Jersey Institute of Technology) Queen's University Environmental Science and Technology Research Centre (QUESTOR) (The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland) Ocean Technology Center (OTC) (University of Rhode Island) Management of Technology Center for Innovation Management Studies (CIMS) (Lehigh University) Aeronautics and Surface Transportation Center for Virtual Proving Ground Simulation: Mechanical and Electromechanical Systems (The University of Iowa and the University of Texas at Austin) Health Care Center for Health Management Research (CHMR) (Arizona State University and the Network for Health Care Management) Center in Ergonomics (Texas Engineering Experiment Station -- The Texas A&M University System) Agriculture Center for Aseptic Processing and Packaging Studies (CAPPS) (North Carolina State University and the University of California at Davis) Center for Integrated Pest Management (North Carolina State University) Center for Grinding Research and Development (CGRD) University of Connecticut Advanced grinding techniques contribute to America's manufacturing competitiveness Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Grinding Research and Development (CGRD) was established by the University of Connecticut School of Engineering in conjunction with several companies from Connecticut and other states to conduct advanced research in grinding and related technologies. The Center's sponsors include major U.S. automotive, engine, machine tool, and chemical manufacturers, as well as grinding equipment and material suppliers. The Center's goals are to -- * Conduct fundamental and advanced studies of the grinding process and complementary areas * Provide appropriate solutions to specific industrial problems * Provide industrial personnel and university engineering students with the education and experience necessary to manage diverse problems in the grinding industry. Research Program In its core research program sponsored by its industrial advisors, the Center investigates problems related to the grinding of bearing rings, gears, ceramics, and aerospace materials. The Center pursues research in cylindrical and surface grinding, centerless grinding, coolant system evaluation, metals, ceramics, acoustic emission monitoring, and processes. This research is conducted in laboratories housing state-of-the-art metrology, materials analysis, and grinding equipment. The Center sponsors research in five major areas -- * Grinding Machine and Grinding Process Dynamics -- These studies investigate the ways in which factors such as vibration and geometric instability influence the quality of components after grinding and focus on the problems encountered when grinding cylindrical components, such as bearing rings. Typical problems that adversely affect the performance of ground components include lobing and chatter (surface imperfections) in centerless grinding. Centerless grinding modes studied include: shoe-centerless, plunge, and throughfeed types. * Truing and Dressing of Grinding Wheels -- Superabrasive products such as cubic boron nitride (CBN) offer advantages over conventional abrasives such as aluminum oxide, including increased part-to-part consistency, longer wheel life, and better workpiece surface integrity. However, because of its hardness, CBN presents problems with truing (material removal to ensure wheel roundness) and dressing (removal of wheel matrix material to expose the cutting edges of grits). The Center is studying the conditions under which the conventional mechanical method of dressing wheels -- in which a diamond-edged tool contacts the grinding wheel to remove material -- can be applied to CBN wheels. * Thermal Aspects of the Grinding Process -- In assessing the ways in which heat generated by grinding affects the grinding wheel and workpiece, this area of investigation applies finite-element and analytical methods to simulate the grinding process. The models are then verified experimentally. The models developed in these studies will ultimately help the users of grinding machines to modify production parameters -- such as wheel speed and in-feed rate -- to prevent workpiece damage. * Grinding Fluid Studies -- CGRD is performing studies to optimize the application of fluids in ceramic grinding. This research (1) investigates the effect on grinding performance of methods for applying grinding fluids and (2) assesses the fluids' effectiveness in minimizing thermal damage. The Center also conducts studies of the harmful effects of grinding fluids because -- despite their effectiveness in cooling, lubricating, and flushing waste -- grinding fluids can cause environmental and health hazards. For example, CGRD-supported projects are investigating the microbial contamination of grinding fluids and ways to improve the applications of biocides in the fluid. * Monitoring and Control -- Within the UConn Grinding Center, research is being conducted on process monitoring and applying of corrective control strategies. Using acoustic emission (AE) sensing and digital signal processing, high-speed gap elimination and dressing verification are being studied. Also, the application of AE monitoring to detect thermal damage in-process is being carried out. This work attempts to reduce wheel approach time and minimize the dressing amount taken from the grinding wheel, creating higher throughput and reducing abrasives cost. Truing and dressing of CBN grinding wheels is also being studied to identify conditions where the wheels quickly cut efficiently, with minimum conditioning required. Special Center Activities * With two industry partners, the Center is designing and building a prototype of a production grinder that surpasses current machines in part quality and production of ground components, while lowering cost. This work is being done under the Advanced Grinding Machine Initiative, funded by the Defense Logistics Agency through NSF. Grinding at such high speeds is a serious technological challenge. The Center and its partners, Bryant Grinder Corporation and The Torrington Company, are meeting the challenge with open-architecture control, acoustic sensing, high structural stiffness, high-velocity coolant application, advanced hydrostatic technology (in slideway, support shoes, and spindle), a cubic boron nitride wheel, and designs for safety and environmental cleanliness. Overall, the program will allow the U.S. bearing industry to explore the advantages of high-speed grinding technology, including higher productivity, lower costs, higher part-to-part consistency, and less thermal damage to parts. * The Center worked with Hamilton Standard to eliminate the chipping of nitrided spool valves. The process in question was the production of fuel control valves involving a two-step nitriding process and no-coolant final grinding. Our goal was to determine the cause of the chipping, the point in the manufacturing cycle where it is initiated, and to recommend economically feasible remedies to the causes. Hamilton Standard provided funds to support the research effort, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings from reduced scrap and rework. * In a joint project with the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation at Iowa State University, the Center is developing a method of using Barkhausen magnetic noise (residual stress) detection equipment in detecting grinding damage. Damage in bearing parts caused by improper grinding procedures causes early failure during service, a major concern in the automobile and aviation industry. The grinding industry needs a technique that can reliably and quickly detect possible grinding damage in parts during manufacturing. Results are being gathered from automobile wheel-bearing components ground under a variety of controlled conditions. Preliminary test data validates the method: experiments indicate that Barkhausen measurements on parts ground under progressively decreasing amounts of coolant can detect residual stress changes in the surface of test pieces. * In another joint project, with the Center for Ceramic Research (CCR) at Rutgers University, the Center is investigating cost-effective methods of grinding a range of ceramics with minimum surface and sub-surface damage, at high stock removal rates. UConn Grinding Center will process the ceramic materials and develop an analytical thermal model of the grinding process. Rutgers CCR will measure the depth of damage and conduct 4-point bend tests to study strength degradation. This project is of particular interest to bearing and electronic industries. * The University of Connecticut, through the UConn Grinding and Precision Manufacturing Centers, hosted the International Manufacturing Engineering Conference (IMEC) in August 1996. This biannual conference of the International Foundation for Production Research attracted 200 international participants during the 3-day period. Official sponsors of the conference were CIRP, NSF, and ASME. Education and Communication at CGRD The Center offers two graduate-level courses in grinding that are open to industrial members as well. The Center also sponsors the development of technician-level training that can bring greater technical understanding to the shop floor. One such course is offered at the Waterbury State Technical College to provide shop foremen and operators with an introduction to grinding technology. M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are offered by CGRD in conjunction with the departments of metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering. Students associated with the Center conduct their thesis research on a topic of proven industrial interest. CGRD keeps pace with international developments in grinding. One example of this is Center director Trevor Howes' NSF-sponsored tour of precision engineering centers in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong in the spring of 1995. Such activities assist the Center in shaping a research and development program tailored to provide the highest value to domestic industries. Center Headquarters Center Director: Professor Trevor D. Howes Center for Grinding Research and Development Middle Turnpike (Rt. 44), Longley Building University of Connecticut, U-119 Storrs, CT 06269-5119 Phone: (860) 486-2883 Fax: (860) 486-2269 E-mail: howes@pmc.uconn.edu Center Evaluator: Professor Donald Hempel Department of Marketing University of Connecticut, U-119 Storrs, CT 06269-5119 Phone: (860) 486-2291 Fax: (860) 486-2096 E-mail: donhemp@sbaserv.sba.uconn.edu NSF 93-97b (rev. 7/96) Material Handling Research Center (MHRC) Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Arkansas Improved tools and strategies to store, move, and control materials will reduce logistics costs Center Mission and Rationale The United States spends nearly a trillion dollars each year on the logistics of material flow. An increasingly complex global economy revolves around the movement of goods, including raw materials and subassemblies. The Material Handling Research Center (MHRC) is the only research organization in the United States devoted exclusively to the systems needed to facilitate and manage material flow. The material handling system extends from the last value-adding step at a supplier through the entire production process and distribution network until a product is received by the customer. Companies may also become responsible for the return or disposal of packaging material and/or shipping containers. Germany, for example, requires that manufacturers collect all packing material and return it to the manufacturing site for disposal. Other countries are considering similar measures. The Center's mission is to improve domestic productivity by developing methodologies and tools to analyze, operate, and design material handling systems for industry and Government. The Center performs approximately $3 million of research annually and serves about 30 companies. Forty faculty supervise some 70 students working on projects directed at the needs of MHRC's members. The Center also acquires technology from other countries through technology exchange agreements. Research Program The research performed in the Center is divided into several program areas: * Manufacturing Systems. This area focuses on the scheduling of production systems and the problems of material flow through the manufacturing process. Emphasis is on customer-centered, high-mix, flexible production systems. The research involves scheduling, planning, and control systems, in-plant material transport, modeling and simulation, and computer-aided design and operating tools. MHRC's accomplishments in this area include determining the size and location of buffers to maximize the throughput of flexible manufacturing system (FMS) installations, developing computer aids to design automatic guided vehicle (AGV) networks, and selecting and assigning components for insertion and onsertion machines. * Warehousing Systems. This area focuses on the efficient utilization of cubic volume and the speed and accuracy of withdrawals and replenishment. The research involves service times for automated systems, advanced order-picking techniques, location/allocation of storage, inventory reduction, and computer-aided tools for facility design and operation. Past projects include development of software to determine which items should be stored in a given technology, assignment of storage locations to improve order-picking efficiency, application of conveyors to sortation, development of operating strategies for automatic storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), and comparison of part-to-picker and picker-to-part systems. Future projects will integrate a number of these advances in an artificial intelligence-based design/analysis workstation for distribution centers and warehouses. * Logistics Systems. This area focuses on the interplant and intraplant flow of material and the strategic location of manufacturing plants, depots, and distribution centers. Ongoing research includes topics such as route design, multichannel distribution networks, allocation of products and customers to manufacturing and distribution centers, facilities design, and conveyor network design. Research results include algorithms for laying out linehaul/backhaul routes, fixed delivery routes, and collection sites for recyclable material. Future projects will focus on a computer-based set of design and analysis tools for the interactive investigation of a wide range of tactical and strategic logistics issues. * Flexible Automation. This area focuses on improving the utility or efficacy of existing hardware. Research topics include low-cost vision systems, autonomous AGVs, and robotic applications. MHRC's research resulted in the formation of a spin-off company to produce low-cost vision systems that determine the location and orientation of objects, navigation techniques for autonomous AGVs, and the feasibility of vision-based smart tags as an alternative to radio frequency smart tags. * Information Systems. This area focuses on the information that must accompany material movements and the application of artificial intelligence to material handling problems. MHRC's research involves expanding the integrated computer-aided manufacturing definition (IDEF) approach to include the information flow as well as the material flow needed to support a manufacturing enterprise, as well as models to handle unscheduled events such as machine breakdowns or material shortages. Past research resulted in software to automatically palletize random-size packages, a system to automatically load and unload truck trailers, and an integrated production control system to fabricate optical fibers. The Center is also performing research to determine the best way to size and manage reusable containers in a closed-loop system, to promote standard-size containers and pallets, and to reduce injuries during manual material handling. Special Center Activities MHRC-developed technologies have resulted in a pattern of substantial cost savings for the Center's industrial sponsors. Selected accomplishments by the MHRC include -- * Assisting a major electronics manufacturing firm in redesigning its material acquisition operation, which resulted in a reduction of Work-in-Process (WIP) inventory by $100 million while reducing staffing requirements by $3 million annually. * Developing quantitative design software that enabled a major military avionics firm to save $400,000. The firm used the software to review an AS/RS acquisition designed by traditional methods. The software revealed that the equipment was significantly over-designed. * Developing algorithms to allocate and slot electronic chips on automatic onsertion equipment, which resulted in productivity increases of more than $1 million monthly for a major electronics manufacturer. After attending discussions at MHRC, the U.S. Postal Service learned of reusable and recyclable alternatives to wood pallets and began using plastic pallets, which resulted in a savings of several million dollars annually. MHRC also collaborates with other I/UCRCs as appropriate. For example, MHRC cooperated with the Web Handling Center at Oklahoma State University to apply a motion sensor (a correlating camera developed as part of an AGV navigation package) to the edge motion of a continuous web. MHRC also collaborated with the Center for Plastics Recycling Research at Rutgers University, and the two Centers jointly designed a waste collection and recovery system for the State of New Jersey. In addition to hosting visiting scientists from Asia and Europe, MHRC is negotiating a technology exchange agreement with the Fraunhofer Institute in Dortmund, Germany, a major European center for material handling research. MHRC provides research opportunities to minority students from the two Center campuses, Tuskegee University, and Clark Atlanta University. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. H. Donald Ratliff Georgia Institute of Technology The Logistics Institute, School of Industrial and Systems Engineering 765 Ferst Drive Atlanta, GA 30332-0205 Phone: (404) 894-2307 Fax: (404) 894-0390 E-mail: hratliff@isye.gatech.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. J. David Roessner Public Policy Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0345 Phone: (404) 894-6821 E-mail: david.roessner@pubpolicy.gatech.edu NSF 93-97c (rev. 7/96) Center for Machine-Tool Systems Research (CMTSR) University of Illinois National manufacturing competitiveness depends on increased attention to machine-tool development Center Mission and Rationale The goal of the Center for Machine-Tool Systems Research (CMTSR) is to develop and transfer to industry innovative machine-tool concepts and systems based upon technologies representing both incremental and fundatamental advances, and to train students in the expert development and deployment of these systems. The Center's ultimate mission is to spur marked improvement of national manufacturing competitiveness through the deployment of advanced machine-tool systems. Research Program Team projects in the CMTSR focus on the following three areas -- * Agile/flexible machining and machine-tool systems * Machine-tool system planning and control. Tools for the effective utilization of machine-tool systems -- e.g., planning, scheduling, control * Machining process development and innovation. Modeling and prediction of product and process quality performance -- e.g., surface finish and error, dimensional accuracy, etc. -- including both off-line design-based considerations and on-line monitoring and control applications. Together, faculty, students, and company members deal with these topics in ways that shed new light on the principles of agility in machine-tool systems, as well as on relationships between technological and cultural issues. Technology integration themes also are thoroughly explored. Center Activities Company members participate in both company-designated and Center-designated projects. Company-designated projects are initiated by each member company, and both company researchers and university faculty and students collaborate closely on these projects. Collectively, the member companies also solicit and fund faculty proposals for Center-designated projects in areas determined by the Center's industrial advisory board to be of particular interest. Currently, 14 faculty and more than 20 students on both the Chicago and Urbana campuses of the University of Illinois participate in some 20 ongoing company- and Center-designated projects. Some recent projects are: * Machining of Ceramic Materials -- This research, centered around Rotary Ultrasonic Machining (RUM), has two core objectives: (1) the development of a machining process for ceramics which has a suitably high material removal rate and efficiency (low energy consumption), but at the same time causes minimal surface damage and strength reduction to the ceramic component; and (2) the characterization and comparison of the process, which is important in the development of a robust and reliable process. So far, the research has met with great success in the development and verification of RUM with respect to the material removal phenomena in both the grinding and milling processes. * Design and Development of Agile/Flexible Machining Fixtures -- The goal of this research is to develop a unified fixture and machining process design, analysis, and optimization tool to improve product quality. The computer-based tool resulting from this research will allow an optimal design to be reached through iterations performed on the computer, thus eliminating the need to actually fabricate the fixture and then make adjustments to achieve an acceptable fixture. It will allow fixture design to be optimized subject to workpiece dimensional accuracy constraints imposed by the part designer. Most importantly, the effect of the instantaneously varying machining forces along the cutter path will be taken into account while designing the fixture. * Implementation and Testing of an Intelligent Controller for Nanometer- level Precision Machine Tools -- The goal of this work is to develop an improved servo control loop capable of sub-micrometer precision position control in the presence of high friction. The benefits of this research will be an increase in machined part quality. The main applications of ultra-precision machining are in the optics and electro-optics industries for the production of metal mirrors, aspherical lenses, and components for laser disk players. Increasing the machining accuracy will allow costly finishing and polishing procedures to be significantly reduced or eliminated. The Center's accomplishments include the following-- * Two patents based on the Center's research on constant velocity (CV) joint wear measurement and analysis have been filed. They are: "Method and Means for Measuring Wear in Constant Velocity Joints" (an instrument which provides a direct, quantitative method of CV joint track wear), and "Spline Counting Mechanism" (a handheld device for measuring certain important parameters of splines). * The Center conducted a research project in the area of motion control for irregular shape generation. Specifically, the project dealt with the dynamic variable depth of cut machining of non-circular engine cylinder bore to compensate for bore deformation. Based on this research, a new camshaft turning process is being developed that would eliminate the current practice of milling and grinding. Researchers are currently collaborating with a machine-tool builder and a camshaft manufacturer to further develop this technology. * In concert with Machine Tool Agile Manufacturing Research Institute (MTAMRI) researchers, the CMTSR faculty have worked on the development of software testbeds using the World Wide Web to improve the accessibility of machining process simulation technologies. The purpose of software testbeds is to facilitate the development, testing, and utilization of software for the design and application of machine-tool systems. The software testbeds will allow industrial partners to access software on university computers and experiment with its application on real problems of the day. Research facilities and equipment at the Center include the Discovery Bridgeport milling machining; two special-purpose transfer-line workstations for milling, turning, and cylinderboring; an OKUMA vertical machining center; a state-of-the-art variable spindle-speed machining head; a variety of metrology equipment and instrumentation, including Kistler dynamometers, surface profilometers, a Talyrond and tool-analyzer microscope; two Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM); and high-speed data acquisition systems. Center Headquarters Center Director: Prof. Shiv G. Kapoor Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 361 Computer and Systems Research Laboratory 1308 W. Main Street Urbana, IL 61801 Phone: (217) 333-3432 Fax: (217) 244-9956 E-mail: s-kapoor@uiuc.edu Center Evaluator: Prof. Devanathan Sudharshan Department of Business Administration University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 315 David Kinley Hall 1206 S. Sixth Street Champaign, IL 61820 Phone: (217) 333-1691 Fax: (217) 244-7969 E-mail: sudharsh@ux6.cso.uiuc.edu NSF 93-97d (rev. 7/96) Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) Iowa State University Advances in nondestructive evaluation can enhance the quality and reliability of manufactured products Center Mission and Rationale Nondestructive evaluation is the use of measurement techniques to noninvasively determine the integrity of a material component or structure. The Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) uses quantitative approaches to develop nondestructive evaluation as an engineering tool applicable throughout the life cycle of a component. The Center's emphasis is on the fields of aviation, transportation, energy, and manufacturing. Its mission is to conduct directed research that advances the science of nondestructive evaluation and ensures the integrity of structures and materials. Research Program CNDE conducts a full spectrum of research ranging from measurement models, which describe the fundamental interaction between probing methods and the flaws and properties of materials, to development of one-of-a-kind prototype instruments. Areas in which the Center is currently conducting research include -- * Ultrasonics * Electromagnetic measurements * Image enhancement techniques * Microfocus radiography * Magnetic techniques * Microwave techniques * Neural networks * Nondestructive characterization of materials. Because the field of nondestructive evaluation requires a multidisciplinary approach, contributions from various engineering disciplines and physical sciences are essential. Faculty and scientific staff from 3 colleges and 6 departments contribute to the research efforts at Iowa State University (ISU). The Center's researchers currently include more than 40 faculty members and professional and scientific staff, as well as some 60 graduate students and postdocs. In addition to participating in the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program, CNDE is active in other major research programs -- * The Integration of Design, Nondestructive Evaluation, and Manufacturing Sciences Program, funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, incorporates product reliability and life-cycle costing into the designer's computer-aided-design station, which also ensures inspectability at the design stage. * The FAA Center for Aviation Systems Reliability is a research and technology development program, funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. This program helps provide solutions to pressing aircraft nondestructive inspection (NDE) and maintenance problems for commercial airline operators and manufacturers in the United States. * The Iowa Demonstration Laboratory is an outreach effort funded by Iowa State University to aid in technology transfer to Iowa businesses. Special Center Activities Some of the Center's research, technology transfer, and education/training accomplishments include -- * Developed a novel method based on shear wave polarization to determine percentages of plies with different fiber directions in composite materials * Field tested a new ultrasonic transducer (Dripless Bubbler), at the Aging Aircraft Nondestructive Inspection Validation Center, for inspection of lap joints and adhesive bonds in aircraft fuselage * Developed an improved understanding of the relationship of ultrasonic backscattered noise to instrumental and material factors * Developed a model relating backscattered noise in titanium alloys to microstructure, which may provide a basis for modifying materials processing procedures to reduce noise * Developed a Bayesian methodology for prediction of inspection intervals during manufacture for process control applications * Developed a new, visualization-based ray-tracing and beam model ultrasonic simulator; improved the speed of the beam model simulations by a factor of 60 * Developed a magnetic flux leakage modeling method for predicting the amplitude of signals based on a non-iterative linear model. This has the potential to improve modeling speeds by several orders of magnitude, making probability of detection calculations significantly more practical * Developed eddy current and ultrasonic modeling software which was transferred to sponsors for validation and use * Awarded and initiated a planning grant to establish the North Central Center for Advanced Engineering Technology Education in NDE/NDT in cooperation with the Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department, the National Science Foundation, and six upper Midwest community colleges * Distributed instructional video "NDI for Corrosion Detection" to over 150 members of the aviation community for use in their in-house training programs. The video is used by all six major U.S. carriers. Many companies, including Amoco, ARCO, the Association of American Railroads, Boeing, Chrysler, EPRI, General Electric, Grumman, Hercules, Martin Marietta, McDonnell Douglas, Pratt & Whitney, Shell, Westinghouse, and others have used advances developed by CNDE in their manufacturing and service businesses. Facilities Most of CNDE's facilities are housed in ISU's Applied Sciences Complex. CNDE equipment and instrumentation at the Complex include a microfocus x-ray unit with digital camera, high-and low-frequency ultrasonic pulse instruments, eddy current and laser equipment for photoinductive scanning, very low-frequency magnetic scanning equipment, and a unique "test bed" for validation of models and work related to the role of NDE and materials in concurrent engineering and life cycle management. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Donald O. Thompson Center for Nondestructive Evaluation Iowa State University Applied Sciences Complex II 1915 Scholl Road Ames, IA 50011 Phone: (515) 294-8152 Fax: (515) 294-7771 E-mail: cnde@cnde.iastate.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Anton J. Netusil Professional Studies Department N 247 C Lagomarcino Hall Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011 Phone: (515) 294-6216 Fax: (515) 294-4942 E-mail: netusil@iastate.edu NSF 93-97e (rev. 7/96) Center for Dimensional Measurement and Control in Manufacturing University of Michigan at Ann Arbor Improved product and process measurements are cost-effective and enhance product quality Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Dimensional Measurement and Control in Manufacturing (formerly known as the Center for Mechanical and Optical Coordinate Measuring Machines) was established to improve manufacturing quality through measurements and process control. Due to the pressure of global competition, it is likely that manufacturers will rely increasingly on improved product and process measurements as a cost-effective means of enhancing product quality. The primary goals of the Center are to conduct research aimed at improving the accuracy and speed of process measurements, to successfully manage and use the measurement data, and to develop effective control methods for process improvement. Research Program The Center typically conducts from two to five projects in each of the following focus areas -- * Measurement Principles and Techniques * Measurement and Control in Machining * Measurement and Control in Stamping * Measurement and Control for Assembly and Materials Joining. Research and development are carried out under the supervision of University of Michigan (UM) professors and research scientists in the college of engineering. The Center also employs undergraduate and graduate student research assistants as well as postdoctoral research fellows and research engineers. Special Center Activities The Center has served as an incubator for a variety of spin-off activities. For example -- * Saginaw Machine Systems, Inc. (SMS), and UM won one of the eleven awards in the first-round (1991) competition of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), sponsored by the Department of Commerce through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); the project was on geometric and thermal error compensation in machine tools. * Several Center members teamed up with UM researchers to obtain a second-round (1992) NIST technology commercialization grant. As a result of this spin-off activity, the Automotive Body Consortium (ABC) was formed. The ABC, Chrysler, General Motors, and UM used this second NIST/ATP award to conduct joint research in automotive body assembly. Known as the "2mm Program," the objective of this project is to reduce overall assembly variation on an auto body to less than 2mm. * Giddings and Lewis Measurement Systems (formerly Sheffield) and the UM won a 1993 NIST/ATP grant to develop enabling technologies for Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) which would maintain higher levels of accuracy in harsh manufacturing environments. * SMS and UM collaborated in another research program sponsored by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS). This program also focuses on enhancing machine tool performance. Participants include GM and Ford. * In 1994, SMS and the UM were awarded a two-year research grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop a dynamic compensation system to improve current error compensation techniques. Research will also explore ways to remove some of the technical barriers preventing commercialization of demonstrated techniques. A sample of ongoing Center projects includes-- * Non-Contact Wheel Alignment. Front-end alignment problems are a top warranty concern for auto makers. The current procedures for setting and checking alignment are slow, inaccurate, and difficult to maintain. This project explores non-contact measurement alternatives which can provide fast, accurate, consistent methods of wheel alignment. * Sensor Synthesis for Monitoring Automotive Body Assembly. Optical Coordinate Measuring Machines (OCMMs) are used to perform in-line measurements of a car body. As many as 80 sensors are installed to measure more than 100 dimensions. Many of these dimensions are strongly correlated, indicating redundancy in the measurements. This project develops principles and algorithms to optimize the distribution of measurement systems. * Active Vibration Control for CMMs. CMMs are widely used because of their accuracy and flexibility. Unfortunately, they are also slow and extremely sensitive to various disturbances, including structural vibration. This project uses control methods to compensate for structural vibration in order to optimize accuracy and efficiency. * Springback Analysis in Sheet Stamping. Elastic springback is a major source of dimensional variation in sheet metal stamping. Improved understanding of factors such as biaxial hardening, elastic recovery, and friction laws can be used to predict springback more accurately. Accurate springback predictions can help improve the dimensional quality of sheet metal panels. * Signature Analysis for Stamping Control. Stamping process control currently relies on periodic inspections of stamped parts -- i.e., it uses the product to determine if the process is under control. This project changes the focus by monitoring the process itself to define a "signature." This signature can then be used to monitor the process directly, which will allow for earlier or even preventative intervention. * Chatter Prediction and Prevention Techniques. Chatter, a self-excited vibration, is a major problem in machining. Modern materials and higher demands for precision make this problem even more critical. The objective of this project is to develop advanced on-line chatter prevention techniques through on-line prediction and suppression of chatter. Members of our Center include automobile manufactures and their suppliers, an aerospace manufacturer, members of the machine tool industry, and companies in the field of sensors. This broad spectrum of sponsors helps drive the diversity of manufacturing research embraced by the Center. Research facilities and equipment at the Center include two CMMs, an OCMM, an open architecture Computer Numerical Control (CNC) controller, two CNC milling machine centers, three CNC turning centers, a laser interferometer, a six-degrees-of-freedom laser tracking system, an infrared imaging system, an adaptive tooling system, and an intelligent workstation. Center Headquarters Center Director: Prof. Jun Ni University of Michigan Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics 2424 G. G. Brown Building 2350 Hayward Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2125 Phone: (313) 763-5299 Fax: (313) 936-0363 E-mail: Jun_Ni@umich.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Mitch Fleischer Industrial Technology Institute P.O. Box 1485 2901 Hubbard Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105 Phone: (313) 769-4368 Fax: (313) 769-4064 NSF 93-97f (rev. 7/96) Web Handling Research Center (WHRC) Oklahoma State University Enhanced understanding of fundamental issues in the handling of continuous, thin, and flexible materials can increase product quality Center Mission and Rationale The term web is used to describe materials that are manufactured and processed in a continuous-strip form. Web materials cover a broad spectrum from extremely thin plastics to paper, textiles, metals, and composites. Web processing extends to almost every industry today and allows manufacturers to mass-produce a variety of products from materials that originate as a continuous strip of material. The widespread use of web processing results from the ease and cost-effectiveness of manufacturing and handling materials in continuous-strip form instead of sheets, the need to automate many manufacturing processes, and the need to increase product quality. Web handling refers to the physical mechanics related to the transport and control of continuous-strip materials (webs) through processes and machines. A primary goal of web handling is to transport the material without incurring defects and losses. The mission of the Web Handling Research Center (WHRC) -- the only organization of its type in the world -- is to advance the knowledge base in technologies applicable to the transport and control of continuous-strip materials. Primary activities include fundamental and generic research, as well as knowledge and information transfer to and from its industrial sponsors and to small- to medium-sized manufacturing firms. Research Program The WHRC research program emphasizes the following strategies -- * Mathematical model development for fundamental elements in web-transport systems based on first principles * Experimental parameter identification and model validation * Computer modeling and simulation. Fundamental and generic research studies are conducted in the following target areas -- * Mechanics of winding. Emphasis is placed on the development of a fundamental knowledge base through studies of nip mechanics, buckling in center-wound rolls, tension losses in winding, air entrainment in wound rolls, and viscoelastic and hydroscopic effects in wound rolls. The goal of these studies is to develop improved models that can be used to predict the behavior of a roll during winding. A U.S. patent has been granted on an acoustic roll structure measurement system. * Longitudinal dynamics and tension control. As web-transport speeds are increased, precise control of tension at each processing section in a multispan web-transport system and dynamic stabilization of the overall system become more important. This research focuses on the modeling, analysis, and control of web-transport systems. A computer-based program (Web Transport System) has been developed for use in the analysis and design of open-loop and closed-loop web-transport systems. * Lateral dynamics and control. The first major contribution to the open literature on web handling was the Ph.D. dissertation of John J. Shelton in 1966. This seminal work dealt with the lateral dynamics of a moving web. During the past several years, research in this area has focused on stochastic modeling and real-time control of the lateral motion of a moving web. * Out-of-plane dynamics. Web flutter is a serious obstacle to high-speed operation of web machines. Flutter can lead to breaks or wrinkling in machines that handle paper, registration errors in printing presses, and damage to coatings on polymer sheets. WHRC research in this area focuses on predicting the critical operating conditions at which flutter starts and predicting flutter amplitude if a machine is operated above the flutter threshold. * Wrinkling. Web quality can be degraded if wrinkling occurs across rollers or within wound rolls. This research focuses on determining how wrinkles form as a function of the parameters of web lines and web materials. * Measurement of tension. There is a well-recognized need for a noncontact method of measuring the cross-web distribution of longitudinal tension in a moving web. This research focuses on the development of a compact tension-measuring system that uses a point-source pneumatic pulse excitation and measures the time of motion of the pulse in the web from the excitation point to the measurement point. WHRC also conducts research on special topics, such as air films, spreading, and traction. Web quality and efficient web processing depend critically on the air film that exists between moving webs and rollers and between winding webs and wound rolls. Air film research focuses on determining the mechanisms through which grooved and textured rollers improve traction and on developing models to predict the effects of grooves and texture on air film development. Spreading devices are used in web processing systems to reduce wrinkles by inducing a lateral stress into the web. WHRC is working to develop algorithms and software tools to study displacements and stress distributions induced in webs by curved axis and concave rollers, as well as friction forces between webs and rollers. Web transport, spreading, and winding are all affected by the available traction between the web and rollers or between the web and roll. Traction research focuses on the development of algorithms that accurately predict the available traction as a function of operational and physical parameters. Special Center Activities In addition to research activities, Center personnel are actively engaged in knowledge and information transfer and in laboratory development. The Center transfers knowledge and information to its industrial sponsors through semi-annual meetings, workshops and seminars, faculty consultation, periodic faculty visits to industry, visits to the Center by sponsor personnel, reports and theses, and bibliographic and patent databases. A major activity of the Center is the organization of an International Conference on Web Handling. Held every two years since 1991, the International Conference typically involves more than 200 participants from ten or more countries. As a service to sponsors as well as to small and medium-sized manufacturing firms, the Center offers two applications seminars on web handling each year The Center's facilities have been developed with considerable assistance from its industrial sponsors, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Key facilities at WHRC include a Beloit Winder (winding mechanics), a Fife Machine (wrinkling studies), a 3M Machine (tension control and measurement), a Roisum Machine (air-film studies), and the Computer-Aided Design and Interactive Graphics Laboratory (IBM RS 6000, Sun, and Macintosh workstations). The facilities have been enhanced substantially by the addition of a modularized high speed web line, capable of running 30" wide webs at transport speeds up to 5000 ft. per minute. The web line was specially designed to support fundamental experimental studies of winding, wrinkling, and longitudinal dynamics. A new web line is being designed especially for fundamental experimental studies on air film and by the installation in late 1995 of a special high-speed "web line" designed and manufactured by Worldwide Converting Machinery in cooperation with Reliance Electric Company. Corporate sponsors of WHRC include manufactures of a wide range of web materials such as packaging films, photographic film, metal foils, paper products, and composite materials, along with equipment manufacturers and raw materials suppliers. Other sponsors include private foundations and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Since inception of the Center, the sponsors have played a key role in the evaluation of projects, the identification of new projects, and the advisement of the principal investigators. Inputs are sought on a continuing basis from the IAB members on potential new projects. A research needs assessment is conducted once each year. Inputs from industry participants often form the basis for new project proposals at subsequent meetings, as well as changes in the scope of continuing projects. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Karl N. Reid Web Handling Research Center College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology Oklahoma State University 111 Engineering North Stillwater, OK 74078 Phone: (405) 744-5140 Fax: (405) 744-7545 E-mail: kreid@okway.okstate.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. David Mandeville School of Industrial Engineering and Management Oklahoma State University 322A Engineering North Stillwater, OK 74078 Phone: (405) 744-6055 Fax: (405) 744-6187 E-mail: dmandev@okway.okstate.edu NSF 93-97g (rev. 7/96) Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center (BSAC) University of California, Berkeley The Center is working to create tomorrow's integrated microelectromechanical systems Center Mission and Rationale The mission of the Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center (BSAC) is to develop a science, engineering, and technology base for microsensors, microactuators, mechanical microstructures, and microdynamic systems. The Center builds upon a well-developed arsenal of design and fabrication tools, which make possible today's microelectronic devices and integrated circuits, to create tomorrow's integrated microelectromechanical systems. Achieving this goal depends heavily on research advances in electrical, mechanical, chemical, and biomedical engineering and materials science. Research Program Founded in 1986, the Center is supported by more than 20 industrial and national laboratory members, with whom it collaborates closely. Frequently, researchers at BSAC base their device concepts on the requirements of Center members. Often, members test devices or structures made at BSAC or supply the Center with materials to evaluate. The Center's research thrusts are in the following areas: * Scientific fundamentals -- Physics and engineering at small dimensions, materials and mechanisms for microdevices, ultrasound and energy transduction in microstructures, material properties fluid flow in small channels, and new physical phenomena for sensing and/or actuating. * Fabrication techniques -- Technologies for material sculpting, bulk and surface micromachining, deposition of piezoelectric and magnetic films, control over basic material properties, compatible fabrication of micromechanical and microelectronic devices and circuits, novel etch release methods, high-aspect ratio microstructures, and material joining and cutting. * Microdevices for sensing and actuation -- Force, pressure, and motion-sensitive devices; microfluidic pumps, valves, and flow-rate measuring devices; ultrasonic flexural-wave devices; microphones, chemical sensors, and chemical-reaction devices; optical microdevices, micropositioning and microgripper devices, mechanically resonant microdevices; and miniature inertial instruments such as accelerometers, angular rate sensors, and angular accelerometers. * Integrated microsystems -- Integrated process development for micromechanics and microelectronics where Complimentary Metal-Oxide-Silicon (CMOS) circuitry is fabricated along with microstructures, integrated-circuit microphones, contactless integrated electrostatic voltmeters, microminiature light choppers, resonant-element microcircuits and systems, microaccelerometers, microminiature rate-gyros, micro-flow systems for biological and chemical applications, high-accuracy, high-bandwidth micropositioners for disk drives, and microphotonic systems. Recent research projects at BSAC include electronic filters with internal micromechanical elements that perform filtering, sophisticated biochemical processing in a micromachined container, advanced micromachined inertial instruments, high-aspect ratio microactuators, and novel piezoelectric sonic output devices. Special Center Activities The Center uses the microfabrication facility of the University of California at Berkeley, which is one of the most advanced lab sites in the field because of the small size and variety of integrated circuit components that can be made there. Mask-making is done on-site. Students perform most of the fabrication, and the facility allows carefully monitored nonstandard processing to be performed in the laboratory, allowing unusual design flexibility. The Center's multidisciplinary student mix (engineering and science students in the electrical, mechanical, chemical, material science, and bioengineering areas) brings a broad skills base to BSAC. In addition, the Center employs full-time staff who specialize in process optimization and novel fabrication techniques. Examples of unique devices fabricated by BSAC include microphones, ultrasonic sensors, microhypodermic injection needles, microsignal processing filters, microencapsulation shells, micropumps, and micromixers that employ both low-stress membranes and piezoelectric films. BSAC develops and processes to combine sensor structures with both low- and high-temperature metallization to make truly integrated sensors and actuators. Other Center activities include -- * Research programs for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students, employing more than 35 graduate research assistants. Center alumni currently guide programs in microelectromechanical systems at several major laboratories and universities, including UCLA, University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory * Past or present collaboration with the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation at Iowa State University, the Center for Process Analytical Chemistry at the University of Washington, the Center for Dielectric Materials at The Pennsylvania State University, Case-Western Reserve University, and the Center for Engineering Tribology at Northwestern University * Collaborative research with faculty colleagues at Berkeley and other universities including the University of California at Davis, Stanford, MIT, and the University of Michigan. Center Headquarters Center Directors: Roger T. Howe, Richard S. Muller, Albert P. Pisano, Richard M. White Associate Directors: Bernhard Boser, Kristofer Pister Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center University of California, Berkeley Department of EECS 497 Cory Hall Berkeley, CA 94720-1770 Phone: (510) 643-6690 Fax: (510) 643-6637 Fax: (510) 643-5599 (for Dr. Pisano only) E-mail: sensor@eecs.diva.berkeley.edu Center Evaluator: Howard Levine 198 Bret Harte Road Berkeley, CA 94708 Phone: (510) 849-0358 NSF 93-97h (rev. 7/96) Center for Microcontamination Control (CMC) The University of Arizona Reduction of defects in semiconductor manufacturing is fundamental to U.S. competitiveness in semiconductor devices Center Mission and Rationale Contamination by foreign particles accounts for more than 90 percent of the defects encountered in processing semiconductor devices scaled to submicron dimensions. The Center for Microcontamination Control (CMC) particularly focuses on contamination in equipment, gases, and liquid chemicals. Foreign-particle contamination in the atmosphere of a process chamber, in a gas stream, or in a liquid chemical can affect lithography, diffusion, or implantation operations. Homogeneous contamination in gases and liquids may cause deposits on a surface that result in performance problems in semiconductor devices. Contamination may also affect a chemical reaction and the deposition or removal of a film. The CMC's research goals are to -- * Conduct interdisciplinary research on microcontamination control that is of interest to the semiconductor manufacturing community * Transfer both competitive and precompetitive technology to its member partners * Provide an environment for cooperative research between industrial partners and the university * Educate students in the fundamental disciplines necessary to advance semiconductor manufacturing * Increase fundamental knowledge of areas related to microcontamination control Research Program CMC activities involve eight departments at the University of Arizona: electrical and computer engineering, chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, management and policy, physics, chemistry, optical sciences, and soil and water sciences. More than 25 faculty members bring their diverse skills to the Center's research program. CMC's research contributions include the following -- * Developing metrology tools to measure low-level contamination in gases * Developing metrology tools to measure low-level contamination in ultrapure water * Developing metrology tools to measure electrostatic discharge events near semiconductor circuits * Characterizing the behavior of materials used in ultrapure gas distribution systems * Strengthening the fundamental understanding of particle-surface interactions in liquids * Contributing to the understanding of the fundamental behavior of particles at liquid-solid-gas interfaces * Modeling particle behavior in a flowing gas stream * Increasing the understanding of the behavior of light scattering from a particle on a surface * Using lasers to measure extremely low-level contamination in gas streams. Special Center Activities Using conclusions from a project initially funded by the entire membership, QRP Inc. sponsored an additional project that resulted in the development of an electrostatic discharge detector, referred to as a "static bug." CMC then transferred the technology of electrostatic discharge detection to QRP as the exclusive licensee for manufacturing the detector. The static bug, which looks like a dual inline pin (DIP) package common to the semiconductor industry, is being designed as a low-cost item; it will be used to detect whether microchips have been damaged by exposure to electrostatic discharge during shipping. The detector is to be included in shipping packages and read at the receiving end by a quality-control technician. If the detector has been tripped, then the chips in that package should be tested. A CMC researcher has developed a radically new ultrasensitive method using the DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to characterize the bacterial content of ultrapure water. The goal of this project is to create a standard method to measure the bacterial count in an ultrapure water sample. The semiconductor industry anticipates needing water that contains less than one bacterium per liter -- but the purity tests that are currently available are not that sensitive and require 3 to 5 days to culture any bacteria that might be present. PCR will untwist the bacterial DNA helix and cause it to be regrown as two double helices. The process is repeated up to 25 times in succession, creating a large quantity of DNA that can be observed by gel chromatography. By using this technique, in 5 hours a researcher is able to measure quantities as low as one bacterium per liter of water. Computer software developed in the CMC calculates the scattered light from a particle on an oxidized semiconductor wafer. This computer program is used by Tencor Instruments, a member firm, to aid customers in calibrating particle counters. It was also used to design a new generation of highly efficient surface scanners. Tencor performed experimental measurements that described "haze" scattering -- the scattering from background surface roughness of the wafer. By combining Tencor's research with CMC's calculations of light scattered from particles, Tencor engineers were able to design a new wafer scanner, the Surfscan 6400, which can detect 0.2 micrometer diameter particles in a background of 20,000 ppm haze. Based on CMC's research results in wet cleaning, one member company redesigned its wet-cleaning stations and reported a significant reduction in liquid-generated particulates. The company has reduced, by a factor of ten, the number of particles added to the silicon wafers used to manufacture integrated circuits. Some of the Center's other accomplishments in the area of technology transfer include -- * Transferring the technology of carbon dioxide snow cleaning to an equipment manufacturer * Transferring laser technology to a start-up firm for use in defect control * Assisting member companies in planning manufacturing facilities for the future, and establishing the CMC Forum; one forum topic is the role of mini-and macro-environments in future manufacturing facilities * Translating papers of interest from Japanese to English and distributing them to CMC members The Center's educational program has provided a cross-disciplinary research environment with myriad opportunities for students and faculty from across the campus. Fifteen Ph.D. and M.S. students have completed their degree programs with support from CMC. The Center has sponsored or cosponsored several short courses for its industrial partners. The Center's facilities include the following-- * Garment and equipment test tower: a Class 1 facility for use in evaluating gowns, wearing apparel, and equipment (one of four such facilities in the United States) * Class 10 cleanroom (240 sq. ft.) containing a Tencor 5000 and an Hitachi-Deco 310D surface particle scanner * Airborne laser-particle counters, liquid-particle counters, and a condensation-nucleus counter * Access to the University of Arizona Microelectronics Laboratory, which contains 2,000 square feet of Class 100 teaching and research space, including the only atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer in a U.S. university. Center Headquarters Center Director: John F. O'Hanlon Center for Microcontamination Control Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: (520) 621-3397 Fax: (520) 621-8881 E-mail: ohanlon@ece.arizona.edu Center Evaluator: David A. Tansik McClelland Hall, 405-R College of Business and Public Administration University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: (520) 621-1710 Fax: (520) 621-7483 NSF 93-97i (rev. 7/96) Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research (CISR) Carnegie Mellon University CISR is the largest academic research program for the steel industry in North America Center Mission and Rationale The primary goal of CISR is to conduct basic and long-term research relevant to iron and steel production. The objectives of CISR are to -- * Perform fundamental research in ironmaking, steelmaking, refining, and casting * Educate and develop students with strong technical skills applicable to the steel and steel-support industries * Establish a forum to discuss the long-term research needs of the industry and an organization to perform the research developed through these discussions * Provide a mechanism for leveraging industrial funds through cooperative research and Government support. Research Program In 1984, Carnegie Mellon University received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to plan and develop a cooperative research center in iron and steelmaking. CISR began operations in 1985 with 11 charter members. By 1992 the Center had 25 members and a total research budget of more than $1 million. CISR includes faculty from the materials science and engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and chemical engineering departments and employs four full-time research professionals. In addition to computer systems and standard high-temperature equipment, the Center also has several unique facilities including x-ray fluorescence for investigating high-temperature reactions and processes (greater than 1550 degrees C) and an x-ray for measuring high-temperature interfacial properties. CISR is conducting research in three primary areas -- * Ironmaking. The major emphasis in ironmaking at CISR is on bath smelting and ironmaking technologies. Research is under way to develop a basic understanding of a new bath-smelting process that may replace the blast furnace. In bath smelting, coal, ore, and oxygen are reacted in an iron bath and the off gas is used for partial prereduction. Ongoing work includes studies on reduction reaction, slag foaming, and process modeling. * Refining. CISR research has focused on refining processes in areas such as oxygen steelmaking, the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), and the ladle, and on specialty steels in Argon Oxygen Decarburization (AOD). CISR is working to improve steel refining -- in particular, nitrogen and phosphorus removal, inclusion removal, and vacuum degassing. * Casting. Casting research is focused on inclusion removal, horizontal casting, the determination of interfacial properties, the application of electromagnetics, and the production of steel strip. Current areas of emphasis are the mechanisms of liquid inclusion generation and elimination, shaping and levitation of liquid metals, and characterization of low carbon and stainless steel strip. Recent or ongoing research projects include-- * Water Modeling of the Top Gas Stirring in the BOF and the AISI Smelter * Kinetic Studies of the Carbon-CO2 Reaction * Optimization of Post Combustion in Steelmaking Processes * Measurement of FeO Activity in Bath Smelting Slags * Post Smelting Phase Separation and Chemical Reactions * Determination Activity of TiO2 in Blast Furnace Slags * Improved Hot Metal Desulfurization * Nitrogen Reactions in the EAF and OSM * Influence of Chromium on the Dissociation of CO2 on Liquid Iron * Determination of the Activity of Silicon and Aluminum in Stainless Steel * Nitrogen Removal in the Ladle * Scale Formation on Iron Alloys * Scale Formation on Carbon Steels * Application of Electromagnetics in the Steel Industry * Environmental Aspects of Mold Slag Usage * Mold Powder Crystallization Temperatures in the CaO-Al2O3 -SiO2 System * Slag Entrainment in Continuous Casting: Studies of the Effects of Physical Fluid Properties upon Emulsification * Mold Slag Interfacial Tension * Strip Casting Fundamentals. Special Center Activities CISR actively involves students and industry in its research program. The Center's co-director received a $150,000 grant from the ISS Foundation to support an undergraduate research program with 10 student participants. CISR has been successful in attracting industrial associates from France, The Netherlands, Australia, Korea, and South Africa. Center Headquarters Co-Director: R. J. Fruehan Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research Carnegie Mellon University 3325 Wean Hall Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: (412) 268-2677 Fax: (412) 268-7247 E-mail: fruehan@iron.mems.cmu.edu Co-Director: A.W. Cramb Phone: (412) 268-3517 Center Evaluator: Dr. Luis G. Vargas Graduate School of Business University of Pittsburgh 314 Mervis Hall Pittsburgh, PA 10560 Phone: (412) 648-1575 Fax: (412) 648-1693 NSF 93-97j (rev. 7/96) Center for Applied Polymer Research (CAPRI) Case Western Reserve University Understanding the structure-property-processing relationships for polymeric systems leads to improved industrial materials and processes Center Mission and Rationale CAPRI's mission is to carry out interdisciplinary applied and basic research on structure-property-processing relationships in polymeric materials that are of interest to industry. CAPRI intends to serve as an intellectual center for the development of new materials concepts and new analytical techniques through the traditions of quality advanced graduate education. CAPRI fosters university-industry interactions in order to provide identifiable returns to its sponsors, including educated people and knowledge, as it develops into an internationally recognized center. The Center's goals are to -- * Perform industrially relevant research that addresses the national technological needs for complex materials systems * Work with industry sponsors to identify graduate research opportunities appropriate for training the materials scientists and engineers of the future * Perform research that will lead to the development of new materials concepts, new processing methods, and new analytical techniques * Continue to build state-of-the-art facilities to serve the activities of the Center. How CAPRI Works with Industry The success of CAPRI has been made possible by the close interaction with the industrial participants. With its inception in 1981 as one of the first I/UCRCs funded by NSF, CAPRI developed an innovative model for university-industry research cooperation. CAPRI's model is characterized by a one-on-one relationship between a company and an academic research team. A small group of faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students from CAPRI work closely with industrial scientists to define and execute a project in a technical area that the sponsor has identified as being important to the company. The requirements of the project determine its size and duration. Since 1986, CAPRI has been self-sufficient, and today is one of the oldest active centers of its type. Many distinguished graduates of the center are currently employed in leadership positions in the industrial research sector. An annual symposium focused on CAPRI research is held each fall. The program features lectures by the CAPRI faculty and students in the morning and a poster session with the students and posdoctoral fellows in the afternoon. Written evaluations by the 75 or more industrial participants provide feedback for the future direction of the research programs. The one-on-one projects are reviewed separately with the sponsoring company at least once each year in a formal manner and more frequently informally. In addition to reviewing progress and defining project goals, these meetings give the students and postdoctoral fellows an opportunity to interact closely with scientists in the industrial environment. Research Program Applied and basic research in CAPRI focuses on structure-property relationships in polymeric materials. In addition to industrially supported research activities, CAPRI responds to national technological needs for complex materials systems through research grants and contracts with state and federal funding agencies. Research in CAPRI is carried out in four major thrust areas -- * Polymer blends and alloys, including interfacial control and microstructural design for optimum performance * Structural composites, with a hierarchical approach to complex materials systems based on biomimetic concepts * Processing of layered materials and structures, emphasizing the unique effects achievable by nanolayer processing of organic and inorganic materials with high interface-to-volume ratio * Polymers for biomedical applications, utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to understanding host/material interactions. Technical publications and presentation of papers at professional meetings are important means by which results of CAPRI research are disseminated to the technical community. Many of the latest research accomplishments are described in a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 52(2) which is devoted to original research papers from CAPRI. Because the Center is primarily dedicated to research that is driven by the needs of industry, most of the papers in this issue result from close collaboration with colleagues in the industrial research and development community. The students who completed their degrees with these projects were challenged to solve problems of a practical nature. Contributions in the issue provide new insights into the mechanisms of compatibilization with anhydride-functionalized polymers, elucidate the toughening mechanisms in rubber-modifed thermoplastics, and describe cooperative damage processes in microlayered composites. Other topics include analysis of the ductile-to-quasibrittle transition, postfailure fractographic analysis of fracture mechanisms, and structure-property relationships in recycled plastics. Special Center Activities After 13 years in the Olin Laboratory for Materials, CAPRI moved to the new Kent Hale Smith Engineering and Science Building in the summer of 1994. The new facility is designed to accommodate the special needs of CAPRI, combining world-class laboratories with a bright, spacious atmosphere created by innovative architectural style and design. The new building is prominently located in the center of the Case Western Reserve University campus, and its distinctive architectural style and beautiful landscaping make it easily recognizable. In the new building, CAPRI has approximately 15,000 square feet of custom-designed laboratory space. Motivated by the need for new processing technologies for creating engineered microstructures of incompatible polymers, a new facility was installed to study the unique advantages that can be achieved with microlayering coextrusion. This brings to the cutting edge the leadership of CAPRI in the analysis and characterization of microlayered polymers. In this new process, the coextruded melt stream is repeatedly split and recombined for continuous processing of sheet or film with hundreds or thousands of alternating layers of two polymers. It is now possible to scout a wide variety of microlayered concepts on an experimental scale. Because the thickness of individual layers is on the micron or submicron scale, and thus presents a large interfacial area, these materials are excellent candidates for model studies. With this flexible new facility, engineered microstructures with unique electrical, mechanical, and barrier properties have already been created. Interactions with faculty from other universities are instrumental in the execution of many successful Center projects. CAPRI activities involve faculty from Lehigh University, the University of Massachusetts, the University of California at Berkeley, Princeton University, and the University of Washington. CAPRI collaborates as well with the University of Akron through the Edison Polymer Innovation Corporation (EPIC), and participates in EPIC's development and commercialization efforts on a global basis. This alliance builds on the complementary areas of research being pursued by more than 50 faculty members at Case Western Reserve University and the University of Akron with the support of a broad-based industrial consortium. Laboratories The research activities are supported by comprehensive laboratories for testing and analysis. CAPRI continues its efforts to maintain state-of-the-art instrumentation for analysis of structure-property relationships, with particular emphasis on the areas of mechanical testing, microscopy, and thermal and infrared analysis. Static and Dynamic Testing The major mechanical testing is done with computerized universal testing machines with environmental control. Additional servo-hydraulic testing machines are dedicated to long-term dynamic testing. Mechanical tests are coupled with real-time video recordings and/or acoustic emission detection for characterization of mechanisms. Deformation stages for both the transmission optical microscope and the scanning electron microscope provide additional information on damage and crack propagation. Microscopy Various light microscopes, a scanning electron microscope with x-ray dispersive analysis, and a high resolution transmission electron microscope are used for solid state and surface characterization of materials. Deformation stages make possible in situ testing of microspecimens under a variety of loading conditions. Preparative capabilities include diamond saws, grinding and polishing equipment, as well as microtomy and cryo-ultramicrotomy. A fully equipped photographic laboratory and an image analysis laboratory are available for processing images. A scanning acoustic microscope is used for nondestructive evaluation of totally opaque composite materials and structures. Physics and Chemistry Thermal characterization is provided by the thermal analysis laboratory with two DSCs, a TGA, and a DMTA. The Fourier-transform infrared unit is equipped with ATR and photoacoustic capabilities for surface characterization. For molecular weight determination, the laboratory has a GPC with both refractive index and UV diode array detectors. Well-equipped wet laboratories support the preparative aspects. Polymer Processing The processing laboratory is equipped for mixing and forming polymers and blends on a laboratory scale. The laboratory is equipped with a twin-screw extruder with pelletizer, a mixing head, injection molding machines, and hydraulic presses. A unique processing capability of the laboratory is a coextrusion unit that produces tapes with as many as several thousand alternating layers of two or three polymers. This is achieved with a die that repeatedly splits and recombines the polymer melt. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Anne Hiltner Center for Applied Polymer Research Case Western Reserve University 10900 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106-7202 Phone: (216) 368-4186 Fax: (216) 368-6329 E-mail: pah6@po.cwru.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Richard Perloff Department of Communication Cleveland State University 1983 East 24th Street Cleveland, OH 44115 Phone: (216) 687-5042 NSF 93-97k (rev. 7/96) Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center (ASPPRC) Colorado School of Mines A fundamental understanding of cost-effective, versatile steels is essential to maintaining manufacturing competitiveness Center Mission and Rationale ASPPRC's research program addresses the manufacturing industries that produce and use steel. The Center is dedicated to developing national excellence in ferrous metallurgy. ASPPRC's objectives are to -- * Perform research that directly benefits producers and users of steel. ASPPRC evaluates new steel products and performs research related to steel manufacture and selection for a variety of applications * Develop a national forum for steel producers, steel users, Government, and academia to stimulate advances in the science and technologies of steel processing, quality, and application * Educate graduate students through research programs of theoretical and practical interest to the steel-producing and steel-using industries * Enhance undergraduate education related to steel and maintain and develop faculty involvement in teaching and research related to ferrous metallurgy. Research Program The Center's projects are clustered in the following research programs: * Bar and Forging Steels -- Research in this area includes the examination of microalloying effects on phase transformations and microstructural evolution, properties, and fracture of bar and forging steels with ferrite-pearlite and bainitic microstructures. Analysis of the effects of forging parameters, induction heating, residual elements, or cold work on transformation and properties of microalloyed steels and carburizing steels is being pursued. Also underway is the analysis of bending and fatigue behavior of carburized steels, including effects of phosphorus content, alloy content, extent and type of shot peening, imposed stress conditions, and carburizing method. Another area is analysis of the effects of composition and microstructure on the forging and hot working characteristics of steels. * Sheet and Coated Steels -- This area encompasses the characterization and modeling of formability in sheet steels, including interstitial-free steels and steels coated with various zinc layers applied by electrogalvanizing and hot-dip processing. Special topics include correlation of deformation behavior and mechanical properties as a function of processing and testing conditions, microstructure development, application of friction testing, the effects of annealing and alloying on recrystallization and texture formation in cold-rolled sheet steels, and paint bake-hardening analysis of dent-resistant steels. * Plate and Heavy Section Steels -- High-strength, high-toughness, low-carbon steels for plate and heavy-section forging applications are examined. Projects evaluate alloying and processing effects on hardenability, phase transformations, microstructural evolution, and mechanical properties. Currently, the effects of thermomechanical processing variations on performance of steels direct-quenched to martensite and tempered, the effects of Al, Ti, and Zr on the hardenability and toughness of boron-containing steels, and the effects of Ni additions on copper and precipitation hardening steels for plates and forgings are being studied. * Special Alloys and Stainless Steels -- This area includes evaluation of processing, microstructure, and formability of ferritic and austenitic stainless steel sheets, and sheet formability of superalloys. Analysis of hot deformation and microstructural evolution in high-temperature alloys and stainless steels is also carried out. Special Center Activities The Center received the 1991 Chrysler Motors Corporation Executive Engineer's Award for its role in collaborative research with Chrysler and several of the bar steel suppliers in the Center. A unique forging, analysis, and component development program led to the utilization of new bar steel grades which resulted in both a cost savings and an improvement in vehicle component properties. Industry has adopted an ASPPRC-developed laboratory test procedure to evaluate the frictional behavior of new coated sheet steels. The test methods developed in the Center have been implemented in the test laboratories of several of the sponsoring companies. An ASPPRC patent to improve headability for stainless steel wire has been obtained. Significant modifications have been made to steel specifications and processing histories for improving the strength, fatigue resistance, and toughness of high strength spring and gear steels. Other accomplishments and activities of the Center include -- * More than 120 technical papers published in technical journals and conference proceedings (several were jointly prepared by industry and ASPPRC) * Collaborative projects with the Center for Engineering Tribology at Northwestern University and the Center for Iron and Steel Research at Carnegie-Mellon University * Technology transfer via semiannual research reports, technical conferences, and research workshops; steering committee meetings at sponsor locations; and visits to industrial sponsor facilities by ASPPRC students and staff * Participation in organizing international conferences to review global developments in steel application (proceedings from each conference have been published); conferences include: --Microalloying and New Processing Approaches for Bar and Forging Steels --Carburizing: Processing and Performance --Zinc-Coated Sheet Steel Systems --Fundamentals of Aging and Tempering in Bainitic and Martensitic Steel --Physical Metallurgy of Direct-Quenched Steels Products --Stamping Technology * More than 60 graduate students have obtained degrees with financial support from ASPPRC * Two engineering professorships were added to the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department. One was established by the Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation (FIERF) and the other was established by the Center's advisory board * Over 35% of the Center's graduates have been hired by sponsoring companies and over 50% have been hired by companies which predominantly use or produce steel. Center Headquarters Center Director: David K. Matlock Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center Golden, CO 80401 Phone: (303) 273-3775 Fax: (303) 273-3795 E-Mail: dmatlock@mines.edu Center Evaluator: Virginia Shaw-Taylor 444 North Beaver Road Golden, CO 80403 Phone: (303) 642-0515 NSF 93-97l (rev. 7/96) Cooperative Research Center in Coatings Eastern Michigan University (EMU), Michigan Molecular Institute (MMI), and North Dakota State University (NDSU) An improved understanding of coatings leads to innovative approaches to coatings-related problems Center Mission and Rationale The Center's two-fold mission is to be a leading academic organization that develops relevant scientific knowledge for understanding and expanding the technology of paints and coatings for the benefit of its members and to enlarge the cadre of scientists and technologists capable of working effectively with coatings. Coatings are important in most sectors of the U.S economy, and there are many opportunities for substantial technological impact. This Center brings together three institutions with highly complementary capabilities to work in this area. The EMU faculty is strong in synthetic chemistry and crosslinking of polymers and in the formulation, application, and testing of coatings. MMI's faculty is strong in polymer synthesis, polymer physics, rheology, colloid chemistry, and theoretical treatment of complex polymer systems. The NDSU program has exceptional strength in three areas: vibrational spectroscopy of surfaces, anticorrosion coatings, and water-borne coatings. Research Program The Center started operation in 1995. Its research thrust areas are defined by critical problems facing the coatings industry and coatings users -- * Reduction and, ultimately, elimination of air pollution derived from coatings * Cost-effective improvement of product quality * Improved corrosion protection. The Center performs precompetitive research in eight areas of science and engineering that are directly relevant to these thrust areas -- * Cross-linking chemistry and cross-linked film properties * Low-solids and solventless coatings * Testing and analysis of coatings * Stabilization and rheology of dispersions and coatings * Scanning probe microscopy of coatings * Corrosion protection by coatings * Adhesion of coatings, especially adhesion to plastics * Surface and interfacial spectroscopy. Projects are implemented primarily by faculty, staff, and students of the three institutions. Resources of the institutions are combined to focus multiple skills on important problems. Project selection and implementa tion is guided by the Center's Industrial Advisory Board, which meets twice a year. Each Center member company or organization has one vote on this Board. At its inception the Center had 17 member companies and organizations and a total budget of about $700,000/year. Examples of specific research projects are: * Use of vibrational spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy to study polymer surfaces and the effects of surface treatments * Collaboration of polymer synthesis chemists and rheologists to devise solvent-free, water-reducible industrial coatings with good film properties * Pathbreaking physical studies of film formation in latex paints * Development of electrochemical noise analysis to test the ability of coatings to protect against corrosion in hours, rather than the years required by field tests * Development of more accurate methods to analyze water in paints (a critical industry problem) by chromatography and by near-infrared spectroscopy. Special Center Activities The Center is an outgrowth of a similar, but smaller, Center in operation at EMU and MMI from 1990 to 1995. Tangible accomplishments of the former Center included: * Thirty-five publications, with more in the pipeline * Three patent applications, of which one has issued, one has been allowed, and one is pending * Education of students who, upon graduation, are highly sought after by the coatings industry. Perhaps the most important accomplishment is that member companies reported starting seven substantial projects to follow up on Center research. Many smaller interactions took place among member company personnel and Center investigators. Capabilities and Facilities EMU and NDSU are two of the largest academic programs in the United States featuring the science and technology of polymeric coatings. MMI is a leading center of research in polymers. Together they bring unequaled resources to the study of coatings. For example, NDSU is in the process of adding $200,000 of new FT-IR and FT-Raman instrumentation to its well-equipped vibrational spectroscopy laboratory; and it has unique capabilities in corrosion testing. MMI established an atomic force microscopy facility in 1992 and has upgraded its equipment and expertise for investigation of coating surfaces since then; pathbreaking applications in the study of latex film formation have already been demonstrated, and extension to study of other coatings problems is planned. EMU has strong expertise in the synthesis, crosslinking, study, and evaluation of coatings polymers, supported by up-to-date equipment such as oscillating DSC, NMR, microscopic FT-IR, and chromatographic equipment. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Frank N. Jones Coatings Research Institute Eastern Michigan University 430 West Forest Avenue Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Phone: (313) 487-2203 Fax: (313) 483-0085 E-mail: frank.jones@emich.edu Center Associate Director: Dr. Marek W. Urban Polymers and Coatings Department North Dakota State University Dunbar Hall Fargo, ND 58105 Phone: (701) 231-7859 Fax: (701) 231-8439 E-mail: urban@plains.nodak.edu Center Associate Director: Dr. Dale J. Meier Michigan Molecular Institute 1910 W. St. Andrews Road Midland, MI 48640 Phone: (517) 832-5555 Fax: (517) 832-5560 E-mail: meier@mmi.org Center Evaluator: Dr. Teresa Behrens 504 West Hoover Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Phone: (313) 769-4677 Fax: (313) 332-0774 E-mail: tbehrens@ix.netcom.com NSF 93-97m (rev. 7/96) Polymer Interfaces Center (PIC) Lehigh University Better understanding of the polymer-substrate interphase will lead to design of advanced polymers Center Mission and Rationale The Polymer Interfaces Center (PIC) aims to develop a molecular-level understanding of the structural, dynamic, kinetic, and energetic characteristics of the interphase region between polymers and substrates while also developing versatile methodologies to characterize the interphase region. Interfacial research at the Center includes such topics as adsorption, desorption, dynamic wetting, adhesion, charge transfer, transport (including polymers into polymers), miscibility, and compatibility. PIC selects model polymers, model substrates, and research goals that are of interest to its industrial members. The Center's ultimate goal is to generate a scientific database to assist in designing advanced polymers for such diverse applications as lubricants, water treatment, secondary oil recovery, coatings, inks, adhesives, and engineering plastics. The mission of the Center is to -- * Stimulate multidisciplinary research on polymer interfaces * Enhance collaborative industry/university research * Educate and develop students, scientists, and faculty * Disseminate its research findings. The Center's diversity is also exemplified in its sponsorship. Industrial members are drawn from a broad spectrum of polymer-dependent industries including many of the leading companies in the chemical processing, petroleum, aerospace, and consumer products industries. Research Program The Center is interdisciplinary and includes faculty from five academic departments: chemical engineering, chemistry, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and mechanics, and physics. Research scientists from two research institutes at Lehigh University also participate in the Center's research. The current research effort is divided into three theme areas: * Polymer Adsorption/Characterization -- Investigators are elucidating the detailed processes by which non-ionic and ionic water-soluble polymers adsorb and desorb from water onto colloidal and planar surfaces such as polystyrene, TiO2, and silica. * Wetting/Adhesion -- Using industrially important metal and plastic surfaces, researchers in this area investigate the fundamentals of wetting and adhesion and the means of varying these processes by altering the molecular structure at the interface. * Mechanical Behavior of Polymer Systems -- PIC researchers examine the mechanical behavior of polymer systems that innately contain interphase regions or are purposely modified to incorporate interphases. Selected projects include investigations of film formation, "toughening" mechanisms and fatigue resistance in plastics that are modified with rubbery and/or glassy inclusions, and development of molecular/micro-models for fracture in composites. Special Center Activities Using state-of-the-art instrumentation, PIC is developing methodologies to characterize the interphase region between polymers and substrates. The Center has already transferred information on the following methodologies to its member companies -- * "Serum Replacement Technique" and "Frontal Adsorption-Desorption Chromatography in a Fixed Bed," to obtain adsorption isotherms for model polymers and substrates * "Spin-Lattice Relaxation Times by Liquid-State NMR," to detail the population of train, loop, and end conformations in adsorbed polymers * "Contact Angle" measurements at various temperatures and with small probe molecules on model surfaces to characterize the number of acidic and basic sites and their adsorption enthalpies, which relate to receptivity toward adherents * Treatment of "Instron Tensile Strength" data to estimate the degree of interfacial diffusion vs. cross-linking and toughness of films formed from latex * "Drop Mass Technique," to measure dynamic surface tension in aqueous systems. PIC also is developing novel instruments and methodologies to characterize interphase behavior. Current projects include -- * "Total Internal Reflectance Fluorescence Apparatus," utilizing the evanescent wave, to characterize chain conformation of fluorescently tagged polymers viewed through substrates that are transparent to laser light * "MoirŽ Interferometry," to provide information for detailed in-situ analysis of the strain field near a model sample prepared with a controlled crack * "Dental Burr-Submicron Grinding Instrument" to quantify fracture and toughness in test polymer systems. The Center's long-term projects include developing fundamental insights on polymer-structure behavior that should assist its industrial members in developing improved products. Through dynamic light-scattering studies, PIC has established that once certain hydrophobe-modified water-soluble polymers are adsorbed to hydrophobic particle surfaces, they cannot be desorbed by water washing -- but they readily transfer by collision to nude hydrophobic surfaces. This finding has implications for colloid stability, order-of-addition effects, and selection of hydrophobes. Through contact angle measurements, PIC researchers observed that polar groups in polymers reorient to or away from the surface to reflect the environment to which they were exposed. One benefit of this observation could be preconditioning rules to maximize film adhesion. By activating different toughening mechanisms, PIC has also observed a toughening synergy in glassy polymers modified with both rubber and hollow-glass particles. This finding may be useful for designing improved plastics. According to Dr. Joyce LaGow, Boeing's company representative to the PIC, greater understanding has been reached in an important area of manufacturing within the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group as a result of research in adhesion carried out at the PIC. The technology involved is in the process of being transferred to and applied within the company to aid in the solution of manufacturing problems. PIC supports research by M.S.- and Ph.D.-degree students in subjects related to the Center's goals. Students receive degrees from their respective academic departments, but they also take special courses on polymer interfaces given by the Center faculty and participate in the multidisciplinary activities of the Center. The instrumentation available to PIC includes x-ray photoelectron/Raman/ attenuated total-reflectance infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron/ transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, total internal reflectance fluorescence, ellipsometry, microcalorimetry, MoirŽ interferometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, column impregnation units, serum replacement cells, various mechanical property-test equipment, atomic-force microscopy, and a surface-forces apparatus. Center Headquarters Center Director: Manoj K. Chaudbury Lehigh University 111 Research Drive Bethlehem, PA 18015-4732 Phone: (610) 758-4471 Fax: (610) 758-5880 E-mail: mkc4@lehigh.edu Center Evaluator: Jean Russo Lehigh University Center for Social Research 516-520 Brodhead Avenue Bethlehem, PA 18015 Phone: (610) 758-3803 Fax: (610) 758-6350 E-mail: mjr6@lehigh.edu NSF 93-97n (rev. 7/96) Biodegradable Polymer Research Center (BPRC) University of Massachusetts-Lowell Biodegradable polymers are an important component of an integrated, economically viable, and environmentally responsible polymer disposal strategy Center Mission and Rationale The Biodegradable Polymer Research Center (BPRC) carries out exploratory and fundamental research on biodegradable polymers to support the technological interests of its members. To realize this objective, the BPRC has been organized to merge expertise in microbial production of polymeric materials, organic transformations, plastics processing, materials characterization, biodegradation testing, and environmental impact analysis. BPRC's goals are to -- * Develop biodegradable polymers that, when disposed of in biologically active environments, are completely converted to biological products (biogas, humic matter, biomass, etc.) within a suitable time period. The biodegradable polymers as well as degradation products must be environmentally compatible, causing no deterious effects on the environment. * Maintain a research program which is at the forefront of the science and work in close partnership with industry from project inception to commercial evaluation. * Bring together leading industrial and government scientists to foster close interactions and rapid transfer of new knowledge, methods, and technologies between participants. * Maintain a strong research team that consists of scientists having a range of skills within the disciplines of engineering, chemistry, and biology to effectively accomplish Center research which is, by its nature, highly interdisciplinary. * Educate students within the University in the emerging technology area of biodegradable plastics. This is accomplished through guided B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. thesis research and course work in Chemistry, Engineering, and Biology. * Educate officials, politicians, and any individuals involved in creating policy within the state and federal government regarding the technology which is currently available and in development and which can be used to reduce the serious problems currently faced in solid waste disposal. * Provide leadership in stimulating biodegradable polymer science and technology within the international community through publications, presentations at meetings, founding and editing the Journal of Environmental Polymer Degradation, organization and planning of scientific meetings on biodegradable materials, and active participation in the Bio/Environmental Biodegradable Polymer Research Society and the ASTM subcommittee on degradable polymers. Research Program Materials Synthesis * Microbial Synthesis of Biopolymers -- Identification of new microorganisms and fermentation methods to develop novel materials derived from renewable resources. Microbial nylons, polyesters, polysaccharides and bioemulsifiers are under investigation. * Organic Synthesis -- Synthetic analogues of biopolymers are being synthesized as models to establish relationships between polymer structure, morphology, properties, and degradability. Polysaccharide modification to alter their physical and biological properties. Novel degradable polymers by classical chemical approaches. Interfacial agents for biodegradable blend systems. Processing and Blending * Polymer Blends -- The blending of biodegradable components to vary properties and biodegradability. Single-screw extrusion, twin-screw extrusion, and solvent mixing are being used to vary phase domain size in order to study the effects on properties and biodegradability. The effect of miscibility and blend morphology on biodegradability is being studied. * Processing -- Sheet and blown film extrusion and co-extrusion, extrusion coating, injection molding, compression molding, and solvent casting. Reactive processing of blends and hydrogels. Processing of polysaccharides. Characterization and Modeling * Measurements and effects of crystallinity, orientation, and stress on biodegradation * Sorption, diffusion, and surface analysis and relationships to biodegradability * Control and prediction of molecular weight and effects on biodegradability. Degradation Testing and Environmental Engineering * In-Lab Accelerated Simulations -- Controlled aerobic (compost conditions) and anaerobic (optimized landfill conditions) bioreactors are used to evaluate plastic degradation kinetics. The effect of environmental parameters on the biodegradation kinetics. Providing the ASTM with Lowell testing procedures for the development of standard methods. Participation with other ASTM members in the evaluation of present ASTM degradation testing protocols. * Microbial Isolates -- Isolation of microorganisms active in environmental polymer degradation. Purification and characterization of enzymes active in polymer degradation. Determination of polymer degradation kinetics and the products formed using pure cultures and enzymes. * Environmental Engineering -- A program that seeks to integrate current and experimental methods in solid waste management where plastics are viewed as a potentially degradable component of the municipal solid waste stream. Center Headquarters Center Co-Director: Dr. Stephen McCarthy Professor, Plastics Engineering Univ. of Mass.-Lowell Lowell, MA 01854 Phone: (508) 934-3417 Fax: (508) 934-3065 E-Mail: mccarthy@cae.uml.edu Center Co-Director: Dr. Richard Gross Professor, Chemistry Dept. Univ. of Mass. -Lowell Lowell, MA 01854 Phone: (508) 934-3676 Fax: (508) 934-3037 E-Mail: grossr@woods.uml.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Michael Best Professor, Management College University of Mass.-Lowell Lowell, MA 01854 Phone: (508) 934-2726 NSF 93-97o (rev. 7/96) Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM) University of New Mexico, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and New Mexico Highlands University Understanding the chemistry of synthesis and processing of ceramic materials on a molecular or near-molecular level results in new technology of industrial significance Center Mission and Rationale The rapid development of the electronics industry has created a demand for new and improved ceramic and related materials with useful electronic and magnetic properties. In addition, the excellent thermal, strength and chemical resistance properties of ceramics have promoted the development of new, high-performance materials for structural and protective coating applications. An increasing demand for ceramic materials is expected to continue well into the next century. The mission of the Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM) is to develop new technologies to make the United States more competitive in ceramic science and engineering, and to transfer these technologies to industry. To meet the demand for new and improved ceramic materials, the Center combines the technical resources of the University of New Mexico (UNM) and Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories (SNL and LANL). The Center's principal research thrusts are the chemical synthesis and chemical processing of ceramics into powders, thin films, coatings, microporous membranes, composite structures and monolithic ceramics. The national laboratories provide complementary expertise in the areas of structural ceramics, high-temperature superconductors, microwave sintering (SNL), and electronic ceramics and glasses (SNL). Interactions with other New Mexico universities and the Air Force Materials Directorate are also key components of the Center's research program. Access to the specialized facilities of the national laboratories and the synergy between Center and national laboratory researchers contributes significantly to the success of the Center. Research Program The Center's research program concentrates on five technical areas: * Aerosol Generation of Submicron Powders --The Center has pioneered the study of the generation of submicron powders via aerosol decomposition of powder precursors. Initial emphasis has been on metal oxide ceramic systems such as mullite and metal titanates for structural and electronic applications. Aerosol routes to non-oxide ceramics, such as boron nitride, also are being studied. The results from the aerosol research study are directly applicable to the manufacture of inorganic pigments, a major industrial activity. The results also lead to improved processing techniques for the formation of useful ceramic products for both structural and electronic applications. In order to increase the rate of powder generation, the Center has developed a pilot-plant-scale reactor and a reactor modeling program. Advantages of aerosol routes to powder synthesis include: --Low raw material costs --Control of particle size and morphology --No formation of hard agglomerates --Control of Powder Stoichiometry --Continuous Processing --No post-processing (milling) required. * Porous Materials -- Porous ceramics are being developed for a variety of important industrial applications, including: --Low-density thermal insulation with small pores --Separation substrates with controlled microstructure and surface chemistry --Low-density structural materials with variable pore size --Low-dielectric-loss substrates and coatings with ordered microstructures The Center's exceptional capabilities for in-situ characterization of porous materials have been used to study and characterize: (1) ambient pressure aerogels for thermal insulation, (2) imogolite, a tubular aluminosilicate with ordered pores, and (3) amorphous metal oxide films and solids made from metal-organic precursors. * Chemical Precursors to Ceramics--Center researchers use their skills in inorganic synthesis to prepare new families of ceramic precursor materials. These precursors allow production of new ceramic physical forms and/or phases with a number of industrial applications. Kinetic, rather than thermodynamic, control is used to develop low-temperature processes to new ceramic phases of commercial significance, including: -- Polymeric boron nitride precursors for coatings and interface modification -- Mixed-metal alkoxides to produce novel electronic and optical materials -- Electrochemical synthesis of aluminum nitride for micro-electronics packaging Center and SNL researchers are conducting pioneering research programs leading to a fundamental understanding of the physics and chemistry of sol-gel synthesis and processing. A direct result of these studies has been the development of a number of important industrial applications of sol-gel processing and synthesis. These include: -- Microelectronics packaging materials -- Hermetic seals -- Corrosion and thermal barriers -- Membranes for gas separations -- Monolithic ceramics for nonlinear optics -- Highly selective catalyst supports -- Optical coatings -- Thermal insulation. A major scientific breakthrough has the potential to lead to a cost-effective ambient temperature and pressure route to aerogel insulation containing almost 99% porosity. * Advanced Processing Technologies--New advanced technologies for processing ceramic and ceramic precursor materials are being developed. Research areas include microwave processing, colloidal processing, supercritical fluid powder processing, and polymer gel casting of ceramic green bodies. Pioneering research on microwave interactions with ceramic materials continues to provide new insight on the way microwaves interact with oxide materials. A key result has been the development of a theory that explains microwave drying, sintering, and thermal runaway. This collaborative (with LANL) experimental and theoretical research project demonstrates the value of the Center's multi-disciplinary approach to research. * Vapor Phase Synthesis of Materials -- The Center has initiated a major new research program in the area of vapor phase synthesis of materials. Several of the Center's key researchers have pioneered the use of vapor deposition techniques for making thin films, coatings, and powders by vapor deposition. The new vapor phase synthesis program utilizes the skills of these researchers to prepare new electronic, display, and magnetic materials for commercial applications. The Center has extensive facilities for conducting a full complement of vapor phase studies. Center researchers perform materials synthesis and processing experiments utilizing chemical vapor deposition (CVD), metal-organic CVD (MOCVD), aerosol generation and deposition of thin films and powders, high-vacuum sputtering, spray pyrolysis, and plasma deposition and etching techniques. Research Facilities Center laboratories occupy about 15,000 square feet of laboratory space in the UNM Farris Engineering Center. Center researchers also use chemical research laboratories located in Clark Hall (UNM) and state-of-the-art facilities in the 45,000 square feet UNM/LANL/SNL Advanced Materials Laboratory. Equipment owned or available to the Center includes the following: high field NMRs (250- 400Mhz), low field NMRs(4-60MHz), Hitachi S-800 field emission SEM (2nm resolution) with low-Z x-ray analyzer, UNM Electron Beam Micro-analysis facility (JEOL 2000/2010FX TEMs), FT-infrared spectrometers, single crystal/powder/high temperature XRD, powders and Granular Materials Laboratory (particle characterization facility), CMEM/SNL Scattering Center (SAXS/x-ray reflection/light scattering), thermal plasma reactor, low-temperature plasma reactor, two RF 3,000OC furnaces, high-temperature TGA, TGA/MS, DTA/DSC, dilatometer, laser birefringence stress analyzer, aerosol powder reactors (to 1700OC), CVD reactors, TPD/Auger surface analyzer, sol-gel processing facility, and porosity analyzers (surface acoustic wave, gas permeation, adsorption). Highly specialized facilities at SNL and LANL, including neutron scattering, ion beam modification, sol-gel processing, ceramics/glass processing, CVD, microwave heating, laser beam deposition, and surface modification, also are available to Center researchers. Center Headquarters Center Director: Rr. Abhaya K. Datye Co-Director: Prof. Mark Hampden-Smith Associate Director: Prof. William J. Kroenke Center for Micro-Engineered Ceramics Farris Engineering Center, Room 203 The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131 Phone: (505) 277-2833 Fax: (505) 277-1024 E-mail: cmem@unm.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. James R. Buckmelter 11229 Woodmar Lane, NE Albuquerque, NM 87111 Phone: (505) 292-2443 E-mail: jbuckmel@unm.edu NSF 93-97p (rev. 7/96) Center for Glass Research New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University Benefits of advanced glass research extend from improved techniques and products to increased energy efficiency for the industry Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Glass Research was formed in 1985 by a core group of glass industry representatives. Following a national competition involving 11 universities, an ad hoc committee representing the U.S. glass industry decided to locate the Center at Alfred University. From a charter membership of 8 corporate sponsors, the Center has grown into a research consortium comprised of more than 30 glass manufacturers, glass users, suppliers to the glass industry, and universities. The mission of the Center is to advance the field of glass science and engineering through research, education, and technology exchange driven by the cooperative efforts of academe, industry, and government. Research Program The research program is divided into seven major categories that reflect the interests of the Center members. The areas of research include -- * Advanced glassmaking * Properties of glass-forming melts * Secondary processing * Advanced glass research * Surfaces of glass * Modeling and predictions * Materials for glassmaking. The research program of the Center covers nearly every aspect of glass science and engineering, with an emphasis on the fundamentals of glassmaking. Results have been incorporated into the glass-making process by the Center members. The research projects are selected and evaluated by the corporate sponsors at semiannual meetings. Most of the research sponsored by the Center is conducted at Alfred University by engineering and science faculty and graduate students. Collaborative research is carried out at affiliate organizations in Germany, Russia, and the United States. A major goal of the Center is to provide a state-of-the-art test facility for use by its members. The New York State College of Ceramics has a full complement of equipment and analytical facilities that can be used to investigate nearly all areas of interest to glass scientists and engineers. These include specialized glass melting and processing facilities; equipment for measurement of the properties of glasses and their melts; electron and optical microscopes; Mšssbauer, Raman, UV, visible, and IR spectrometers; and a variety of x-ray analysis equipment. Center members routinely use these facilities for specialized studies. Members may also sponsor proprietary research projects to augment the main research program of the Center. Proprietary projects have included such topics as ion-exchange strengthening of glass, the effects of oxy-fuel firing on the viscosity of glass melts, ultrasonic melting and fining of glass, and development of statistical property-composition models. Special Center Activities The presence of the Center at Alfred University was instrumental in establishment of the first graduate program in the United States for a Ph.D. in glass science. Several students in this program are currently supported by the Center. The results of the Center's research program have been successfully incorporated into the corporate research plans of its member companies, resulting in substantial savings and more efficient research strategies. Research at the Center resulted in the development of a process that strengthens glasses by ion-exchange, which represents a major breakthrough in the manufacture of glass for architectural use. One of the research thrusts led to the creation of a process control algorithm that has found widespread use in the industry. Selected activities and accomplishments of the Center are listed below. * Participating in the NSF-sponsored Young Scholars Program for high school students and a summer internship program for minority and disabled students * Hosting of scientists and engineers from member companies to do research at Alfred University under the Visiting Scientist program of the Center. * Establishment of a semiannual technical journal, "The GlassResearcher: Bulletin of Glass Science and Engineering," which has a circulation of over 7,000 * Collaboration with the Center for Process Analytical Chemistry at the University of Washington * Sponsorship of research at Virginia Military Institute and Howard University * Co-funding of research projects with the Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University * Establishment of a scientific collaboration with a counterpart center in Germany, HŸttentechnische Vereinigung der Deutschen Glasindustrie * Sponsorship of research at the Institute of Silicate Chemistry, St. Petersburg, Russia * Initiation of new series of international glass conferences, "Advances in the Fusion and Processing of Glass" * Organization of a "National Glass Day" in Washington, D.C., to increase awareness of glass science and technology on the national level * Facilitation of interaction between the national laboratories and members of the Center * Research meeting with the National Glass Forum, of Japan in Tokyo, 1995 * Conducting a workshop on Modeling for the Glass Industry, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Industrial Technologies. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. William C. LaCourse Professor of Glass Science New York State College of Ceramics Alfred University Alfred, New York 14802 Phone: (607) 871-2432 Fax: (607) 871-2383 E-mail: flacourse@bigvax.alfred.edu Center Evaluator: Carla C. Freeman Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alfred University Alfred, New York 14802 Phone: (607) 871-2945 Fax: (607) 871-2349 NSF 93-97q (rev. 7/96) Center for Electromagnetics Research (CER) Northeastern University The interaction of electromagnetic radiation with complex systems addresses applications in communications, radar, remote sensing, medicine, and high-frequency devices Center Mission and Rationale The scientific focus of the Center for Electromagnetics Research (CER) is the interaction of electromagnetic waves with materials. CER's research thrusts address such areas as detecting weak microwave signals in a high-clutter background, fabricating and characterizing microwave and millimeter-wave materials and devices, and increasing electronic-device speed into the region where electromagnetic propagation effects become important. The future will require more research for applications such as advanced environmental measurements, medical diagnosis and treatment, high-technology defense systems, advanced sensors, smart structures, and wave propagation in complex materials such as anisotropic ferrites, the atmosphere, the ocean, dispersive soils, and living tissue. The objectives of CER are to -- * Perform basic theoretical and experimental research in wave propagation, remote sensing, and materials * Apply research results in a timely fashion to the technological applications of its sponsors * Provide a forum for cooperative discussion of research issues among scientists and engineers from industry and academe * Foster the education of students as scientists and engineers. Research Program The Center's interdisciplinary research emphasis spans the electromagnetic spectrum, including materials science, device design and fabrication, electromagnetic propagation and scattering, signal processing, inverse scattering, modern optics, sensor/data fusion, and radar. This multidisciplinary approach is critical to the development of next-generation high-frequency systems. The Center includes faculty and students from electrical and computer engineering, physics, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and industrial engineering, as well as full-time researchers and administrative staff. CER's research projects address six application areas: * Ground Penetrating Radar -- Hazardous waste site characterization -- Excavation planning -- Landmine/unexploded ordinance detection -- Evaluation of roadway pavements and bridge decks * Bioelectromagnetics -- Microwave hyperthermia -- Hyperspectral and coherent imaging -- Phase-modulation spectroscopy -- Acoustic sensing -- Resolution of transillumination imaging * MMIC Ferrite Devices -- Fabrication of thin film ferrites -- Design of devices using thin film ferrites * Electromagnetic Signal Processing -- Sensor/data fusion -- Wavelet-based signal processing -- Advanced GPR algorithms -- Imaging and NDE * Environmental/Infrastructure Sensors -- Fiber-based magnetic field sensors -- Fiber-based strain gauges -- Laser radar for aerosol monitoring -- Doppler Lidar detection techniques * Wireless Communication -- Modeling wireless multipath communication -- Wireless test bed -- Interference-resistant indoor wireless communication -- Covert communications -- Antenna design and analysis. Specific Accomplishments The Center's research has resulted in $27 million in sponsored research, over 650 publications, and several patents to date. CER's technology transfer to industry is primarily in the form of theoretical and experimental research. The Center has made several accomplishments significant to industry including a major contribution in the area of vacuum microelectronics, in which tiny field emitters replace semiconductors for high-frequency, high-performance applications. These electronic-circuit elements can be used as microwave devices, such as amplifiers and oscillators, or as integral parts of flat-panel displays. The CER project in vacuum microelectronics has resulted in the fabrication of the smallest reported emitting structure, the first reported emission from a metal wedge structure, and the first experimental evidence of the nature of emitter failure events. The Center has developed many different types of electromagnetic-based sensors, including a magneto-optic strain gauge that can inexpensively measure small changes in buildings and other structures; a microwave electromagnetic spin resonance chemical analyzer for remote contamination measurements; a polarimetric magnetic field sensor; and a microlaser Doppler anemometer for detecting particulate speed in pollution control, avionic, and medical applications. The Center's milestones in the materials field include developing processes to produce metallic and diamond-like anodic arc coatings that are more uniform and can be more rapidly deposited than comparable processes; a plasma source metallic-ion implantation method, to be used for ultra-shallow junctions; and an ion-plating technique for conformal deposition of high-quality epitaxial metal and semiconductor films on substrates at ambient temperatures. CER's concrete theoretical achievements are in the areas of radar and electromagnetic propagation. A major computer simulation package has been developed that can electromagnetically analyze and identify targets in the presence of clutter and multipath reflections. This simulation should save radar designers considerable resources by avoiding costly fabrication and range testing. Similar research at CER involves tomographic back-propagation to identify buried targets. New work is proceeding quickly on wavelet-wave propagation analysis and signal processing. Several companies are using wavelet processing in their latest radar signal processing algorithms. CER also is becoming a premier center in the field of numerical electromagnetic field computation, examining detailed wave interactions with real, complex structures. This modeling can be used in computer simulations of aircraft for radar signature prediction and in examining the distribution of electromagnetic power within biological tissues for exposure measurement and interventional medical device design. Other Activities CER has taken a leadership role in developing initiatives to enhance the quality of K-12 education in the United States; more than $3.5 million has been raised for this effort. CER's education projects include -- * The Center for the Enhancement of Science and Mathematics Education (CESAME) -- CESAME is a unique and dynamic multisector partnership of federal and state agencies, private foundations, and industry. Established in 1991, CESAME's ongoing mission is to foster innovations in pre-K-12 science and education. The Center believes that teachers -- because they best understand students' learning needs -- represent a largely untapped source of innovation in our schools. CESAME brings together the resources of teachers, scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to improve Massachusetts school children's access to, excitement about, and understanding of mathematics and science. * NSF Young Scholars Program at Northeastern University -- In operation since 1989, this program focuses on providing high school sophomores and juniors with summer internship experience working in the research laboratories of CER and the College of Engineering. * SEED (Science Education through Experiments and Demonstrations) -- This project helps teachers to strengthen middle-level physical science by focusing on hands-on activities. In addition to working with teachers, Project SEED has initiated a program called RE-SEED that trains retired technical professionals to become middle school science resource agents (SRAs). * PALMS (Partnerships Advancing the Learning of Mathematics and Science) -- This major project, awarded to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is being supported through the NSF's Statewide Systemic Initiative (SSI) program. The SSI program is considered to be one of the most important precollege education reform measures under the auspices of NSF. The Director of CER is one of three co-principal investigators. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Michael B. Silevitch The Center for Electromagnetics Research 235 Forsyth Building 360 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02115 Phone: (617) 373-5110 Fax: (617) 373-8627 Web: http://www.cer.neu.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Paula G. Leventman Assistant Dean of Engineering Northeastern University 140 Snell Engineering Center Boston, MA 02115 Phone: (617) 373-4835 Fax: (617) 373-2501 NSF 93-97r (rev. 7/96) Center for Surface Engineering and Tribology (CSET) Northwestern University and Georgia Institute of Technology An improved understanding of wear surfaces in motion leads to superior products and processes Center Mission and Rationale Surface failure resulting from rubbing is a critical problem that inhibits the development of key components in advanced engines, turbines, manufacturing processes, and magnetic recording systems. In order to develop advanced components for these applications, it is necessary to understand and control basic friction, wear, and lubrication processes at the sliding interface. Surface engineering and tribology involve the basic phenomena of surfaces in relative motion. The broad mission of the Center for Surface Engineering and Tribology (CSET) is to marshall the resources and expertise of the two universities to advance new understanding and new methods to provide new tools for developing superior products and processes in the following industries -- * Heavy Machinery * Automotive Products * Railroad * Lubricants * Agricultural and Earth Moving Equipment * Metal Processing * Electronic and Data Processing * Aerospace * Chemicals. Research Program/Northwestern University (NU) Research at CSET/NU encompasses five areas -- * Thin-film lubrication breakdown * Contact fatigue phenomena * Surface science * Metal-working lubrication * Ceramics, ceramic coatings, and composites. Recent Accomplishments The co-Center at Northwestern University has recently developed the following new concepts, methods, model, materials, and software to predict and improve tribological performance and failure in machine components and metal forming processes -- * Analytical models and software to predict sliding wear and scuffing conditions in lubricated contacts based on new concepts in microelastohydrodynamic lubrication and surface film breakdown * Software for lubrication and failure in spur gears, connecting rod bearings, piston ring or skirt/liner contacts * Analytical models for surface and subsurface contact fatigue life * An efficient software to determine the subsurface residual stresses in Hertzian contacts * Superhard carbon nitride coatings * Analytical models and experiments of thin-film lubrication and failure in metal rolling and sheet metal forming processes. Special Activities * Collaborating with the Basic Industrial Engineering Laboratory (BIRL) in developing superhard coatings for tribological applications * Collaborating with the Sensor and Actuator Center at U. Of Cal. Berkeley on microtribology. Research Program/Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) Research at CSET/GIT encompasses four areas -- * Seals and bearings * Lubricant rheology * Friction and wear in information storage systems * Wear of non-metallic materials. Recent Accomplishments The co-Center at Georgia Institute of Technology has focused on expanding activities in modeling of lip, face, and elastomeric seals, measurements of wear in information systems, and mechanical processing of semiconductors and ceramics. The following lists specific tasks conducted within CSET -- * A model of lip seals has been developed to include elastohydrodynamic and surface tension effects. * A model of face seals has been developed to include transient effects. * A simple analytical technique was developed to incorporate a realistic lubricant constitutive equation into an elastohydrodynamic inlet zone analysis, and the predictive technique has been successfully compared with experimental film thickness measurements on a non-Newtonian oil. * Lubrication processes for hard disk drives are being studied. * Chemo-mechanical polishing of silicon and sapphire is being related to hydrodynamic film thicknesses. * Optimization of dicing of silicon is being studied. Special Activities * A seals short course is held annually to transfer technology to industry. * A collaboration with the Center for Integrated Diagnostics has been established to study the precursors to mechanical seal failure. Center Headquarters Co-Director: William R.D. Wilson 219 Catalysis Bldg. Northwestern University Evanston, IL 60208 Phone: (847) 491-3296 Fax: (847) 467-1490 E-mail: w-wilson@nwu.edu Co-Director: Steven Danyluk GWW School of Mechanical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0405 Phone: (404) 894-9100 Fax: (404) 894-3913 E-mail: steven.danyluk@me.gatech.edu Center Evaluator: Eliezer Geisler Industrial Engineering Department Northwestern University Phone: (847) 491-7928 Fax: (847) 491-8005 NSF 93-97s (rev. 7/96) Corrosion in Multiphase Systems Center (CMSC) Ohio University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Measurements of corrosion and flow parameters and modeling of the effect of multiphase environments on corrosion processes and mechanisms Center Mission and Rationale Many industrial processes involve multiphase environments, i.e., liquid/liquid, gas/liquid, solid/liquid, etc. The flow and corrosion aspects of these systems are usually studied in the laboratory using single-phase analogies and associated techniques. The results from these studies, when applied to the large-scale multiphase facilities, have often led to significant under-prediction of the corrosion. This is due to the different mechanisms in single and multiphase systems. The Center was established to provide pilot- and full-scale facilities for the study of corrosion and the associated flow effects in all types of multiphase environments. These large-scale flow facilities and environmental chambers are used to provide data and subsequent modeling of both the flow and corrosion. Novel visual techniques and observations allow the identification of the mechanisms that contribute to the corrosion processes. Research Program The Center has a multidisciplinary research team that comprises faculty, technical staff, post-doctoral persons, and graduate and undergraduate students from engineering (Chemical, Nuclear, and Civil) and science departments (Chemistry and Physics). The research projects receive strong direction from the Industrial Advisory Board and constitute research in the following areas: Oil and Gas Industry -- Internal corrosion and multiphase flow in horizontal, vertical, and inclined pipes, tubulars, and wells. Multiphase Flow Characteristics -- * Identification of flow regimes in large-diameter, two-phase liquid/liquid and three-phase gas/liquid/liquid flow systems at any inclination * Determination of the distribution of the phases * Measurements of gas and liquid fractions, pressure gradient, average and instantaneous wall shear stress and turbulence intensity * Characterization of slug flow, slug frequency, slug length, liquid holdup and void fraction, and the effect of inclination * Effect of temperature and pressure on flow regime transitions, flow characteristics, and phase distribution * Mechanistic modelling and software development of 3 phase flows. Corrosion/Erosion -- * Measurement of corrosion rates using electro-chemical, electrical resistance, and coupon methods * Effect of flow regime on corrosion * Effect of flow velocity, pressure, temperature, pH, and phase distribution on mass transfer and corrosion * Effect of wall shear and turbulence on corrosion mechanisms * Identification of corrosion products using visual methods and SEM, TEM, and ESCA microscopy * Determination of corrosion processes * Modelling and prediction of corrosion in large-diameter, high pressure, inclined, multiphase pipelines and tubes. Corrosion Inhibition and Material Selection -- * Evaluation of the performance and effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors * Effect of multiphase flow on corrosion inhibitor performance * Development of environmentally friendly, "green" inhibitors * Effect of drag-reducing agents and surfactants on corrosion. Instrumentation -- * Development of new, combined corrosion and flow sensors * In-line sensors for measuring wall shear stress and turbulence for multiphase systems * High-speed video techniques for the determination of flow characteristics and corrosion mechanics * Image analysis techniques for velocity profiles, gas and liquid fraction * Development of ultrasonic flow metering system for multiphase flow. Animal and Plant Facilities * Identification of corrosion mechanisms and processes at roof, floor, and manure pit levels * Effect of chemical species on corrosion rates * Identification of bacteria colonies and biofilm build-up using SEM, ESCA * Effect of bacteria on corrosion. Facilities * 7.5, 10, and 15 cm diameter, horizontal acrylic multiphase flow systems that operate up to 5 bar and 60 degrees C with oil and water velocities up to 3 m/s and gas velocity 30 m/s * 10 cm diameter 316 stainless steel horizontal three-phase flow loop that operates up to 100 bar and 90 degrees C with oil and water velocities up to 3 m/s and gas velocity 30 m/s * 10 cm diameter acrylic inclined three-phase flow loop that operates up to 5 bar and 60 degrees C with oil and water velocities up to 3 m/s and gas velocity 30 m/s. The range of inclination is -90 to +90 degrees * 10 cm diameter 316 stainless steel inclined three-phase flow loop that operates up to 150 bar and 90 degrees C with oil and water velocities up to 3 m/s and gas velocity 30 m/s. The range of inclination is -90 to +90 degrees. * Environmental chambers for studying accelerated corrosion in buildings using any gas, liquid, or solid. Special Center Activities The Center provides corrosion and multiphase flow courses to transfer the technology from the Center's projects for use in the field. Special narrated videos have been produced for educational purposes for the member companies. The Center engages in special individual and group projects outside the normal program, as specified by the companies. These have included the calculation of wall shear forces and their effect on corrosion at pipe upsets. An example is shown. Novel instrumentation is being developed to study the combined flow characteristics and the corrosion mechanisms. Interactive software has been produced based on the mechanistic models developed by the Center. This includes the prediction of the water layer thickness in stratified three-phase flow and the modeling of corrosion in large-diameter, high-pressure pipelines. Center Headquarters Center Director: W. Paul Jepson Russ Professor of Chemical Engineering Corrosion in Multiphase Systems Center Department of Chemical Engineering Ohio University Athens, OH 45702 Phone: (614) 593-1498 Fax: (614) 593-0873 E-mail: jepsonp@ouvaxa.cats.ohiou.edu Co-director: James F. Stubbins Professor of Nuclear Engineering University of Illinois Urbana, IL 61801 Phone: (217) 333-6474 Fax: (217)-333-2906 E-mail: jstubbin@uxl.cso.uiuc.edu Co-director: Madan Gopal Professor of Chemical Engineering Ohio University Athens, OH 45701 Phone: (614) 593-9670 Fax: (614) 593-0873 E-mail: mgopal@bobcat.ent.ohiou.edu Center Evaluator: Scott Morris Nuclear Engineering Department University of Illinois Urbana, IL 61801 Phone: (217) 333-6474 Fax: (217) 333-2906 NSF 93-97t (rev. 7/96) Particulate Materials Center The Pennsylvania State University Improving the processes underlying the production of powders and manufacturing with particulate materials Center Mission and Rationale Powder synthesis, dispersion, grinding, agglomeration, forming, and sintering are common unit operations in many particulate-based materials manufacturing industries such as protective coatings; composites; refractories; photographics; chemical processing; and electronic, magnetic, optical, and structural ceramics. Companies producing powders or manufacturing finished particulate materials share a common need for improved process consistency, efficiency, and reliability. The Particulate Materials Center was established to assist industry in achieving this goal by initiating research projects related to various stages of particulate materials manufacturing and processing, establishing educational programs for undergraduate and graduate students, and creating knowledge-transfer opportunities for industry. The research program seeks to improve particulate-based manufacturing by (1) developing new techniques for characterizing particle behavior at all levels of manufacture, (2) developing computational tools for efficient process simulation and evaluation, and (3) implementing these methods to obtain advanced process understanding and improved product manufacture. Information is transferred to our member companies through biannual meetings, visits, workshops, short courses, and future employees. The PMC faculty have appointments in the Colleges of Agricultural Engineering, Earth and Mineral Sciences, Engineering, Science, and Penn State's Interdisciplinary Materials Research Laboratory and are coordinated through Penn State's Intercollege Research Program. Research Program The primary research programs are: * Particle Formation -- Particle formation processes offer the advantage of high volume production of powders with specific properties for applications such as advanced ceramics, electronic materials, refractories, intermetallic materials, chemicals, and others. The objective is to develop and improve the scientific and engineering understanding necessary for the design of powders synthesized by precipitation, emulsion, spray pyrolysis, hydrothermal, and sol-gel methods. Advances in this area require an integrated understanding of thermodynamics, chemistry, atomization dynamics, vapor phase reactions, chemical reactions, mixing and transport phenomena, coagulation and aggregation, and surface reaction processes. Manufacturing technologies under investigation include spray pyrolysis of unique composite particles, sol-gel synthesis of mixed metal oxides, low temperature techniques for <100 degrees C synthesis of biomaterials, precipitation of sub-100 nm particles, and spray drying of particle dispersions. * Particle Grinding and Classification -- This program seeks to establish model-based criteria and engineering principles for the production of powders and slurries by fine grinding (typically <10µm). The research program investigates the performance of grinding technologies such as attrition milling, media mills and autogenous grinding, and associated processes such as dispersion and classification. A goal is to establish comprehensive models for powder/slurry production systems. The impacts of interfacial phenomena on grinding device and classifier performance and on product powder/slurry properties are evaluated by particle size analysis and rheology. The ultimate goal is to provide engineering guidelines for equipment selection and process design along with operation and control parameters for the optimum production of fine powders and slurries in a variety of material systems. Fundamental studies on powder purity control during autogenous grinding, and submicrometer powder production by aggregated particle breakage are designed to develop these techniques as methods for low-cost production of submicrometer commercial powders. * Colloidal Dispersions -- The overall objective is to develop strategies for controlling the state of powder dispersion and aggregation. A particular interest is relating dispersant molecular structure to the colloidal properties, with the specific aim of identifying conditions yielding high solids-loaded slurries with minimum viscosity. With the decrease in particle size, surface characteristics and interfacial phenomena dominate fine particle dispersion. A particular interest is dispersion of <100 nm particles. The effects of dispersant molecular properties on particle dispersion are evaluated through adsorption studies and measurements of colloidal stability and rheology. The ultimate goal is to provide engineering guidelines for selection of reagent type and concentration for controlling the properties of dispersions, particularly in fine particle systems. * Powder Storage Flow and Handling -- The overarching goal is to develop and validate rational, principle-based engineering models for predicting the load-response of powders. Central to the model development is understanding the mechanics of dry, cohesive powders. Toward this end, time-independent and time-dependent constitutive equations for different bulk solids have been and are currently being investigated. Single- and multi-phase continuum theories have been developed and are being modified to accurately quantify powder behavior. Constitutive equation parameters have been measured using currently available testers as well as testers designed for accurate characterization of powders' stress-strain behavior. Engineering predictive models, based on the finite element method, have been developed for simulating the complex response of powders during storage and low pressure compaction. The finite element model (FEM) is being expanded to simulate incipient flow and dynamic flow behavior. The FEM will be an indispensable principle-based design, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis tool for engineers and scientists in industry and academia. * Net Shape Forming -- This research program investigates the scientific and engineering aspects of novel suspension-based consolidation processes. The principal techniques under investigation are inorganic gel-casting and electrophoretic deposition. These approaches allow fabrication of advanced ceramics at reduced temperatures, with possibilities for unique composite architectures and film thickness variations unobtainable in other particle forming processes. Formation of ceramics by chemical reactions has broad applicability to forming monoliths and ceramic-matrix composites, and results in near net-shape without subsequent high temperature processing. For these reasons, unique ceramic-matrix composites can be produced. Additionally, precursor phases can be interspersed with continuous fibers to produce high-toughness composites. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a widely used, large-area industrial coating technique that permits great flexibility in fabrication of advanced materials through spatial control, connectivity, and functional gradients, with thickness control over an unlimited range of substrate shapes. EPD involves two basic processes: (1) electrophoretic migration of a charged particle and (2) the adhesion of particles to the electroded substrate. The control of these processes with manipulation of colloidal stability and the applied electric field strength permits the consolidation of particles on the substrate. One objective of this program is to develop an EPD process for continuous production of 1-10 mm thick films. * Press and Sinter Systems -- The objective of this program is to develop a fundamental understanding of all stages of ceramic press and sinter operations, from the selection and blending of powder, binder, plasticizers, and lubricants through the quick, accurate design of tooling and the evaluation of dimensional changes during sintering. To do this requires the development of test procedures for the measurement and characterization of granulated powders, the measurement of compact stress-strain behavior, and increased understanding of how powder characteristics and pressing additives affect behavior. The effect of these variables on the sintering and dimensional change of materials will also be taken into account. The computer model of the process incorporates test data to predict dimensional changes associated with all stages of ceramic press and sinter operations. One goal of the program is to establish better test procedures for each process step. Member companies will participate in activities that help establish the use of pressing software, measurement techniques, set-up and run parameters, expert systems, and non-destructive, ultrasonic evaluation of green parts. The ultimate goal is to develop tools that will reduce pressing defects as well as increase the manufacturing efficiency of powder pressing operations. * Particle Characterization Lab -- The Particle Characterization Lab has been established to assist our industrial partners, to support the research activities of the PMC, and to serve as a state-of-the-art characterization facility for routine and complex powder characterization problems, hands-on industrial short-course training, and undergraduate and graduate student education. Additionally, more specialized characterization needs and developments are provided through the individual laboratories of the PMC faculty or other centralized facilities on campus. The Lab is partially supported by manufacturers of particle characterization equipment who are interested in supporting the PMC's research, education, and knowledge transfer programs. Special PMC Activities * Education -- Industrial members' dues go directly to support M.S.- and Ph.D.-level research projects. The Center has also been successful in raising money to support an undergraduate research fellowship program. There are presently 11 students in this program working on research projects of interest to the industrial members, and we are working to expand this valuable activity. Additionally, the PMC has: established an industrial internship program for qualified graduate and undergraduate candidates; organized a university-wide seminar series designed to educate both undergraduate and graduate students, PMC faculty, and the university community at-large about the importance of powders and particulate materials in manufacturing; and is developing a seminar and separate lab credit courses for PMC-supported undergraduates and graduates as well as other students with an interest in particle processing technologies. * Knowledge Transfer -- The PMC regularly organizes short courses, seminars, and conferences in topical areas consistent with the research program and its members' interests. Existing program topics include Powder Production by Fine Grinding, Applied Powder Mechanics, Shaping of Technical Ceramics, Characterization of Powders and Consolidated Materials, and Engineering Challenges in Powder Metallurgy; other program topics are currently under development. These programs can be tailored for in-house use for interested companies. Apart from the Particle Characterization Lab, Penn State's extensive materials characterization capabilities are available. Center Headquarters Center Director: Gary L. Messing Particulate Materials Center 147 Research Building West University Park PA 16802 Phone: (814) 863-6156 Fax: (814) 863-9704 E-mail: messing@ems.psu.edu Center Evaluator: Stephen L. McGregor Penn State Industrial Research Office 119 Technology Center Building University Park, PA 16802-7000 Phone: (814) 865-9519 Fax: (814) 865-5909 E-mail: slm5@psuvm.psu.edu NSF 93-97u (rev. 7/96) Center for Ceramic Research Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Advanced materials science and engineering are important to industries that compete in global markets Center Mission and Rationale As an Advanced Technology Center of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology, the Center for Ceramic Research is at the forefront of the advanced ceramic materials revolution. The Center serves as a resource center in ceramic science and engineering for its member companies and for the State of New Jersey. The Center's goal is to develop a fundamental understanding of advanced ceramic and composite materials so that their potential in emerging applications can be realized. The Center conducts research in a broad area of ceramic science, engineering, and technology. This also serves to advance the manufacturing science and technology of both traditional and advanced ceramics. Research Program The Center focuses on developing the science and technology needed to synthesize advanced materials with the microstructures/nanostructures needed to fulfill the property requirements as well as cost, shape, and reliability requirements of emerging applications. The Center seeks to obtain a fundamental understanding of the relationship of starting materials, chemistry, and processing parameters to microstructures/nanostructures and the relationship of these structures to properties of the finished ceramic. The Center's research program includes: * Processing science and technology -- Ceramic powder processing, sol-gel science and technology, thin film deposition * Characterization -- Microstructure/nanostructure; thermal analysis; rheology; particle size and shape; colloidal chemistry; mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties; phase analysis * Surface science -- Molecular dynamic computer modeling of bulk and colloidal surface and interface phenomena; physical surface analysis using atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy; chemical surface analysis using x-ray photoelectron, Auger electron, ion scattering, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy * Electroceramics -- Dielectric, ferroelectric, piezoelectric, ferromagnetic, and other active/functional materials for electronic substrates, capacitors, actuators, sensors, and smart/intelligent materials such as monoliths, composites, multilayers, thin films, or nanostructured materials * Structural ceramics -- Oxide and nonoxide monoliths, composites, thin films/coatings, and nanostructured materials for emerging applications such as advanced engines, heat exchanges, machine tools, and thermal process equipment where wear resistance, high temperature strength, and corrosion/oxidation resistance are required. Special Center Activities The Center for Ceramic Research is an interdisciplinary program with more than 17 faculty members, drawing upon the talents of ceramic science and engineering faculty as well as faculty from several other university departments. Some of the Center's recent accomplishments that have been especially significant to industry include -- * Research in computer simulation of atomic structures. This assisted a company in understanding the role of titanium ions in reducing the susceptibility of silica glass to interaction with water vapor and contributed to the development of improved optical fiber by a member company. The fiber is now in production. * Research on aluminum nitride-copper bonding. This has provided a better understanding of the bonding mechanism and has assisted a member company in understanding the cause of the lack of reproducibility of bonding during fabrication of advanced electronic packages using aluminum-nitride substrates. * Research on the effect of microstructure on the wear behavior of silicon nitride. The research has confirmed that the optimum microstructure for wear resistance is not the same as for high strength and toughness. This has led a member company to reexamine their development efforts on silicon nitride and other advanced ceramic materials for wear applications. * Research in sol-gel science. This has led to a better understanding of the synthesis of fast-ion conductors and contributed to a company's development of a sol-gel coating technique that substantially reduces the cost of a new product that is expected to develop a major market. * Research on strengthening mechanisms for a model ceramic matrix/ceramic-particulate composite. This led to a major development program in a member company's laboratory that resulted in a new ceramic composite with improved toughness. This material was patented and is now in production. * Research in tape casting. This led to a better understanding of the critical factors involved in formulating suspensions for tape-casting aluminum nitride and assisted two member companies in their internal development programs to produce electronic components using aluminum nitride. * Research in liquid-phase sintering. This has greatly improved the understanding of the use of this process to fabricate advanced-structural ceramics and assisted a member company with the internal development and control of a commercial process to successfully fabricate new material using this process. The Center is housed in a new 50,000-square-foot building and also has 31,000 square feet of additional space. These facilities house more than 40 laboratories, workrooms, and offices containing more than $12 million in research equipment, including fabrication and characterization equipment. The fabrication equipment includes a rotary calciner, a spray drier, high-and low-pressure injection molders, a continuous tape caster, a pressure caster, vacuum hot presses, hot isostatic presses, a pressure sintering furnace, and a sputtering apparatus. The characterization equipment includes scanning electron microscopes, atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopes, an analytical transmission electron microscope, an x-ray diffraction facility, a surface analysis facility, a thermal analysis laboratory, a particle size analysis laboratory, a colloid characterization laboratory, a nitrogen sorption apparatus, a rheology characterization laboratory, an impedance analyzer, and a creep and high-temperature mechanical laboratory. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dale E. Niesz Center for Ceramic Research Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Piscataway, NJ 08855-0909 Phone: (908) 445-5900 Fax: (908) 445-3258 E-mail: niesz@alumina.rutgers.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. S. George Walters 789 Sergeantsville Road Stockton, NJ 08559 Phone: (609) 397-0990 Fax: (609) 397-0990 NSF 93-97v (rev. 7/96) Composites Design Center Stanford University Grid/frame structures can provide one of the best combinations of performance/cost of all structural composites and metals Center Mission and Rationale Using innovative manufacturing and design methods, the superior unidirectional composites can be converted into low-cost grid/frame structures. Nearly all traditional composite structures are made of multidirectional laminates. These have several intrinsic limitations -- * Low transverse and interlaminar stiffnesses and strengths * Labor-intensive layup, debaulking, and bagging processes * Costly autoclaving and consumables required for curing * Inefficient joining, inspection, and repair. Among these conventional structures, sandwich panels provide the highest flexural rigidity. Laminated face sheets and laminates in general, however, are limited by premature failures due to micro-cracking and delamination. Sandwich core is susceptible to moisture absorption. Stiffened panels are good alternatives but are not amenable to low-cost manufacturing. Pultruded sections have excellent stiffness and strength but are not complete structures. Joining the sections by mimicking steel structures is labor intensive and yields a very poor conversion of unidirectional ply properties. Grid/frame structures offer one of the best possible combinations of performance and cost. Grids are formed from interlaced unidirectional plies; and frames, by multiple layers of grids. Grids can be open or filled with another material, or have skin on one or both sides. The goal is to convert the superior ply properties into composite structures. Grids offer such conversions not possible with other structural forms: The advantages of grid structures are many -- * Grids made of unidirectional composites are unique in their high conversion of fiber to grid properties. Isotropic grids offer no such advantage. * Unidirectional ribs are intrinsically stiff, strong, and tough. Fiber failure strains of nearly 1 percent can be realized in grid structures. Ribs are not limited by micro-cracking or delamination failure mode as seen in laminates. * Grid design is based on longitudinal properties of composites and is considerably simpler than laminate design, which is often dominated by transverse or out-of-plane properties. * Filament winding and tow placement are automated processes that can be adopted to produce low-cost and high-volume grid structures. * Since they are open and modular, inspection of grids is easier than that of sandwich panels. Joining and repair can also be made modular by utilizing repeated unit cells. * Frames and lattice structures can be formed by bonding multiple layers of grids. Manufacturing Challenges To date, composite grid structures have successfully made for only limited applications. In civil engineering, however, lattice structures, have been used for many years The fuselage of geodesic ribs of the British Wellington bomber of WWII is another example of damage-tolerant grid structure. The best-known grid structure in production is the horizontal stabilizer skin of the Airbus A330 and 340 aircraft. This skin is hand made. We prefer hard over soft tools because ribs and joints in hard tools are better defined and controlled. Structural properties are improved. The simplest, most widely available tooling concept is a female mold that can be filled with interlaced tows either manually or semi-automatically. This process is depicted in Figure 1. The separation of parts from tools is a serious concern for grids with high ribs. For rib heights up to 1 inch, the cost of grid is $10 and $15 per pound for glass/polyester and carbon/epoxy, respectively. Sizes up to 12 ft x 4 ft x 1 in high are available. Another process is our patented process, called TRIG (for Tooling Reinforced Interlaced Grid), which is shown in Figure 2. The thin-walled tooling, shown on the left of the figure, is comprised of slices cut from a pultruded or filament-wound tube. The thickness of both tooling and the core formed by interlaced tows determines the desired stiffness and strength of the ribs, and thus of the grid. The interlacing may be automated by filament winding or tow placement using a wet- layup or SCRIMP process. With tooling as part of the finished grid, frequently encountered difficulties associated with rib/joint definition and part removal from the tool or mold are alleviated. Another challenge in tooling is the interlaced joint or node shown in Figure 3. If the interlaced joint consists of only stacked tows, the fiber volume fraction in the ribs will be 1/2 of that of the joint. In practice, the resulting fiber volume in the ribs will be less than 30 percent. To increase properties in the ribs, we must increase the width of the joint where tows are interlaced. Center researchers have developed several proprietary methods for achieving wider joints. These joints can have tensile strength of 100 ksi, but the cost is also increased. Since grid consists of repeated cells or modules, assemblage and repair can be more easily achieved than with conventional laminates. Frames consisting of layers of grids can then be assembled by bonding struts that fit the interior dimensions of the cell openings. When grid/frame structures are filled with another material such as foam and concrete, the ribs are prevented from buckling, and the grids have increased shear rigidity. Both contributions expand the use of grid/frame structures. In concrete structures, grid/frame reinforcement is 3-dimensional as compared with rebars which is only 1-dimensional. The cost of frames with two layers of grid would be approximately twice the cost of grid; i.e., $20 per pound for glass/polyester frames. Research Program Using the generic design and manufacturing technology, the following specific applications are under research and development: * Flat, foam-filled frames having two grid panels as the face sheets. These low-cost sandwich panels are used in several transportation and shipping applications. * Flat and cylindrical frames will provide 3-dimensional reinforcement when they are filled with concrete, which will have significantly increased stiffness and strength over that strengthened by reinforcing bars. Such frames can also be designed to serve as self-supporting forms to carry live load and wet concrete. Several concrete beams and bridge decks will be built and tested. * Grids made of carbon tows will have zero planar thermal and moisture expansions. Laminates can also have zero expansion, in one direction only. Frames made from such grids are suitable for environmentally stable space structures and machine components. When these frames are used to reinforce concrete structures, expansion joints can be eliminated. * For increased strength grid/frame can be made by a patented TRIG process. Such structures can have a circumferential strength over 150 ksi and can be applied to blade containment rings, rotor for generators, and ballistic and explosion-resistant structures. * TRIG, when combined with filament winding, is also effective in making low-cost structures with single and double curvatures. Plan for the Future The growth of composite materials will depend more on cost than on their many well-known advantages such as light weight, resistance to corrosion and fatigue, part count reduction, and tailored properties. Grid/frame structures uniquely provide a high conversion from ply to structures properties. Our cost-reduction goal is focused on precision design methodology and allowables, and automated manufacturing. As cost drops, the market will emerge. Industrial Sponsors Our Center is supported by sponsors representing industry, government, not- for-profit organizations, and universities interested in innovations and rapid technology transition. Sponsors will receive training, databases, design methodology, and royalty credits. Market and technical leadership within a region or industry is an important consideration in our solicitation of sponsors. Cash and in-kind contributions for each sponsor total $100,000 per year. Center Headquarters Center Director: Prof. Stephen W. Tsai Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics #388 Durand Building Stanford University Stanford, California 94305-4035 Phone: (415) 725-3305 Fax: (415) 725-3377 E-mail: stsai@leland.stanford.edu Center Evaluator: David F. Salisbury Press Building Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-2245 Phone: (415) 725-1944 Fax: (415) 725-0247 E-mail: david@news-service.stanford.edu NSF 93-97w (rev. 7/96) The Center for Separations Using Thin Films (CSTF) University of Colorado at Boulder Thin films offer new separation techniques that will save money and energy for industry Center Mission and Rationale Separation processes constitute a large segment of materials processing in the chemical, petrochemical, and gas separation industries. The cost of separation can represent as much as 80% of the total processing costs, especially for commodity chemicals. A wide range of separation issues are of increasing concern to the pharmaceutical, semiconductor, and food and beverage industries. Utilization of polymeric, ceramic, and metallic thin films offers new possibilities for efficient separations with a resulting impact on the user-industry's capital, operating, and energy-consumption costs. CSTF was established to advance the technology of thin film separations. The main objectives of the Center are to -- * Conduct basic research and related developmental activities using thin film technology in separation processes * Provide timely and effective technology transfer between the Center and its industrial participants * Promote graduate studies of thin film technology. Research Program Faculty and students from the departments of chemical engineering, civil, environmental, and architectural engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and physics at the University of Colorado and the department of chemical engineering at Colorado School of Mines, and the Denver Research Institute conduct research at CSTF in four major areas: chemically enhanced separations, membrane structure and performance, membrane fouling, and catalytic membrane reactors. In the area of technology transfer, the Center's milestone achievements include: * Three patents allowed for sulfur-tolerant complexing agents for olefin separations * Patent allowed for modified ion-exchange membranes * Patent allowed for convective liquid crystal membranes * Patent allowed for production of novel molybdenum-sulfide dimers * Collaboration with the Chevron Research and Technology Company on the development of sulfur-tolerant complexing agents * Collaboration with Chevron Research and Technology Company on zeolite membranes and chemically specific membranes for olefin separations. The Center has exceptional facilities and equipment for characterizing thin films and evaluating the perfor mance of thin film separation devices. The following analytical tools are available: * Scanning and transmission electron microscopy * Infrared thermal video imaging * High-pressure liquid chromatography * Differential scanning calorimetry * Thermal gravimetric analysis * Ellipsometry * Temperature programmed reaction systems * Low- and high-pressure membrane flow systems * Acoustic reflectometry * Static chemisorption system * Dynamic mechanical analyzer * Various spectroscopies, including Auger electron, x-ray photoelectron, wavelength dispersive x-ray energy dispersive x-ray, high-resolution electron energy loss, nuclear magnetic resonance, high resolution mass, automatic x-ray, Fourier transform infrared, and low energy electron diffraction. Special Center Activities CSTF sponsors an NSF Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program in Membrane and Thin-Film Science, with a special focus on providing research opportunities for women and minorities. The Center also has established a Colorado Small Business Showcase and Undergraduate Summer Internship Program. Highlights of other recent CSTF activities include: * Stimulating 13 cooperative interdisciplinary research projects * Enlisting 18 faculty spanning 8 departments at 4 universities * Facilitating a graduate research program in which approximately 15 doctoral and post-doctoral students participate per year * Providing research opportunities for more than 60 undergraduates * Developing new courses on Chemically Specific Separations and Introduction to Membrane Science * Sponsoring the 1994 Annual Meeting of the North American Membrane Society * Sponsoring research resulting in two North American Membrane Society Graduate Fellowships * Hosting visiting postdoctoral fellows, international professors, and industry scientists * Interacting with two other I/UCRCs via TIE projects * Establishing an international exchange program with the Center for Membrane Science and Technology at the University of Twente, Netherlands * Interacting with two CSTF industry sponsors via NSF's GOALI program. Center Headquarters Center for Separations Using Thin Films Department of Chemical Engineering College of Engineering and Applied Science University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309-0424 Phone: (303) 492-7517 Fax: (303) 492-4637 Web: http://spot.colorado.edu/~thinfilm/Home.html Center Co-Directors: Dr. Alan R. Greenberg E-mail: greenbea@spot.colorado.edu Dr. William B. Krantz E-mail: krantz@spot.colorado.edu Dr. Richard D. Noble E-mail: nobler@spot.colorado.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Virginia Shaw-Taylor P.O. Box 468 Pinecliffe, CO 80471-0468 Phone: (303) 642-0515 Fax: (303) 642-0235 NSF 93-97x (rev. 7/96) Research Center for Energetic Materials (RCEM) New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Ensuring safety and health in large-scale production, use, and disposal of energetic materials requires research into the properties and behavior of these materials Center Mission and Rationale The increasingly large-scale industrial processing and use of energetic materials (i.e., space rocket propellants, blasting agents, military explosives, and explosive chemicals) brings with it increased explosion hazards. The Research Center for Energetic Materials (RCEM) was created to increase safety and help prevent accidents in the industry through scientific research and dissemination of knowledge about the properties and behavior of energetic materials. Research Program RCEM conducts basic and applied research in four interrelated projects. These projects and their goals are described below. * Detonation and Shock Initiation -- To provide and verify theoretical and experimental methods in order to determine or predict the ability of insensitive energetic materials to be brought to mass detonation by shock initiation or other means; to classify these materials with respect to detonation and shock initiation hazards; and to develop an understanding of the rate and nature of the chemical reactions that occur during shock initiation and detonation as a step toward controlling the generation of environmentally unwanted reaction products from large blasts. * Small-scale Safety Testing -- To develop improved methods and apparatus for conducting small-scale tests for quantitative assessment of hazards during the development, manufacture, transportation, storage, and use of energetic materials. Tests include electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing, laboratory and larger-scale time-to-explosion testing, and friction and impact sensitivity testing. * Thermal Hazards of Energetic Materials -- To understand the thermal decomposition mechanisms of each major class of energetic materials and develop techniques to numerically assess thermal stability in large and small quantities of explosives. * Safety Engineering -- To apply fundamental knowledge to specific, practical safety problems involving energetic materials. RCEM is currently studying the hazards of mechanical pumping of explosives. Special Center Activities RCEM provides research opportunities and unique training for graduate and undergraduate students. Several academic departments (i.e., chemistry, physics, mining engineering, and materials engineering) offer courses in explosives science or engineering for M.S. and Ph.D. students. Undergraduates working within these departments are also trained and participate in RCEM research projects. The Center is active in technology transfer and industrial collaboration. RCEM staff serve as course instructors in the Explosives Firing Site and Laboratory Safety course, which is offered each fall and spring by the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center. The week-long course provides hands-on experience at the Torres Safety Testing and Processing Laboratory and Eagle Field Laboratory on the campus of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. The course focuses on safety requirements and safe operating procedures involving energetic materials. RCEM serves as a point of contact for the exchange of safety and hazards information among its member organizations. The Center publishes a monthly newsletter to inform its members of research activities and other events within the energetic materials community. Semiannual technical reports, technical review meetings, and safety seminars are important to the dissemination of knowledge and research results. RCEM's research facilities are located on the campus of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. These facilities include -- * Explosives Chemistry Laboratories for analysis, formulation, and safety testing. * A field laboratory for shock and detonation research, including detonation tests involving up to 200 kg of explosives, with state-of-the-art high-speed optical and electronic instrumentation, and an enclosed firing chamber for testing up to 5 kg of explosives in a controlled environment. * A Thermal Hazards Laboratory for DSC/DTA, high pressure DSC, microcalorimetry, gas chromatography, GC/MS, HPLC, NMR, and TGA testing. Center Headquarters Center Director: Per-Anders Persson Research Center for Energetic Materials New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Campus Station Socorro, NM 87801 Phone: (505) 835-5818 Fax: (505) 835-5680 Center Evaluator: Allan Gutjahr Vice President, Research and Economic Development New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Campus Station Socorro, NM 87801 Phone: (505) 835-5646 Fax: (505) 835-5707 NSF 93-97y (rev. 7/96) Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research (CPPR) Purdue University Reducing time to market and controlling manufacturing costs are key components of future competitive success for the pharmaceutical industry Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research (CPPR) was established to advance our understanding of how unit operations in the manufacture of pharmaceutical dosage forms influence critical quality attributes of pharmaceutical products, to explore novel processing technology aimed at improving product quality or decreasing cost, to develop and implement improved process monitoring methods, to foster an interdisciplinary approach to pharmaceutical processing research, and to catalyze scientific interaction between academic scientists and their counterparts in the pharmaceutical industry. Research Program The theme of the Center's research program is the application of physical chemistry and materials science to better understand, at a molecular level, the influence of processing conditions on the quality of pharmaceutical dosage forms. Major areas of research interest are-- * Size Reduction of Drugs -- Bioavailability of sparingly soluble drug compounds often depends upon effective and consistent particle size reduction. The ability to predict the output of a milling operation based on physical- chemical characteristics of the material being milled, as well as on design characteristics of the mill itself, will facilitate matching the type of mill to the material and aid in validation of milling operations. Application of supercritical fluid technology to size reduction is also being explored, particularly from the standpoint of aseptic particle size reduction of drugs for use in injectable suspensions. * Sterilization of Disperse Systems -- The method of choice for sterilization of injectable drug products is terminal sterilization. This presents a special challenge for disperse systems, such as suspensions and emulsions, where thermal treatment can result in breaking of emulsions and particle growth in suspensions. The long-range goal of the research is to develop a better understanding of how formulation factors and processing conditions interact to influence the behavior of these systems during terminal sterilization. * Monitoring of Powder Processing -- As the trend toward development of drug products containing lower doses of more potent drugs continues, the importance of validating the effectiveness of powder blending operations becomes more critical. Photon migration measurements have the potential for allowing non-destructive, real-time measurement of content uniformity during powder blending operations. Another potential application is real-time analysis of particle size and polydispersity during size reduction processes. * Drying -- Drying is often a poorly controlled step in the production of a drug substance, particularly when hydrates or solvates are formed. Current effort is directed at using model drug compounds to test the hypothesis that drying is really a crystal growth process involving the nucleation and crystal growth of the anhydrous phase in the presence of a hydrate. Freeze drying is also a major research program in the Center. The goals of this program are (1) establishing an analytical basis for development of freeze-dried formulations and processes instead of the traditional empirical approach, and (2) improving the technology for monitoring the freeze-drying process. * Granulation Processes -- Granulation is a critical unit operation in manufacture of solid oral drug products which are not directly compressed. Current research interest in granulation is directed toward developing a better ability to predict outcomes such as granule strength and shape after wet granulation as a function of the morphology and physical- chemicalproperties of particles prior to the granulation process. Roller compaction is another aspect of granulation which is being studied with an overall objective of better prediction of the characteristics of the granule as a function of characteristics of the powder blend and operating parameters of the equipment. Special Center Activities The CPPR staff is composed of faculty members from pharmaceutical science and chemical engineering, research staff, visiting scientists, and graduate students. Four current faculty members have previously worked for pharmaceutical companies, with over 25 years' total experience in formulation and process development. The School of Pharmacy has a tradition of excellence in pharmaceutical processing, and a major goal of the Center is to cultivate collaborative projects with other departments both within and outside of Purdue in order to provide a large and capable pool of ability and resources which will be available to participating companies. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Steven L. Nail Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy 1336 Pharmacy Building Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907-1336 Phone: (317) 494-1401 (317) 494-1489 Fax: (317) 494-6545 E-mail: slnail@pharmacy.purdue.edu Associate Director: Dr. Dane O. Kildsig Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy 1336 Pharmacy Building Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907-1336 Phone: (317) 494-1484 Fax: (317) 494-6545 E-mail: dkildsig@pharmacy.purdue.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Kenneth R. Heimlich 633 Country Club Dr. Blue Bell, PA 19422 Phone: (215) 646-5436 Fax: (215) 646-5436 E-mail: heimlich@pond.com NSF 93-97z (rev. 7/96) Measurement and Control Engineering Center (MCEC) University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with Oak Ridge National Laboratory Enhanced measurement techniques in process-control optimization will improve productivity Center Mission The mission of the Measurement and Control Engineering Center (MCEC) is to accelerate the overall pace of measurement and control technology development and implementation in industry by serving as a national center for research and teaching in these technologies in response to and in support of the needs of its industrial sponsors. The association between the MCEC member companies and the Center is characterized by a high level of cooperative interaction at each level of progress in a Center project: 1) There is active and frequent solicitation of input from sponsor companies to accurately determine their needs. 2) The project goals are generated as a result of collaborative interaction and there is a free exchange of information, data, and ideas necessary to formulate a working hypothesis. 3) Sponsor participation will frequently involve on-site testing or evaluation of the products of MCEC research as a means of implementation and technology transfer. Research and Development Program Faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students from five engineering departments (electrical and computer, civil, chemical, mechanical and aerospace, and nuclear) and the chemistry department are involved in MCEC projects. The Center's cooperative, interdisciplinary approach ensures that it has the personnel, equipment, financing, and industry-oriented direction necessary to accomplish research leading to significant improvements in this field. Research at MCEC is concentrated in three thrust areas: analytical instruments, process control, and measurement and control information processing. Research topics are listed below under the area of specialization. Analytical Instruments * Acid Sensors -- a project to investigate the possibility of using sol-gel sensors for on-line control of manufacturing processes and waste disposal and waste treatment processes * In-line Near-IR Spectrometry of Flowing Polymers -- focuses on extending the useful ranges of temperature, pressure, and chemical resistance of fiber-optic probes for use in the chemical/polymer industry * Process Mass Spectrometry -- offers a faster alternative to process gas chromatography for continuous monitoring of (primarily) volatile components in a process stream * Process Monitoring with Measurement of Photon Migration -- a project to develop novel measurements of photon migration; the approach is to interrogate the optical characteristics of a process stream to give quantitative and rapid on-line information on absorption by a chemical species, particle (and polymer) size, and scatterer density * Polymer-Chemical Process Raman Spectrometry -- research, development, and facilitation for commercial production of fiber-optic Raman spectrometry probes for in-plant industrial applications Process Control * Applied Process Automation Laboratory -- an undergraduate program investigating the issues involved in interfacing flexible batch-continuous processes to computer systems for automated operation. Issues researched are Safety Interlocks, Operational Interlocks, Unit Definition, Start-up and Shut-down, and recipes * Batch Cultivation and Control -- focuses on the operation and control of batch or semi-continuous processes, which are becoming increasingly important in continuous process industries * Interactive Chaos Control for Engineering Systems -- the investigation of chaos analysis techniques and control methods that have an impact on fluidized beds (with and without reactions), combustion (fluidized bed combustion, pulsed combustors, internal combustion engine), motor dynamics (interaction, destabilization), distillation trays (hydraulics, flooding), machining (tool chatter), arc melters, and chemical reactors Measurement and Control Information Processing * On-line Sensor Calibration Monitoring and Fault Detection -- The objective of this work is to develop and implement an advanced diagnostic technique that merges neural network-based process models and statistical decision logic modules to monitor the calibration of process sensors. MCEC research is performed in departmental research facilities. Analytical instrument testing is initiated on campus and often extends to a member company's production facilities. Extensive computational resources are available on campus in support of the modeling and image processing projects. Electronic links through a campus computer network allow researchers to access industrial databases and other off-site computational support. Special Center Activities One successful project involving sensors and sensor placement was a multiphase sensor development project. This project was partly funded by the Department of Energy to develop a fiber-optic-based chemical composition sensor using Raman spectroscopy. The sensor has initially been employed in distillation column analysis. The Center was also involved in engineering development work for new sensors. An FT-Raman fiber-optic spectrometer was modified to meet the needs of a plant floor environment. The device was brought on-line at a member company, where it provided useful information to plant operators. This device resulted in enough energy savings to cover the cost of the instrument. Improved control had the added benefit of increased plant production. A variety of software tools have been developed in the Center. Using these tools, one member company worked with MCEC researchers in modeling studies of a distillation column, considering specifically the impact of sensor type and placement. The research identified sources of variation in the process and resulted in a savings of approximately $300,000 to the company. The Center participates in the College of Engineering's K-12 Science/Engineering Outreach Program. This program showcases science and engineering concepts through a variety of hands-on classroom activities and teacher workshops. Other parts of the local community, such as assisted living centers and community centers, have benefited from these outreach activities. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Arlene Garrison Measurement and Control Engineering Center University of Tennessee 102 Estabrook Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-2350 Phone: (423) 974-2375 Fax: (423) 974-4995 E-mail: agarrison@utk.edu Center Evaluator: Mary G. Leitnaker 341 Stokely Management Center Knoxville, TN 37996-0532 Phone: (423) 974-2556 Fax: (423) 974-3100 NSF 93-97aa (rev. 7/96) Center for Process Analytical Chemistry (CPAC) University of Washington Continuous real-time measurements are needed for industrial and environmental processes Center Mission and Rationale The objective of the Center for Process Analytical Chemistry (CPAC) is to develop real-time measurement and relevant data handling techniques. Through its consortium of industrial sponsors and selected national laboratories and agencies, CPAC addresses challenges in monitoring production processes for effective modeling and control. In addition to improving industrial competitiveness by lowering quality costs, CPAC's research and technology plays an important role in implementing national economic and pollution prevention strategies. CPAC provides its sponsor organizations with the results of basic and applied research in sampling systems; on-line, in-line, and noninvasive sensing; and data processing and interpretation. In doing this, CPAC provides a forum for bringing together a full spectrum of participants in process analytical technology definition, creation, and utilization. CPAC helps make continuous, real-time measurements an integral part of the industrial or environmental process. Research Program CPAC's collaborative research aims at bridging the gap between basic research and full-scale process/product development. CPAC continually assesses the suitability of current research projects and other technologies to address future needs in industrial production and environmental protection. CPAC has an established track record in fostering academic/industrial/national laboratory interactions. To enhance technology transfer, industry-led focus groups emphasize that the research must respond to defined needs that will lead to applications and eventual commercialization. The focus groups reflect the strategic priorities of current CPAC sponsors in specific industries and technologies -- Industry Focus Groups: * Materials & Chemicals * Food, Consumer Products, Pharmaceuticals, & Biotechnology * Oil & Petrochemicals * Instrument Vendors * Government Laboratories Technology Focus Groups: * Chemometrics * Sensors & Fiber Optics * Spectroscopy * Chromatography * Flow Injection Analysis * Environmental & Process Monitoring Additional technologies may be emphasized in response to sponsor needs. CPAC's Interactive Program helps accomplish this by prioritizing industry needs, developing resource networks, and partnering with other centers of technical expertise at universities, in government, and in industry. The Interactive Program enhances the value of CPAC research by effectively leveraging sponsor funds, creating broad access to new technologies, and providing support for research projects and applications nationwide. Research at CPAC has received international recognition in sensors and instrumentation; multivariate data analysis and pattern recognition; and process optimization and control. Research Staff CPAC is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of faculty, research staff, visiting scientists, and graduate students from a selection of universities and national centers. Although the chemistry department plays a significant role, ties to other departments (chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, bioengineering, food science, physics, statistics, and the Applied Physics Laboratory) define the structure of CPAC. NSF Tie Grants normally form the union between CPAC and other national centers. The transfer of CPAC's discoveries and innovations to industry and national laboratories is ensured through the participation of its graduate students in industrial cooperative programs and as future employees. Historically, over 70% of CPAC's graduates have joined sponsor organizations. Special Center Activities One of CPAC's goals is to transfer technology. One approach is illustrated by the FlowProbeª sensor development project, which utilized CPAC's unique ability to bring industry and academia together to create and field-test novel technologies. With support from the Department of Energy and the NSF, sensor technology at CPAC was refined at Sandia National Laboratories in order to build prototypes for testing at CPAC sponsor companies and DOE waste sites. The project (1) allowed the development of a versatile, inexpensive miniature chemical analyzer for use in environmental monitoring, industrial process control, and pollution prevention applications, and (2) provided a model for combining the expertise of scientists and engineers from industry and the national laboratories with university researchers to create the team necessary to take a technology from concept to commercialization. Another example of partnering led to the commercialization of the Perkin-Elmer PIONIRª 1024 Process Near-Infrared Analyzer. Several of CPAC's instrument, chemical, and oil sponsors collaborated with CPAC researchers to develop an analyzer that won a 1992 R&D 100 Award (one of the top 100 technological innovations for 1992) and that offers unprecedented levels of accuracy, speed, and ruggedness for on-line measurements in petroleum refineries. CPAC also transfers technology by developing new applications and improvements to existing measurement equipment for the sponsors. Recently, Hewlett-Packard dramatically improved the signal/noise ratio of its optical fiber test equipment through CPAC collaborations. The equipment was then tested at CPAC to address various process analysis applications. Many sponsor organizations are using chemometrics software and techniques, such as calibration transfer, developed at CPAC. The software was transferred to all sponsors for their in-house use and represents one of the most widely used products derived from CPAC to date. CPAC's output, whether providing tangible research results, training future professionals, hosting visiting scientists, offering continuing education courses, or providing consultation, has made it a valuable resource for its sponsors. Please contact CPAC for more information. Center Headquarters Executive Director: Dr. Ernie H. Baughman Faculty Director: Dr. Gary D. Christian Emeritus Director: Dr. Bruce R. Kowalski Interactive Program Director: Dr. Mel V. Koch Center for Process Analytical Chemistry University of Washington Box 351700 Seattle, WA 98195-1700 Phone: (206) 685-2326, (206) 543-6054 Fax: (206) 543-6506 E-mail: cpac@cpac.washington.edu Web: http://www.cpac.washington.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Craig S. Scott Department of Medical Education University of Washington Box 357240 Seattle, WA 98195-7240 Phone: (206) 543-2259 Fax: (206) 543-3461 NSF 93-97bb (rev. 7/96) The Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD) Carnegie Mellon University High-performance buildings should enhance worker effectiveness, communication, comfort, and productivity Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD) conducts research, development, and demonstrations to increase the quality of and user satisfaction with commercial buildings and integrated building systems, while improving cost, time, and energy efficiency. The Center believes that high-performance buildings must provide appropriate physical, environmental, and organizational settings to accommodate changing technologies and workplace activities. The Center's members are prominent leaders in the market for high-performance buildings. The main goals of CBPD are to -- * Study international developments in high-performance buildings. CBPD is building an international knowledge base on advanced office buildings in Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and France. * Develop innovative products. CBPD has developed a list of major design features and decisions that are critical to the advanced office. * Develop an innovative building delivery process centered on a team approach to design. * Improve educational curricula and materials on systems integration for building performance. * Design and construct the Intelligent Workplace (the first in a series of CBPD demonstration projects). * Complete a state-of-the-art demonstration project. * Complete a "breakthrough building" with a private owner or developer. This demonstration project will further introduce CBPD findings into the mainstream practices of the building industry. Research Program CBPD's investigators have performed significant research in the area of building performance and diagnostics. Selected research activities include -- * Major performance-design decisions for offices, courthouses, and university laboratories * Energy-efficient revitalization of inner-city housing * Impact of HVAC, lighting, and enclosure zoning and control on the energy consumption of commercial buildings * Development of integrated computational design and simulation environments for concurrent performance analysis * Long-term analysis of the thermal, visual, and acoustical performance of buffer spaces (e.g., atria) * Studies of daylight/electric light interfaces and development of an expert system to simulate and evaluate the visual quality of indoor rooms * Empirical assessment and computer simulation of sound transmission between adjacent spaces. The CBPD research program has several distinguishing characteristics. The Center contends that occupied buildings are the most reliable validation field for the performance of individual components and their impact on occupants (as opposed to the study of one building- performance issue in isolation from others in a "conventional" laboratory setting). Additionally, CBPD radically departs from the standard linear process of building delivery and "patchwork" integration of building systems. The Center advocates a team decision-making process for building design and delivery. This process ensures a more fully integrated building design that provides environmental quality and responds to changing technologies and the changing needs of occupants. Finally, CBPD research involves an in-depth analysis of interactions and interrelationships between different building-performance descriptors and building systems. Special Center Activities Together with the Advanced Building Systems Integration Consortium, which serves as the Center's Industrial Advisory Board, CBPD researchers are planning a series of demonstration projects designed to progressively introduce CBPD's research findings into the mainstream building industry. The Intelligent Workplace, the first in this series of three demonstration projects, will satisfy the need for a dedicated research environment that addresses the necessity of integrative building-performance evaluation. When completed, the Intelligent Workplace not only will house building performance and diagnostics instrumentation, but it will itself become the subject of building performance research. The facility will function as a dynamic laboratory and a high-performance computing workplace. The Intelligent Workplace will assimilate experimental design innovations and high-performance products and assemblies into all building systems (enclosure, mechanical, telecommunications, electrical, and interior systems). CBPD research and development activities have fostered several collaborative efforts between sponsor companies to develop improved building products and systems. One example of the Consortium's responsiveness to innovative design directions for industry is the Personal Environments Moduleª (or PEMª), which was developed by Johnson Controls Inc. and CBPD. The PEMª allows for greater individual environmental control by ducting fresh air to each workstation and permitting the occupant to control air speed, temperature, and direction, along with other environmental factors. Sponsor companies are working together to realize advances in the following areas: acoustic panel systems; ceiling and wall integration; unified networking of data and phone; power monitoring; modular data/voice/power outlet boxes for walls and furniture; energy effectiveness of user control systems; integrated facility-management software; water-based (nontoxic) coating technologies; application of low-CFC insulation materials in roofing; and use of recyclable plastics in office environments. The Center's corporate sponsors include major U.S. construction companies (with worldwide operations) along with manufacturers of instrumentation, controls, telephone and lighting equipment, and software. Federal sponsors include the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the General Services Administration. The Center has several European companies as partners. Other accomplishments of the Center are highlighted below: * The CBPD offers the only program in the United States with a graduate concentration in building performance and diagnostics. * The CBPD was awarded the Three Rivers Environmental Award in 1996, which recognized the Intelligent Workplace project for its excellence in advancing environmental quality in Western Pennsylvania. * The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recently awarded the CBPD faculty an honorable mention in the 1992 Education Honors Program for its course sequence entitled Design for Building Performance: An Integrative Approach. * The CBPD was awarded the Nuckolls Fund Grant for Lighting Education. * The CBPD was awarded the AIA award (Pittsburgh chapter) for "Architecture for Art's Sake," a research project sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Volker Hartkopf The Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD) Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: (412) 268-2350 Fax: (412) 268-6129 E-mail: vho2@andrew.cmu.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Luis Vargas Graduate School of Business University of Pittsburgh 314 Mervis Hall Pittsburgh, PA 15260 Phone: (412) 648-1575 Fax: (412) 648-1693 NSF 93-97cc (rev. 7/96) Center for Optoelectronic Devices, Interconnects, and Packaging (COEDIP) University of Arizona and the University of Maryland Researchers work to produce useful, innovative, state-of-the-art packaged devices and optical interconnect subsystems Center Mission and Rationale The Center is committed to being the leading research and educational Center in the areas of design, fabrication, integration, and packaging of optoelectronic devices and optical interconnects. The Center occupies a special position within the scientific community, with activities spanning the range from fundamental understanding of innovative optical devices to fabrication of optoelectronic devices to activities encompassing integration, packaging, reliability testing, and manufacturing. A unique strength brought about by uniting the two universities is the ability to model, fabricate, and package optoelectronic components within the same Center. State-of-the-art fabrication facilities within the two universities allow the fabrication of optoelectronic devices and interconnect subsystems, with packaging occupying center stage from inception to completion of the device/subsystem. The Center provides a resource base to the scientific community for the development and fabrication of new innovative devices, the understanding of both hybrid and monolithic device integration, and the development of a reproducible and controllable packaging technology. Research Program We envision taking advantage of a unique combination of device design expertise and state-of-the-art fabrication and packaging facilities at both universities to fabricate new, innovative devices and optoelectronic subsystems. This collaboration will utilize the resources of the two universities in a synergistic way. Strategy * Utilize our fundamental understanding of devices to design new, innovative devices optimized for a particular application. * Increase functionality of a component by integration with others. * Consider packaging as an integral part of device design. * Perform cross-disciplinary research to refine science, practices, and principles for the design, integration, and packaging of components in a cost-effective and reliable way. * Provide a forum that fosters a high level of cooperation among the two universities, industry, and government to develop innovative devices and investigate packaging solutions. * Educate and train future scientists and engineers in an interdisciplinary environment and expose them to industrial practices. Approach * Focus research on areas of strength within the two universities. These include: research on semiconductor lasers, semiconductor laser amplifiers, and modulators; study of optical nonlinearities of semiconductor and organic compounds; research on optical interconnects; development of unique capabilities such as real-time, in-situ ellipsometry for process control; research on alignment-tolerant structures and silicon bench technology; development of array technology; research on high-performance die attach; integration of optics with electronics using flip-chip bonding; development of advanced components, such as a spectrometer-on-a-chip; and investigation of new characterization tools. * Develop theoretical models for devices. * Develop simulation techniques for the integration of different optoelectronic components. * Model the thermal, mechanical, optical, and electrical characteristics of die attach and flip-chip bonding. * Fabricate demonstration systems which test packaging and device concepts. Several optical interconnect experiments are currently in progress for this purpose. Special Center Activities Some examples of the types of devices investigated by the Center are listed below. These examples demonstrate the outstanding device and packaging issues being addressed by the two universities. * Optical connection cube for parallel data transfer * Low-cost photorefractive polymer devices for 3-D volume holographic storage * High-power semiconductor laser amplifiers * Adiabatic beam expansion and alignment-tolerant structures. Center Headquarters Center Co-Director: Nasser Peyghambarian Center for Optoelectronic Devices, Interconnects, and Packaging Optical Sciences Center University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: (520) 621-4649 Fax: (520) 621-9610 E-mail: peygba@ccit.arizona.edu Center Co-Director: Mario Dagenais Center for Optoelectronic Devices, Interconnects, and Packaging University of Maryland Department of Electrical Engineering College Park, MD 20742 Phone: (301) 405-3684 Fax: (301) 314-9281 E-mail: dage@eng.umd.edu Center Evaluator: David A. Tansik McClelland Hall 405-R College of Business and Public Administration University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: (520) 621-1710 Fax: (520) 621-8559 Center Evaluator: Morris S. Ojalvo 6006 Broad Branch Rd., NW Washington, DC 20015 Phone: (202) 966-8663 Fax: (202) 686-2053 NSF 93-97dd (rev. 7/96) Center for Ultra-High Speed Integrated Circuits and Systems (ICAS) University of California, San Diego with San Diego State University Digital design research and development of advanced submicron microelectronics support next-generation communications and digital signal processing (DSP) Center Mission and Rationale The area of algorithm-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), or semicustom chips, is currently the fastest growing segment of the semiconductor industry in the world. The United States' lead is fast eroding and may have already been surpassed by foreign competition. Three of the top five world manufacturers of ASIC are Japanese. The Center for Ultra-High Speed Integrated Circuits and Systems (ICAS) anticipates that their prototype microchip design efforts will contribute to strengthening the United States' design capabilities and electronics infrastructure. ICAS conducts basic and industrially relevant research in the design and fabrication of digital integrated circuits (IC) with clock speeds exceeding 100 MHz for silicon and 2.5 GHz for heterojunction-based III-V compound semiconductor technologies. Design and fabrication of ultra-high-frequency analog ICs is also carried out in the Center. Basic issues of material synthesis, submicron fabrication, and IC design for both silicon and III-V technologies are being addressed in a focused and coordinated effort to maximize the chances for obtaining fully functional chips capable of insertion into actual prototype systems in communications, digital signal processing (DSP), electronic warfare (EW), and computer systems. Research Program The Center's goals are to -- * Advance the state of the art in submicron microelectronics * Generate novel algorithms and architectures to exploit ultra-fast submicron technology * Design and analyze the performance of advanced communications and signal processing systems based on ultra-high-speed integrated circuits (UHSIC) implementation * Develop innovative computer-aided design (CAD) tools and concepts for next-generation dedicated application and/or ASIC chips for communications and DSP. Ongoing research at the Center is clustered into four fundamental groups -- * Electronic devices and materials * Electronic circuits and subsystems * Algorithms and architectures * Communications systems. The Center's major research thrusts have been in innovative chip design using the bulk CMOS, CMOS/SOS, HEMT, and HBT technologies; device fabrication using pseudomorphic III-V heterostructure FETs; adaptive signal processing; and multiprocessing systems for DSP and interference rejection techniques in spread spectrum communications. Major new areas of research include the spread spectrum application for mobile communication and the study of code division multiple access (CDMA) for personal communications networks. Special Center Activities Some of the Center's accomplishments include -- * Designing the Complex Multiplier Accumulator Chip (CMAC) fabricated by Raytheon. Package parts are being tested. CMAC is currently being used as a processing element for MCM Adaptive Lattice Filter Implementation. * Developing novel approaches, based on advances in the synthesis of fault-tolerant microarchitectures, which contribute to the automated synthesis of self-recovering and fault-secure microarchitectures. * Partitioning and scheduling programs to map tasks onto a heterogeneous set of multiprocessors for execution of DSP algorithms. * Presenting a specification for a scalable multiprocessor system capable of combining processors of varying types and abilities through the use of a novel high-speed interconnect organized in cluster networks. * Demonstrating the substantially improved detection performance of the Two-Dimensional Adaptive Least Mean Square Filter for point objects in infrared image data. A complete simulation study was also conducted and software was developed to analyze the performance of the filter on image data. * Demonstrating the input tracking ability of a stochastic gradient adaptive lattice filter from nonstationary chirped sinusoidal inputs. The filter was shown to track input with some lag depending on the memory of the file. * Investigating detection gains in the use of image sequences for target detection. Researchers derived bounds on the minimum target signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) required for detection as a function of the number of frames used and target velocity. Facilities The Center is housed in the recently completed Engineering Research Building, which has class-100 clean rooms for IC fabrication. The Center has a set of high-end, very large scale integration (VLSI) CAD workstations based on the HP 700 series workstations, Macintosh computers, PCs, and Sun SPARC Stations, with software from Mentor Graphics, CADENCE, and other companies. It also has state-of-the-art commercial, university developed, and very high speed integrated circuit (VHSIC) design and analysis tools, and a Cambridge EBMF 10.5 Microfabricator Electron Beam Lithography System. For system-level design, the Center's software resources include MATLAB, Ptolemy, and Altagroup SPW System, as well as internally developed simulation tools. The Center has access to the department of electrical and computer engineering's Molecular Beam Epitaxy machines. The resources of the San Diego Supercomputer Center, including a CRAY Y-MP supercomputer and Intel Paragon Massively Parallel Computers, are being utilized to support the simulation and design of the UHSIC chips. Center Headquarters Center Director: Walter H. Ku Center for Ultra-High Speed Integrated Circuits and Systems Engineering Building, Room 4401 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0407 La Jolla, CA 92093-0407 Phone: (619) 534-3431 Fax: (619) 534-2486 E-mail: wku@ucsd.edu Center Evaluator: Clarence G. Thornton 28 Glenwood Road Colts Neck, NJ 07722 Phone: (908) 946-2982 Fax: (908) 946-3088 E-mail: claret@stmon.arl.mil NSF 93-97ee (rev. 7/96) Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Packaging of Microwave, Optical and Digital Electronics (CAMPmode) University of Colorado at Boulder Research at the intersection of digital, microwave, and optical technology holds the key to the future of the U.S. electronics industry Center Mission and Rationale The establishment of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Packaging of Microwave, Optical and Digital Electronics (CAMPmode) evolved from the growing recognition that, for U.S.-based companies to compete successfully in the rapidly growing electronics market, path-finding research must be undertaken at the universities to provide a knowledge base for the manufacturing and packaging of very high-speed microwave, optical, and digital electronics to enhance the manufacturability and functionality of future systems. Our shared belief is that in the coming two decades, the synergistic interaction of three major and developing technologies -- high-speed digital integrated circuits, microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuits, and optical electronics -- will provide a wealth of products scarely envisioned today, including among others, personal communication devices, intelligent vehicular systems, interactive television, optoelectronic image processing and display, and home medical diagnostic units. The formal process of identifying the research needs of the electronics industry was initiated in the summer of 1991 at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Subsequently, a series of meetings and discussions were held including participation by several major electronics companies from across the nation, the State of Colorado, and Federal Laboratory representatives. The result of these collective inputs was the formation in early 1992 of CAMPmode at the University of Colorado, Boulder. In 1994, the MIMICAD Center (the Center for Microwave/Millimeter-Wave Computer-Aided Design), an NSF I/UCRC, merged with CAMPmode, thereby significantly enhancing the Center's capabilities and strengths. The new, merged Center's mission is: ... to perform interdisciplinary research at the forefront of developing computer-aided designs, packaging, and manufacturing technologies for high-quality, low-cost production of electronic systems. We specifically consider those products or systems that integrate two or all three of the microwave/millimeter-wave, optical, and digital technologies. Of these, our current emphasis is on microwave/millimeter-wave digital products/systems. The objectives of CAMPmode are to: * Establish a knowledge base for CAD methodologies and tools, packaging, and manufacturing technologies for the integration of microwave/millimeter-wave, high speed digital, and optical electronics * Increase the number of engineers in the United States who are equipped to design and manufacture electronic systems * Foster strong collaboration between industry, university, and government R&D organizations in the Center's focus areas of research. Research Program The Center's research program focuses on-- * Multilayer circuits and integrated circuit-antenna modules for RF, microwaves, and millimeter waves. * Electromagnetic-artificial neural network modeling of microwave/millimeter-wave components, including parasitic coupling * A network modeling approach for effects of metallic and/or plastic packages on circuit performance * Efficient computation of large electromagnetic and/or heat transfer problems * CAD tool development for mixed-signal modules, including efficient and accurate computational algorithms and fast computation of parasitic coupling effects * Modeling of radiative EMI from printed circuit boards * Concurrent electrical and thermal analysis * Thermosonic flip-chip bonding for high-I/O connections * Experimental and analytical investigation of the effects of design and process parameters on solder profile and reliability; computational procedures for predicting process-induced variability in life and optimizing design. * Integrated reliability model for BGA/flip-chip solder joints * Novel metal foam heat-sinks for thermal management of electronic systems for power dissipation levels up to 100 W/cm2 * Low-cost laminate designs for mixed-signal electronic packaging * Flip-chip assembly for mixed signal technology. CAMPmode's milestone achievements include: * Development of PMESH, a full-wave integral-equation/moment-method based electromagnetic simulation software for microstrip, slotline, coplanar waveguide and coplanar stripline microwave circuits * Modeling of spurious coupling among, and radiation from, microstrip circuits * Complete quasi-static experimentally verifiable software for analysis of coplanar MMIC circuits * Demonstration of the first calibrated area optical sampling system for in situ sampling of MMIC circuits * Development of hybrid FDTD and edge element algorithms for time-domain analysis of high-frequency interconnects * Algorithms for optimal mechanical design of land-grid array connectors and other systems with significant analysis complexity * Demonstration of significant power efficiency improvement and reduction of noise in dc power distribution for battery-operated systems * Demonstration of feasibility of integrated local power processors and low-voltage, low-noise power distribution for mixed-signal electronic systems * Development of a novel approach to build faster and more accurate artificial neural network (ANN) models for process modeling, optimization, and control * Development of solder profile-modeling software for precision alignment and/or reliable connections. Special Center Activities * Support of MS and Ph.D. programs in Mechanical Engineering and in Electrical and Computer Engineering Departments * Workshops and short courses hosted by CAMPmode for its sponsors and potential sponsors * Publication of numerous journal articles, mostly involving student work * Publication of a bi-annual newsletter to inform public of CAMPmode activities * Participation by postdoctoral students and visiting scientists in the Center's programs * Participation by students in cooperative and internship programs at sponsor locations. Facilities and Laboratories Center facilities and laboratories available to faculty, staff, students, and sponsors include the following: * Clean room for optical and microwave circuit fabrication and antenna construction * Mask-making facility * Network of HP-300 and HP-700 series color graphic computers * HP-8510 network analyzer * RF probing station * Optical measurements facility * Packaging Laboratory including thermosonic flip-chip bonder, flip-chip soldering, MCM prototyping, fluxless reflow facilities * Electronic Manufacturing Laboratory including reflow soldering equipment, thermal diagnostic equipment, CVD prototypes, and wind-tunnel. Center Headquarters Center Director: Roop L. Mahajan CAMPmode University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309-0427 Phone: (303) 492-7750 Fax: (303) 492-3498 E-mail: mahajan@spot.colorado.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Virginia Shaw-Taylor 444 North Beaver Road Golden, CO 80403 Phone: (303) 642-0515 NSF 93-97ff (rev. 7/96) Center for Dielectric Studies (CDS) Intercollege Materials Research Laboratory, Penn State University An improved understanding of dielectric materials will lead to the development of advanced devices for electronic technology Center Mission and Rationale Research projects at the Center for Dielectric Studies (CDS) aim to improve the basic understanding of the synthesis, processing, and properties of dielectric materials and the electrode metallizations for electronic devices. These devices include: capacitors, microwave components, hybrid microcircuits, thermistors, packages, multichip modules, and thin-film dielectrics. CDS member companies are a mix of material suppliers, device manufacturers, and final users of electronic devices. Having a vertically integrated set of sponsors helps CDS to maintain focus on problems relevant to industry. The overall CDS research program is almost equally funded by membership fees, State and Federal grants, and industry enhancement projects. Research Program The Center's research thrust areas are -- * Synthesis and Processing, including: --rate-controlled sintering (smart processing) --rate-controlled binder burnout --electrophoretic deposition --hydrothermal barium titanate sintering --low-temperature barium titanate sintering * Capacitor Dielectrics and Reliability, including: --reliability of thin layers --dielectric breakdown relationships --electrode-dielectric interfaces --fine particle/fine grain properties --nonlinear dielectric properties --high-energy storage dielectrics * Microwave Dielectrics, including: --electric field tunable dielectrics --pyrochlore dielectrics (low fire) --electromagnetic shielding materials --strip line materials and filters * Packaging Dielectrics, including: --polymer ceramic composites --low-permittivity materials (permittivity < 2) --multichip modules (MCMC) * Multilayer Co-fire Dielectrics, including: --low temperature co-fire (LTCC) --new types of co-fire metallization --integration of high- and low-permittivity materials --integration of varistors for overvoltage protection --integrated multilayer filters * Thin Film Dielectrics, including: --electrochemical barium titanate films --ferroelectric high-permittivity films --PZT, bismuth titanate, barium strontium titanate, barium titanate, strontium titanate --laser-ablated films --multitarget magnetron and multi-ion beam reaction sputtering --sol-gel films * High Temperature Dielectrics, including: --passive components for temperatures > 250 degrees C --capacitor materials for temperatures reaching 600 degrees C * Relaxor Dielectrics, including: --structure/property relationships of relaxor nanocomposite --processing of columbite precursors --aging and mechanical properties. Facilities CDS is housed in the Pennsylvania State University's 70,000 square foot Materials Research Laboratory, which is designed for the needs of interdisciplinary materials research. The laboratory maintains central facilities common to various types of research and is capable of conducting scanning electron microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, state-of-the-art x-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and wet chemical analysis. Processing and Synthesis Powder synthesis and processing can be carried out with ball mills, vibration mills, and attritor mills, and a three-roll mill is available to mix pastes and inks. CDS's multilayer capabilities include tape casting, screen printing, and multilayer lamination. Firing of hybrids can be done in either an IR or resistance-heated belt furnace. For processing research, CDS has a computer-controlled furnace room with controlled atmosphere firing capabilities and a custom-designed, fast-fire furnace. CDS has made a new rate-controlled sintering system for studying densification mechanisms in multilayer ceramics. A new automated furnace system for smart control of the binder burnout process is being constructed. Measurements CDS has one of the most comprehensive electrical measurement facilities in the world for dielectric materials. Routine automated, multi-sample dielectric tests are carried out at temperatures ranging from that of liquid nitrogen to 200 degrees C and for frequencies from 100 Hz to 10 MHz. CDS has written custom data analysis programs to extract dielectric properties from the electrical test data. CDS also designed high-temperature dielectric measuring equipment that operates at temperatures up to 1200 degrees C. Specialized microwave and RF spectrum analyzers available to CDS can measure up to 26 GHz, while a low frequency FFT dielectric spectrometer is capable of measuring to 1.0 milliHz. Multi-sample dielectric reliability tests are set up for computer-automated data collection. Special Center Activities At CDS, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers are active participants in the Center's basic and applied research programs. Three students have assisted in CDS research through the Women, Minority, and Disabled High School and Undergraduate Engineering Research Assistants program. To date, a total of 19 students have obtained Ph.D. degrees through the CDS program and 30 students have earned Master's degrees. Approximately 15 students and 14 faculty members currently participate in the Center's programs. Some students supported by fellowships elect to conduct research in the Center, which provides financial support for these research projects. The Center holds symposia on topics of interest to its members, including such subjects as powder analysis methods, reliability of ceramic devices, improvement of multilayer capacitor reliability, and improvement of multilayer ceramic reliability. To provide broad technology transfer to its sponsors' technical staffs, CDS faculty are also available to conduct one-day seminars at participating company sites. In addition, CDS strongly encourages its member companies to send an R&D representative to spend time at the Center's lab and believes that this interaction is the most effective method of technology and knowledge transfer from academe to industry. The Center will provide logistical support for visits ranging from one week to one year. Center Headquarters Center Director: Joseph P. Dougherty Center for Dielectric Studies Materials Research Laboratory The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 Phone: (814) 865-1638 Fax: (814) 865-2326 E-mail: joedoc@psu.edu Center Evaluator: Donna M. Dengler 11403 Running Cedar Road Reston, VA 22091 Phone: (703) 502-6738 NSF 93-97gg (rev. 7/96) Center for Electronic Materials, Devices, and Systems (CEMDAS) The University of Texas at Arlington and Texas A&M University Electronic materials growth technology, characterization and modeling of advanced electronic and electro-optic devices Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Electronic Materials, Devices, and Systems (CEMDAS) was established to advance the technology and application of broadband, high frequency solid-state devices and the material growth technology. The Center was formed from the consolidation of two existing research centers: the existing I/UCRC at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and the Electronic Devices and Materials Group at Texas A&M University (TAMU). This consolidation combines the advantages of a large metropolitan university located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with a traditional major research university. Research Program Topics to be addressed by the Center are those associated with advanced electronic and optical systems that support the high-technology infrastructure for communication, transportation, and information processing. The expertise of the consolidated Center covers modern electric materials, electronic and electro-optic devices, and systems analysis. The Center has particular expertise in bulk single-crystal and thin-film growth, characterization, and process modeling of electronic materials; molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the production of multilayer devices and heterostructure devices; thin film and rapid thermal processing; fabrication and evaluation of devices; devices modeling; and simulation. Design, fabrication, and testing of broadband, high frequency planar solid-state devices and circuits is done through alliances between the university and our industrial partners. A strong service and educational component of the Center is to provide the know-how and the appropriate interfaces for students and other universities to access these services. The Center will provide a combined capability that allows the integration of design, analysis, fabrication, and testing of systems, incorporating everything from the materials used to systems considerations. Research and technology transfer will be performed with the close cooperation of the Industrial Advisory Board, which is composed of all the Center's industrial members. Several technical facilities are available at the Center, each containing specialized equipment. At TAMU, there are the Crystal Growth, Thin-Film and Characterization Lab, the Electro-optics Lab, and the Microwave Lab, equipped with crystal growth furnaces, electro-optics, and semiconductor laser instrumentation. At UTA, there is a class 10/100 GaAs processing clean room with Karl Suss UV aligner, Heatpulse rapid thermal processor, Varian e-beam evaporator, and MRC sputter deposition system; a molecular beam epitaxy facility with Varian GEN II modular molecular beam epitaxy system, Auger analysis and photoluminescence system; and a microwave facility with HP 8510 and Hughes automated microwave network analyzers (45 MHZ to 60 GHz, and 90 - 100 GHz), time domain reflectometry, and cascade wafer prober. Current Center Activities In the materials processing, characterization, and applications area -- * Applications of PIN multiple quantum well structures in optoelectronic devices * Development of non-volatile, high-density memory based on superconductor-ferroelectric integrated structure * High-performance uncooled IR detectors based on pyro-optic effect * Non-spiking ohmic contact schemes on InGaP and AlInP * Development of microwave resonators, filters, and delay lines based on BCSCO superconductor films * Development of photorefractive KTN and KN for optical computing * Non-stoichiometric GaAs grown at low temperature by MBE. In the optical devices and instrumentation area -- * Modeling and analysis of surface-emitting double heterostructure AlGaAs/GaAs LED * Nonlinear electro-optic devices * Fiber-optic temperature sensor development * Integrated optics * Development of an optical-homodyne frequency domain reflectometer. In the microwave and millimeter-wave device area -- * Narrow-band dielectric microwave mirrors * Millimeter spatial power combiner * Wideband microwave delay lines and baluns. In the design, simulation and system integration area -- * ESD protection devices for GaAs MMIC devices * Low-power GPS receivers * Low-observable microwave antenna * HBT computer-aided design models Center Headquarters Co-Director at UTA: Dr. Kambiz Alavi Department of Electrical Engineering The University of Texas at Arlington P.O. Box 19016, Arlington, TX 76019 Phone: (817) 272-3496 Fax: (817) 272-2253 E-mail: alavi@uta.edu Co-Director at TAMU: Dr. Raghvendra K. Pandey Department of Electrical Engineering Texas A&M University MS 3128, College Station, TX 77843 Phone: (409) 862-4686 Fax: (409) 862-4023 E-mail: pandey@tamu.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Craig H. Blakely Public Policy Research Institute Dulie Bell Building, Suite 314 Texas A&M University MS 4476, College Station, TX 77843 Phone: (409) 845-8800 Fax: (409) 845-0249 NSF 93-97hh (rev. 7/96) Center for Design of Analog-Digital Integrated Circuits (CDADIC) Washington State University, University of Washington, Oregon State University, and State University of New York at Stony Brook Electronic design and manufacturing industries benefit from advances in mixed analog-digital design technology. Center Mission and Rationale Analog-digital (mixed mode) integrated circuit designs have important applications in many fields, including avionics, space technology, and medical electronics. Technical advantages of using mixed analog-digital circuitry range from enhanced performance to improved miniaturization of products. Presently, electronic systems with combined analog-digital circuitry are difficult to simulate, test, and repair. Computer-aided design and simulation for these mixed-mode circuits are not as automated and refined as for single-mode, digital circuits. The Center for Design of Analog-Digital Integrated Circuits (CDADIC) is a consortium of three Northwest research universities and one in New York state. CDADIC headquarters are at Washington State University. One of CDADIC's 19 sponsors is the Washington Technology Center, a state-sponsored industry-university cooperative enterprise created by the Washington State Legislature to foster private and federal investment in research and technology with commercial potential. CDADIC's mission is to advance the state-of-the art for design tools, testing techniques, and circuit design methodologies for analog and analog-digital integrated circuits. The Center has made significant progress toward giving U.S. electronic design and manufacturing industries access to analog and analog-digital design technology that is as reliable and effective as pure digital technology. Among the Center's goals are to -- * Develop new computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology to enhance analog and analog-digital circuit designs * Further develop the methodology for analog-digital integrated circuit design and testing. Research Program CDADIC is one of the few research centers in the country that address problems associated with combining analog and digital integrated circuitry on a common chip. Five research thrusts characterize the focus of the Center: * Modeling -- Constructing accurate computer models of circuits, devices, and interconnects for applications requiring high temperature and power, or high speed and frequency * Design methodology -- Developing systematic methods for design, which incorporate the reuse of existing designs, module generation, and automatic layout of analog-digital integrated circuits * Simulation -- Developing methodologies to evaluate, test, and characterize new and existing circuit simulators; improving speed and efficiency for analog-digital simulation through use of hardware accelerators with hierarchical simulators using parametric yield optimizers * Circuit design -- Developing new mixed-mode circuit designs for high- precision, low-voltage, ultra-low voltage, and high-speed applications; Examples include a recently patented logic family, analog BiCMOS, current-mode, and switched-current designs * Testability -- Applying statistical pattern analysis to parametric fault diagnosis in mixed-signal systems and microcircuits; integrating on-chip parametric testability into the design phase for analog circuits. Special Center Activities The Center has transferred important technologies to industry. Examples are listed below: * CDADIC projects have provided ELDEC/Crane with needed updates on simulation acceleration, low-power CMOS analog-digital conversion, and high- temperature electronics. * Collaboration with Boeing has provided the company with a prototype design of a Sigma-Delta A-D converter and test use of in-hand ICs with Sigma Delta Modulators on them. * Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico is developing a CHFET process with contributions from CDADIC researchers working on the project "Analog IC Design Using Complementary HFETS." A CDADIC researcher took a year's sabbatical leave at Sandia to implement analog designs in the developmental CHFET process. * New power diode models developed by CDADIC researchers have been transferred to CDADIC sponsors Analogy and Mentor Graphics and, after becoming public domain, to Intusoft and Siemens AG. * BiCMOS mixed-signal cell design techniques have been imported by Boeing for use in a range of applications, including power supplies, controllers, and commercial avionics. CDADIC projects have achieved national and world recognition in analog and analog-digital application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design. The Center has served as a catalyst for capturing innovative research and educational opportunities for university members and industrial partners. Some of these include -- * Enhanced educational opportunities for electrical engineering, computer engineering, and computer science students including new, updated, or restructured university courses; updated computing and other laboratory equipment; and wider opportunities for student internships and other forms of student-industry interaction * Participation in innovative educational programs such as Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Research at Undergraduate Institutions * Completion of a new high-temperature test facility at Washington State University, which has been well-used by industry for testing product components that need to withstand temperatures up to 350 degrees C. Center Headquarters Center Director: John Ringo, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Research and Extended Programs College of Engineering and Architecture P.O. Box 642700 Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2700 Phone: (509) 335-5593 Fax: (509) 335-3818 E-mail: jringo@engr.coeab.wsu.edu Co-director: Peter Lauritzen, Ph.D. University of Washington Department of Electrical Engineering Seattle, WA 98195 Phone: (206) 543-2189 Fax: (206) 543-3842 E-mail: plauritz@ee.washington.edu Co-director: Sayfe Kiaei, Ph.D. Oregon State University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Corvallis, OR 97330 Phone: (503) 737-3118 Fax: (503) 737-1300 E-mail: kiaei@ece.orst.edu Co-director: Bradley Carlson, Ph.D. SUNY Stony Brook Department of Electrical Engineering New York, NY 11794 Phone: (516) 632-8474 Fax: (516) 632-8494 E-mail: bcarlson@sbee.sunyb.edu Center Evaluator: Craig Scott School of Medicine, SC-45 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 Phone: (206) 543-2259 Fax: (206) 543-3461 NSF 93-97ii (rev. 7/96) Industry/University Center for Biosurfaces (IUCB) State University of New York at Buffalo, The University of Memphis, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University Understanding, predicting, and controlling biological adhesion can advance the development of safe/effective new materials Center Mission and Rationale The Industry/University Center for Biosurfaces (IUCB) has this vision -- * To come to understand the interactions of all that which is alive with all that which is not * Through such understanding, to predict how living cells will attach to other materials, and to other cells * Ultimately, to control the speed and strength of biological surface interactions for the benefit of personal, public, and environmental health. The Center's immediate goals are -- * To produce standardized experimental models of cell/surface accumulation (biofilms) * To identify possible and preferred "planes of intervention" into these films by cleaning and infection-control agents * To produce relevant experimental models for adhesion to skin, tissue, and bone * To identify improvements in wound healing associated with control of bioadhesion to synthetic/prosthetic materials * To produce relevant environmental simulations of flowing biofluids (blood, tears, saliva, others) at and near contact surfaces * To identify fundamental force, structure, and flow features capable of modulating cell attachment/retention at critical interfaces. Research Program The Center for Biosurfaces conducts basic research to control deposits on surfaces in medical, dental, and natural environments without using biocides. The broad application potential of this research includes the fields of biomaterials, bioengineering and biotechnology, occupational safety, and health. Pollution is avoided and air quality is protected, as potentially toxic or infectious aerosols are detected, collected, and analyzed. Practical applications of the Center's research are nontoxic coatings and safer medical products. IUCB employs a comprehensive and integrated approach to biological systems in diverse circumstances, from surgical suites to the open ocean. The Center's faculty developed safe and effective fouling-release coatings by extrapolating bioengineering technology from pioneering work with biomaterials for artificial hearts. The Center discovered that a very narrow and specific range of critical surface tensions must be produced if biological debris is to be prevented from accumulating on the surfaces of biomedical and commercial devices. Surprisingly, nonstick Teflon materials are not included in this range, and many previous attempts to control biofouling failed because that fact was not known. Researchers at IUCB also demonstrated that affordable commercial materials with biofouling-releasing qualities can be created. The family of crosslinked methylsilicones is the best engineering choice for use in the open environment. Moreover, laminated polymer alloys can be made between tough, elastic-base coatings of hardy polyurethanes and methylsilicone topcoats, thereby overcoming many application problems. Currently, no leachable components of any sort are included in these new compositions. Future research may lead to impregnating these new materials with nontoxic fouling-inhibitor agents isolated from seagrasses, sponges, or corals. The engineering utility of the first-generation coatings has already been developed by international manufacturers and confirmed in investigations independently funded by the Electric Power Research Institute and the U.S. Navy. One current IUCB project is to introduce nontoxic, nonpolluting coatings to control zebra mussel infestations in and around the Great Lakes. The Center's approach eliminates the need to add more chlorine, hot water, or other environmental insults to precious freshwater systems. Special Center Activities The Center's industrial sponsors receive priority attention for research. The Center has recently completed industrial projects in areas including -- * Surface characterization of metals, ceramics, and plastics * Surface modification of polymers * Evaluation of implant biocompatibility * Formation of mineral scale in industrial processes * Development of fiber-optic sensors * Certification of new sterilization processes * Definition of materials resistant to biocorrosion * Control of biofouling. The Center's cooperating laboratories contain state-of-the-art equipment. A field emission scanning electron microscope, scanning Auger microprobe, and electron spectrometer for chemical analysis are among many instruments applied in Center projects. Center Headquarters Center Executive Director: Dr. Robert E. Baier Industry/University Center for Biosurfaces State University of New York at Buffalo 110 Parker Hall Buffalo, NY 14214-3007 Phone: (716) 829-3560 Fax: (716) 835-4872 E-mail: baier@acsu.buffalo.edu Center Evaluator: Mr. Edward Zablocki Office of Vice President for Research State University of New York at Buffalo 516 Capen Hall Buffalo, NY 14260 Phone: (716) 645-3321 Fax: (716) 645-2933 NSF 93-97jj (rev. 7/96) Software Engineering Research Center (SERC) Purdue University, University of Florida, and Oregon Associated Universities International competition and the rapid growth of the computer software industry make it essential to develop new capabilities to produce software products Center Mission and Rationale American companies currently own 65 percent of the $100 billion global computer software market. To remain competitive, the software industry needs to keep pace with the productivity gains achieved in hardware development, produce the quantity of software needed for new computer applications, and develop the highly reliable software that is required in critical application areas. Existing software technologies have been pushed beyond their limitations due to complex new application systems and the demand for software to support new applications. Moreover, software costs continue to rise, and the demand for new software products far exceeds programmer productivity gains. The research program of the Software Engineering Research Center (SERC) is focused on developing and assessing methods and tools to improve productivity and software quality throughout the software development life cycle. SERC performs basic and applied research designed to improve the management of the software engineering process, the productivity of software engineers, and the quality of software engineering products. Research Program Software engineering -- the technical design and production of software products -- is a technology area that requires accelerated research and development. SERC's research thrusts are in the following areas -- * Software development tools. These tools are used in requirements engineering, scheduling for hard real-time systems, design engineering, user-interface generation, code analysis, software testing, debugging, and concurrency. * Software maintenance methods and tools. These tools help programmers understand and enhance existing software. Topics addressed include maintaining object-oriented programs, dependency analysis, ripple-effect analysis, program slicing, and designing maintenance environments. * Software development in a distributed environment. This research includes work on a multimedia, collaborative multi-user, software development application based on experimental distributed object technology and work on the InterBase system, an integrating framework and interface that permits heterogeneous (and potentially incompatible) software applications and databases to be used in an integrated fashion in a distributed environment. * Software process modeling and metrics. New techniques forecast the quality of software based on measurements recorded during the design stage. Also included in this area are the identification and measurement of factors that affect productivity, the development of software process modeling and analysis techniques for process improvement, and the development and validation of metrics and models for software cost and size estimation, reliability assessment, and testing. Special Center Activities The Center has been extremely successful in transferring SERC-produced technology to the industrial arena. Examples include -- * Fourteen software prototypes demonstrated or delivered to affiliates for internal use * Possible commercialization of the Design Metric Analyzer, a software prototype built in collaboration with Magnavox Electronics Company * A five-fold improvement in application developer productivity at BNR using SERC's InterBase system * The COBOL Program Analysis Workbench, produced by Andersen Consulting, based on SERC's data model recovery tool * The enhancement of ATAC, a Bellcore software product, by Purdue University personnel in collaboration with Bellcore researchers * SERC transaction processing technology, implemented in a real-time database product by Harris Corporation * Collaboration by SERC researchers with BNR to develop a feature-interaction analysis tool for use by BNR. In addition to the principal research sites of the four campuses of the Oregon Associated Universities (University of Oregon, Oregon Graduate Institute, Portland State University, and Oregon State University), Purdue University, and the University of Florida, SERC has benefited from the involvement of researchers at the following universities: Ball State University, University of West Florida, Moorhead State University, University of Houston, University of North Florida, Florida A&M University, and the University of Minnesota. SERC researchers collaborate with colleagues around the world and transfer information on international activities to SERC sponsors via SERC's Window-on-the-World program, which includes a postgraduate training and research consortium headquartered in Padua, Italy. SERC participates in the Women, Minority, and Disabled Undergraduate Engineering Research Assistants program, as well as educational programs that provide support for minority institutions. Florida A&M University is collaborating with SERC on research in intelligent computer-integrated manufacturing systems with support from a Historically Black University Faculty Research Grant. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Aditya Mathur Software Engineering Research Center 1398 Computer Sciences Building Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907-1398 Phone: (317) 494-9329 Fax: (317) 494-0739 E-mail: apm@cs.purdue.edu Center Evaluator: Vida Scarpello Department of Management Georgia State University University Plaza Atlanta, GA 30303-3083 Phone: (404) 651-3400 Fax: (404) 651-2804 NSF 93-97kk (rev. 7/96) Center for Advanced Computing and Communication (CACC) North Carolina State University and Duke University Advancements in communications and signal processing benefit many industries Center Mission and Rationale Telecommunications technology and high speed computing are increasingly important in everyday life. Computers are performing bigger, more complex tasks. Global communications systems are used by everyone from CEOs to school children. Military operations are carried out by computers requiring highly reliable software. At the Center for Advanced Computing and Communications (CACC), multidisciplinary teams of researchers are meeting these challenges by helping to develop technologies which improve the quality of life. The Center's mission is to carry out basic and applied research on fundamental problems with both industrial and academic relevance, to transfer these results to our members, and to provide our students with a unique and challenging educational opportunity. Our research goal is to create concepts, methods, and tools for use in the analysis, design, and implementation of advanced computer and communication systems. Research Program The Center for Advanced Computing and Communication was originally founded at North Carolina State University in 1982 as the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Communications and Signal Processing (CCSP). Merging with a research team from Duke University in 1994, the Center enhanced its research capabilities in the networking area and introduced expertise in distributed algorithms and dependable systems. CACC consists of more than 20 faculty members and their graduate students involved in cutting-edge research in five primary areas: High Speed Networking, Fault-Tolerant Systems, Image Processing, Distributed Algorithms and Systems, and Digital Communications and Optimization. The Center routinely sponsors industrial and international visiting scholars for periods of several weeks to a year. Recent visitors have included researchers from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Spain, and Turkey. High Speed Networking Working with the major telecommunications producers, CACC has helped chart the course of network development for over a decade. Research in the area of network performance has resulted in key theoretical and analytical contributions to the modeling, prediction, and simulation of telecommunications networks. Simulations and analyses of end-to-end performance of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and private broadband networks increased understanding of the trade-offs between packet and cell switching. The Center participated in a major IBM project to develop software for evaluating potential computer and communications networks. One of the CACC researchers involved in this project received IBM's 1992 Outstanding Achievement in Research Award. Software provided to another member company enables them to simulate the call-carrying capacity to their switches. CACC's participation in the development of the North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH) provides direct access to the most advanced telecommunications testbed in the U.S. Current work includes-- * Development of tools for determining performance parameters of communication networks * Specification, verification, and validation of communications protocols * Traffic measurements on existing networks and accurate traffic models for future networks * Solving quality-of-service and interoperability problems * Developing a scalable all-optical switch architecture with end-to-end optical paths * Designing and implementing control protocols for secure systems. Fault-Tolerant Systems CACC faculty are internationally renowned for their work in Markov chains, stochastic Petri nets, and queuing networks. This expertise has been applied to the development of reliability and performability modeling tools (HARP, SHARPE, SPNP) by numerous industrial and governmental laboratories. A reliable and fault-tolerant clocking mechanism has also been adapted to a commercial flight-control system and to a real-time weapon-control application. Industry is under pressure to speed up the product development cycle. In response, the Center is meeting the need for tools to evaluate processes and ensure product quality. We are currently developing-- * Reliability and performability modeling tools leading to an integrated modeling environment * A fault-injection testbed for the validation of highly reliable complex systems * Emulation and rapid prototypes of complex fault-tolerant systems * Analyses and design of highly reliable real-time systems * Design and implementation of highly testable systems * Development of a toolset for evaluation and control of software processes. Image Processing In applications from health care to textiles, multimedia-based education to electronic publishing, digital images are everywhere. Researchers at CACC are applying signal processing expertise to a variety of imaging problems including image-signal reconstruction and restoration, color science, motion estimation, and nonlinear optimization. Recent work in scanning filter design resulted in development of a high-precision machine tool which is currently used by a member company to produce images with highly accurate color quality, against which all their other color quality equipment is measured. CACC is currently -- * Developing a signal processing foundation for solving color system problems, including design of color scanning filters, better methods for color correction, improved image/video compression, and improved calibration techniques * Extending the basic methods for dealing with nonlinear systems * Developing optimization techniques for image models and restoration * Utilizing the characteristics of the human visual system to improve the performance of color systems * Developing improved quality measures for assessing color system performance. Distributed Algorithms and Systems Computer communications and networking will remain the fastest-growing segment of the computer industry during the 1990s. CACC's work on high performance distributed computing systems involves evaluating their potential as a cost-effective, high performance computional platform and their adaptability in the presence of failures or widely varying workload conditions. This group is concentrating on -- * Implementation of parallel algorithms for scientific and commercial applications * Use of workstation clusters as cost-effective parallel computers * Techniques for load-balancing for parallel computers and parallel discrete-event simulation. Digital Communications and Optimization Advances in technology have led to a new generation of communication systems, including cellular telephony, personal communications services, high-speed optical fiber communications links, and mobile satellite communications. These advances require analysis of new algorithms and coding schemes for wireless communications. Faster, cheaper computing has enabled researchers at CACC to develop novel techniques for efficient simulation and optimization of these increasingly complex systems. Speedup factors of up to 14 orders of magnitude have been obtained for computer simulations using statistically optimized importance sampling techniques. CACC researchers have developed a general theory of Simulated Annealing and accelerated versions with speed-up factors up to 50. Annealing methods have been applied successfully to image processing, communications, computer aided design, and neural networks. * Techniques for efficient simulation-based performance analysis of communication systems, including -- 1) RF links with multipath fading channels and adaptive equalizers 2) High-speed, low error-rate optical communications links 3) Cell loss probability analysis of communications networks, including ATM networks * Optimization techniques for computer-aided design of digital filters, communications networks, and communications channels * Multiuser detection algorithms for spread-spectrum mobile cellular networks * Modulation and demodulation methods and diversity-combining techniques for fading multipath channels * Adaptive equalization and coding for cellular radio. Center Headquarters NC State Univ. Site Director: Wesley E. Snyder Box 7914 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7914 Phone: (919) 515-3015 Fax: (919) 515-2285 E-mail: wes@eos.ncsu.edu Web: http://www.ece.ncsu.edu/cacc/ Duke Site Director: Kishor S. Trivedi Box 90291 Duke University Durham, NC 27708-0291 Phone: (919) 660-5269 Fax: (919) 660-5293 E-mail: kst@ee.duke.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Denis Gray Department of Psychology North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7801 Phone: (919) 515-1721 Fax: (919) 515-1716 E-mail: denis_gray@ncsu.edu NSF 93-97ll (rev. 7/96) Center for Information Management Research (CIMR) University of Arizona and Georgia Institute of Technology Improving the design and application of information systems significantly increases productivity Center Mission The goal of the Center for Information Management Research (CIMR) is to improve the use and implementation of information systems by organizations. The Center aims to conduct research that will identify the problems and reduce the complexity of the processes of defining, implementing, and using information systems in organizational settings. Research Program Based on the inherent strengths of the two participating universities, CIMR's research program is divided into two major categories: effective use of information systems and effective design of information systems. Research projects related to the effective use of information systems include-- * Decisionmaking. CIMR's research explores the develop-ment of, and experimentation with, tools and techniques that support the formal decisionmaking process. * Collaboration. In this area, CIMR's research explores the development of specific shared environments and the development of tool kits that allow the construction of collaboration environments that are not tool- or application-specific. * Education of Users. One CIMR project -- Organizational Memory for Corporate Intelligence: Support of Individual, Team, and Organization -- focuses on the long-term improvement of organizational memory. Other research involves educating users in technologies that improve productivity and the quality of products and services. * Engineering Improvements to Extant Systems. Before extant systems can be improved, it is necessary to identify the decisions that were made in developing those systems. Quite often this information no longer exists. CIMR's research focuses on design reconstruction -- detecting and understanding the decisions that went into designing a system. Research projects related to the effective design of information systems include -- * Organizational Analysis. Organizational analysis, sometimes called enterprise analysis or information architecture, is used to capture an organization's business processes and then develop information systems to support those processes, as well as newly defined processes. CIMR's research in organizational analysis focuses on measuring the effectiveness of various techniques used in capturing an organization's processes, the modeling of processes, and the application of those models to designing information systems. * Systems Requirements. The systems requirements process follows organizational analysis as the step to define the information system component of the overall enterprise. At CIMR, research in this area focuses on creating a process that allows the users to remain actively involved in the definition of the requirements for the information system and its subsystems or components. * Human Interfaces. A key problem occurs when an information system lacks user-friendliness. CIMR's research focuses on two key elements in designing effective user interfaces. The first is to develop tools that support the construction of interfaces that are not tied to one technique or representation. The second is to develop ways to evaluate interfaces unobtrusively, with regard to both the application and the user, and then to factor those evaluation results into a revised design. * Education of Providers. An issue that CIMR believes is not being addressed sufficiently by the research community is the dilemma of how to educate and train developers in technologies that require a greater specialization -- and at the same time require them to understand the organization's strategies, tactics, and operations. CIMR's approach is to support these needs by allowing the developers of technologies continuous, asynchronous access to educators and trainers on an as-needed basis. Special Center Activities CIMR's research in computer-assisted meetings, or GroupSystems, has attracted international visibility with descriptions appearing in Fortune, BusinessWeek, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. GroupSystems was developed by Jay Nunamaker and a team of associates at the University of Arizona. The computer-assisted group meeting facility at the University of Arizona was built as a meeting room for end-users, systems analysts, systems designers, and project leaders to review and analyze system specifications and designs. After observing the use of GroupSystems and its companion software (known as Groupware), the system's developers realized that Groupware was valuable for meetings of all types -- not just information systems planning. Because it appeared that group satisfaction with the system increased with group size, the Arizona researchers decided to build a larger facility to test the hypothesis that productivity increased with group size. Using the University of Arizona facilities as a prototype, GroupSystems technology was installed at more than 90 IBM sites. Its use at IBM has confirmed the results achieved by more than 200 organizations at the University of Arizona -- that is, that using GroupSystems improves organizational productivity by decreasing the number and duration of meetings needed during a project's life cycle. Using TeamFocus software, a version of Groupware developed by IBM, IBM reported that the design of a standardized control system -- which normally takes more than a year -- was completed in 35 days with 15 electronic meetings. Similarly, Boeing reported an average 91 percent reduction in project completion time. Groupware is now operational at more than 250 sites worldwide -- including facilities of IBM, Ford, CIGNA Insurance, BellSouth, Hewlett-Packard, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Army. The software also is used by 60 universities in the United States and Canada, 27 international research organizations, and the United States Information Agency. GroupSystems software tools are also being developed for applications beyond the electronic meeting room. In a project called the distributed electronic meetings/Officelink project, CIMR is investigating ways to support meetings when members are separated geographically. Distributed electronic meeting technology enables members to communicate with one another although they are in different locations. Marked improvements in the efficiency and speed of collaborative projects are expected through the use of this technology. The MIRROR, or virtual meeting room, project also addresses the needs of groups that are geographically distributed. This project aims to provide a spectrum of audio and video support, combined with the ability to share information as rapidly as in face-to-face meetings. The MIRROR project hopes to extend the capabilities of existing GroupSystems facilities and address the needs of geographically distributed groups who need to interact as if they were all in the same room at the same time. Characteristics of the proposed MIRROR facility include individual workstations, video walls, extensive audio support, and the development of sophisticated control system architectures. The project's objective is to give the groups the impression that they are together in a traditional meeting. Center Headquarters Center Co-Director: Jay Nunamaker MIS Department University of Arizona College of Business and Public Administration Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: (602) 621-4475 Fax: (602) 621-3918 Center Co-Director: W. Michael McCracken College of Computing Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0280 Phone: (404) 894-3180 Fax: (404) 894-9442 E-mail: mike@cc.gatech.edu Center Evaluator: David A. Tansik College of Business and Public Administration Department of Management and Policy McClelland Hall, 405-R University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: (602) 621-1710 Fax: (602) 621-4171 Center Evaluator: David J. Roessner School of Public Policy Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0345 Phone: (404) 894-6821 Fax: (404) 853-0535 NSF 93-97mm (rev. 7/96) Research Center for Wireless Information Networks (WINLAB) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Advancing the future of wireless communications through education and research Center Mission and Rationale Little more than a decade ago, before the introduction of cordless and cellular telephones, the majority of Americans had had little experience with radio communications. Today, more than 35 million people in the United States use cellular telephones, and perhaps twice that number use cordless telephones. The ability to communicate without the tether of a wire has become natural and commonplace, and is being expanded rapidly into new environments. Radio is delivering on its promise of communications "anywhere." Simultaneously, information networks have evolved which direct an explosion of data into our communication systems; and increasingly this information will find mobile users at its endpoints. Today's telephone and personal computer will merge into an "information appliance," offering all forms of information to the untethered user. Despite this image of seamlessness, however, communications will traverse a variety of wireless systems, interconnected by wideband backbone networks. Even today a number of competing technologies, standards, and services have emerged, and their number can be expected to increase. A focus of the Research Center for Wireless Information Networks (WINLAB) is to understand and evaluate these competing options, both individually and as interacting elements of a global network. Research Program This focus links dozens of research projects, clustered in six Study Groups that reflect WINLAB expertise in a variety of fields related to wireless communications and mobility. * Advanced architectures and radio technologies are addressed by the Network Architecture Study Group and the Multiple Access Study Group. A principal challenge facing these groups today is multimedia communications -- i.e., creating networks that simultaneously and optimally handle speech, data, images, and video. Advanced versions of Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), as well as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), are included in the studies. * Two Study Groups concentrate on network control strategies for mobile information systems, applying theoretical tools to improving service quality and system efficiency. The Radio Resource Manage ment Study Group brings together techniques for channel allocation, power control, handoff, and admission control. The Mobility Management Study Group is concerned with the prompt, efficient delivery of information to moving terminals. * The Mobile Computing Study Group creates and implements new applications for the networks under consideration in the other Study Groups. In contrast to today's computer services, available on the Internet and elsewhere, these applications will have to overcome the special challenges imposed by the radio environment, including the limited available power and the mobility of the user. * The Infostations Study Group explores a novel system design which delivers high volumes of information to mobile terminals as they pass through "islands" of high-bandwidth radio coverage. This new approach to information delivery raises a wide range of issues including service definition, protocols, radio design, and economics. It forms the basis of a new graduate course that stresses the interdisciplinary nature of system creation. Special Center Activities WINLAB has a strong influence on education in communications technology at Rutgers University and elsewhere, and maintains a concurrent focus on information transfer to industry. From an initial course in "Wireless Access to Information Systems" in the spring of 1989, Rutgers has continued to add new courses at the graduate and undergraduate level which reflect the WINLAB focus and systems viewpoint. Educational materials developed at Rutgers have been adapted to serve the needs of WINLAB sponsors. * Stimulated by WINLAB, Rutgers now offers a Certificate in Wireless Communications in conjunction with graduate degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering. WINLAB workshops on Third Generation Wireless Information Networks, held every 18 months, attract international experts who are creating technologies for the communication networks of the next century, and weekly seminars at WINLAB attract both students and practicing engineers. * Under the Internship Program, students obtain summer or other positions at the sites of our sponsors. Under the Visiting Scholar Program, sponsor employees spend time at WINLAB, working with WINLAB researchers. * WINLAB sponsors include more than 25 companies representing telecommunications research, systems manufacturers, and service providers in the United States and other countries, as well as the U.S. Army's Communication Command. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. David J. Goodman Rutgers University Electrical and Computer Engineering Department/WINLAB PO Box 909 Piscataway, NJ 08855-0909 Phone: (908) 445-5954 Fax: (908) 445-3693 Email: dgoodman@winlab.rutgers.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. S. George Walters 789 Sergeantsville Road Stockton, NJ 08559 Phone: (609) 397-0990 NSF 93-97nn (rev. 7/96) Center for Advanced Communications Villanova University Cost-effective regional R&D is expected to promote economic growth and job creation in the telecommunications industry Center Mission and Vision The mission of the Center for Advanced Communications is to establish a nurturing and creative environment in a communications research program that will help, serve, and guide students by linking them to the Industrial Community. The Center, located on the Villanova University campus, is supported by funding from corporations, the State of Pennsylvania (Ben Franklin Technology Center), and the National Science Foundation. Our organization conducts for the sponsors research and development projects involving the transmission and reception of voice, video, data, and images. These Communication Systems Technologies are vital to today's workplace. The Center's goals are two-fold. The technology goal is to establish and maintain a position as the leading provider of communication research in the Delaware Valley. Our marketing goal is to train our students, through a combined academic and research program, to become the next-generation employee of our sponsoring organizations. Our policy is to maintain high research and ethical standards across all of our research and services to our sponsors, thereby enhancing our reputation for excellence. Research Program The research conducted by the Center's faculty and students includes a broad range of topics in the field of communications. A sample of sponsored projects includes: * Low Profile Antenna Design * Characterization of UHF Antenna * Ceramic Filter Design using IC Components * Digital Video Compression for Satellites * CDMA Cross Correlation in Satellites * Phased Arrays for Mobile Communications * Low Noise Video Amplifier. Our professional staff of professors are drawn from the following Universities: Bucknell, Drexel, Lafayette, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, Temple, and Villanova. Their areas of expertise include: Signal Processing and Spectral Estimation, Dynamics and Control, Signal Detection and Estimation, Microwave Photonics, Innovative R&D Management Studies, Antennas and Electromagnetics, Radar Signature Analysis and Identification, Solid State Devices and Electronics, Image Processing and Computer Vision, Communication Systems and Microwaves, Electromagnetics Numerical Modelling, Computational Digital Data Communications, and Speech Recognition. Our student researchers are drawn from high school students, undergraduate, and graduate students for positions ranging from Lab Aide to Research Assistant. Students engage in team-based research involving a professor, other students, and sponsor representatives who act as mentors. At the conclusion of the graduate program, these students are fully qualified to take responsible positions in industry. Special Center Activities A broad program for industrial collaboration and technology transfer has been established. Benefits to our sponsors include: * A regional base of technology expertise * A stable base of research experts * Economic growth and job creation * Cost-effective R&D * Resource and service support * A strategic relationship in Information Technologies * A pool of highly qualified students for recruitment as the next- generation "knowledge worker" * Highly visible publicity for our sponsors in appreciation of their leadership role * A position on the Center Advisory Board. The sponsor services include assistance with new product development, new process implementation, applied Research and Development, federal proposals, prototype development and evaluation, technology seminars, and technology assessment. Facilities Our center is a multi-university, multi-site center that functions as a viutual R&D laboratory. All facility resources that are made available for Center activities will be shared equally by the strategic partners. Center Headquarters Center Executive Director: Joseph DiGiacomo Center for Advanced Communications 119 Tolentine Hall Villanova University Villanova, PA 19085 Phone: (610) 519-4263 Fax: (610) 519-7375 E-Mail: joseph@ece.vill.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Walter Zacharias Office of Research and Sponsored Projects 101 Tolentine Hall Villanova University Villanova, PA 19085 Phone: (610) 519-4221 Fax: (610) 519-7839 E-Mail: zacharias@ucis.vill.edu NSF 93-97oo (rev. 7/96) Advanced Control of Energy and Power Systems (ACEPS) Colorado School of Mines, Arizona State University, Wichita State University Advanced control, instrumentation, utilization design, and system optimization will significantly impact the reliability and quality of electric power from generation to transmission, distribution, and utilization Center Mission and Rationale A reliable energy source is an essential infrastructure support component for any type of manufacturing system, from petrochemical and materials processing to transportation, biomedical, and food processing. Energy is used to process raw materials into finished products. In order for U.S. manufacturers to be competitive in the international market, all elements of the manufacturing infrastructure need to be improved, including energy and materials processing. Thus, an optimal process of energy generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization directly impacts the economics of every industry, both nationally and internationally. These energy sources are in one way or another in the form of electric energy, with energy flowing from the source to the load by means of "electric power flow." Generation of electric energy is facing new challenges now, due to factors such as increase in demand, stringent requirements on power quality, uncertainty in load variation and growth, fuel prices, introduction of highly sensitive digitally controlled industrial equipment, difficulties brought about by increasing public concern and regulation on environmental issues, independent power producers, the trend towards deregulation and competition, and the aging of existing facilities. Thus, there is a real need for fundamental and integrated analysis of power generation through utilization using advances in the areas of electronics (especially higher-power solid state devices), automatic control, smart sensors and actuators, modeling simulation, computer control, the national information network, and artificial intelligence. Due to the nature and size of the problem, this fundamental study would not be successful unless it is done by an interdisciplinary research team in close collaboration with industry. The mission of the Center is -- To conduct fundamental and applied research supporting the technical advancement of the electric utility industry, their customers, and component suppliers in the field of electric power systems, with special emphasis on advanced/intelligent control, predictive maintenance and diagnostics, and power quality in the generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization stages -- using such research as a means of advancing graduate education. This Center focuses on the problems facing the U.S. utility industry and its users. The Center investigates development of feasible and innovative ideas necessary for these industries to meet the power quality, power generation, and utilization challenges of the next century. Another area of emphasis is intelligent monitoring and diagnostics to reduce failures and maintenance costs. Other Center activities, such as seminars and workshops, will be designated to foster rapid technology transfer; these activities will take place both on the participating university campuses and at the sites of industrial affiliates. One key element of our studies on automatic control and power quality is the integration of all aspects of power systems, from generation to utilization. Thus, the Center's objectives are -- * Development of innovative ideas for intelligent control of power generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization * Development of advanced techniques for enhanced power quality * Integration of technological advances in the areas of artificial intelligence, automatic control, neural networks, fuzzy logic, and microprocessors to develop powerful and analytically based techniques that are feasible and will provide increase power quality, intelligent generation systems, optimal energy transmission, distribution, and utilization strategies * Incorporation of advances in the development of smart sensors and actuators to enhance the operation of power and energy systems and provide predictive maintenance * Integration of a national information network for optimal power transmission, hazard mitigation, and improved energy/power economy * Applications of modeling and simulation techniques to study nonlinear, time-varying events, including introduction of energy storage devices, and formulation of intelligent monitoring and diagnostic methodologies * Serving the industrial members through delivery of tangible research results, continuing education, conferences, and short courses. Special Center Activities * ACEPS offers a variety of power engineering, research, and educational services to its members. Engineering work includes studies of specialized electric loads (e.g., electric vehicle battery chargers, electronic-ballast compact fluorescent lamps, "energy efficient" load testing of components for power distribution circuits; development of software tools; testing of advanced control methods for the power industry; and consultation for power control and power quality applications. Special thrusts of the Center are electric power quality, automatic generation control, load modeling, and intelligent diagnostics. Research reports are circulated to the members, and ACEPS members are often participants in the preparation of technical papers. Educational activities of the Center include-- * Short courses on power quality, power testing, advanced control topics (e.g., fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks) * Specially scheduled technical seminars on topics of generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electric power (e.g., a seminar series on advanced generation control; a seminar on the application of wavelets for power quality analysis) * Workshops on IEEE Standards * Videotaped presentations on technical topics * Student assistants to work in the power industry. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Rahmat A. Shoureshi Center for the Advanced Control of Energy and Power Systems Brown Building 330 Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO 80401-1887 Phone: (303) 273-3650 Fax: (303) 273-3602 E-mail: rshoureshi@mines.colorado.edu Center Co-director: Dr. Gerald T. Heydt Center for the Advanced Control of Energy and Power Systems Arizona State University P.O. Box 875706 Tempe, AZ 85287-5706 Phone: (602) 965-8307 Fax: (602) 965-3837 E-mail: heydt@asuvax.eas.asu.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Otto Doering School of Agricultural Economics Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907 Phone: (317) 494-4226 Fax: (317) 494-9176 E-mail: doering@agecon.purdue.edu NSF 93-97pp (rev. 7/96) Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center (ACRC) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Environmental concerns are driving the development of new coolant technologies Center Mission and Rationale The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center (ACRC) has two major goals: first, to contribute technology toward the development of energy-efficient equipment that uses ozone-safe refrigerants; and, second, to provide a forum for manufacturers to coordinate research and share results at the precompetitive stage. The Center was founded in 1988 with a grant from the estate of Richard W. Kritzer, the founder of Peerless of America, Inc.; a grant from the Illinois Governor's Science Advisory Council helped build the laboratory facilities. ACRC currently receives support from 18 industrial sponsors, the Richard W. Kritzer Endowment, and the National Science Foundation. Research Program More than a dozen faculty members are involved in ACRC's research program. The systems under study include domestic refrigerators and mobile and stationary air conditioning systems. Related topics include: * Properties. Viscosities, vapor pressures, and densities of refrigerant-lubricant mixtures and refrigerant blends. * Processes. Local heat transfer and pressure drop, frosting, controls, tribology, and oil circulation. * Components. Evaporators, condensers, capillary tubes, orifice tubes, suction-line heat exchangers, insulation, and flexible refrigerant tubing. The ACRC research program involves about 40 graduate students and more than 20 undergraduates. Students are attracted by the opportunity to participate in industrially relevant research. Many of the Center's students, upon graduation, are hired by ACRC's industrial sponsors. Special Center Activities The Center communicates detailed research results to its industrial sponsors in the ACRC Technical Reports series. A typical research project yields one to three ACRC technical reports per year, plus occasional technical memoranda and other reports to sponsors. The ACRC's modern equipment and facilities include-- * Thermophysical property test chamber. Accurately controls temperature from 100 degrees F to 400 degrees F and pressure up to 35 atmospheres to obtain thermodynamic and transport property data for refrigerant blends and lubricant mixtures. * Condensation and evaporation loops. Measures local heat transfer and pressure drop coefficients in test sections of 1m, 3m, and 6m length. Refrigerant-lubricant mixtures and refrigerant blends are tested with smooth-and enhanced-surface tubes and microchannel extrusions. * Falling-film wind tunnel. Provides a realistic environment with vapor flow over falling-film evaporator or condenser tubes to determine falling-film mode transitions and local and averaged heat transfer behavior. * Evaporator and condenser wind tunnels. Support heat-transfer and pressure-drop studies over the range of air velocities and temperatures encountered in refrigerators and stationary or mobile air-conditioning applications. * Air-side wind tunnel. Provides a carefully controlled air flow for analysis of air-side enhancements. Naphthalene sublimation techniques are used to investigate effects on local heat transfer and surface efficiency. * Orifice and capillary tube facilities. Specialized test loops support investigations of suction-line heat exchangers and expansion device performance. * Environmental chambers. Capable of subjecting air conditioners and refrigerators to temperature and humidity conditions far outside the range of standard rating conditions. * Mobile and stationary air conditioning test facilities. Dedicated breadboard systems support studies of transient performance and system control strategies. Some of the Center's accomplishments include -- * Developing a device for online measurement of oil concentration in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. A digital counter-timer together with an ultrasonic transducer determines oil concentration (within ± 0.25%) from the acoustic velocity in the refrigerant-lubricant mixture. * Making the first measurements of liquid refrigerant carryover at the exit of an evaporator, using a laser-doppler particle analyzer to measure droplet velocity and size distributions, and establishing their relationship to slug flow in the evaporator. * Designing and building a pressurized tribotester that provides a realistic test environment for evaluating friction and wear characteristics of compressor contact geometries, material pairs, and refrigerant-lubricant combinations. Found that tests run in a pressurized environment yield results significantly different from those obtained under the nonpressurized conditions used by industry for screening studies in the past. * Obtaining detailed understanding of refrigerator cabinet heat transfer: investigating conductive, convective, and radiative phenomena in the door seal area; and determining sensible and latent loading during door-opening transients. Center Headquarters Center Director: Clark W. Bullard Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 1206 West Green Street Urbana, IL 61801 Phone: (217) 333-3115 Fax: (217) 333-1942 E-mail: bullard@uiuc.edu Center Evaluator: Peter A. DeLisle W. H. Severns Professor of Human Behavior University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 1206 W. Green Street Urbana, IL 61801 Phone: (217) 333-7241 Fax: (217) 244-6534 E-mail: 1-del@uiuc.edu NSF 93-97qq (rev. 7/96) Emission Reduction Research Center (ERRC) New Jersey Institute of Technology A university-based research program for source reduction of waste Center Mission and Rationale The Emission Reduction Research Center (ERRC) is a consortium of four academic institutions headquartered at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The participating institutions are Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), NJIT, the Ohio State University (OSU), and the Pennsylvania State University (PSU). The Center also receives support from the Advanced Technology Center program of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. The Center's mission is to promote pollution prevention through source reduction of waste in all phases of manufacturing by -- * Research to develop "clean " manufacturing technologies * Development of advanced information tools for designing minimum waste generation manufacturing systems * Development of educational tools for assimilating source reduction methodologies into the workplace * Encouragement of government/industry collaboration through joint projects and consensus decision-making in regulatory development. The Center's strategy for implementing its mission has been to work with specific industry sectors that share a common technology base, so that the Center can provide full coverage of all technology opportunities in a multimedia waste reduction approach. To date, ERRC's primary focus has been on batch manufacturing technologies typically used in the pharmaceutical/chemical specialties industry. Through its industry-university collaborative research since 1992, the Center has contributed advanced technologies which can be applied in site specific industrial situations to minimize waste generation at the source and thereby reduce reliance on end-of-pipe treatment, as well as develop computer aided systems, based on applications of artificial intelligence techniques, to identify source reduction opportunities, evaluate process alternatives for achievable source reduction within regulatory and cost constraints, and to integrate such assessments into a product life cycle analysis. Research Program Center research focuses on five specific research areas -- * Solvent replacement, with the objective of replacing hazardous solvents with environmentally benign solvents * Novel reactor technology, with the objective of maximizing batch reactor product output for a given amount of solvent input * Novel separation technology to reduce waste generation in product separation and purification steps * Aqueous cleaning methods to eliminate or reduce reliance on organic solvents for equipment cleaning * Computer-aided information systems specifically, to develop (1) CAD systems for optimizing process selection and development with cost-effective minimum waste generation, (2) dynamic simulation tools for unsteady state batch processes, and (3) data bases for optimum solvent selection. Special Center Activities In addition to its general research program, the Center participates in programs with other universities to develop educational tools for teaching the use of pollution prevention methodologies, conducts interactive programs of company-specific research with member companies to aid technology transfer of pollution prevention technologies generated in the generic research program, and provides assistance to both member and non-member companies for implementation of pollution prevention approaches, as well as the development of industrial education programs to integrate pollution prevention methodology and awareness into the workplace. Center-developed technologies are currently under evaluation at several member organizations, including Pfizer Inc., G. D. Searle Co., Production Base Modernization Activity (PBMA) at the Picatinny Arsenal, Sandoz Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Hoffmann-La Roche. Currently the Center is working under a grant from the Naval Research Office to expand its CAD system for application to ordnance manufacture, for integration into an Ordnance Life Cycle system under development by the Armed Services. ERRC maintains a working relationship with the New Jersey Technical Assistance Program for Industrial Pollution Prevention that provides opportunities to identify and address pollution prevention and technical needs of small- and medium-sized companies. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Daniel J. Watts, Ph.D. Center for Environmental Engineering and Science New Jersey Institute of Technology University Heights Newark, NJ 07102-1982 Phone: (201) 596-5850 Fax: (201) 642-7170 E-mail: watts@admin1.njit.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. S. George Walters 789 Sergeantsville Road Stockton, NJ 08559 Phone: (609) 397-0990 Fax: (609) 397-0990 NSF 93-97rr (rev. 7/96) Hazardous Substance Management Research Center (HSMRC) New Jersey Institute of Technology The nation's largest university-based hazardous waste management research program is in place at the Hazardous Substance Management Research Center Center Mission and Rationale The Hazardous Substance Management Research Center (HSMRC) is a consortium of six academic institutions headquartered at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The participating institutions are NJIT, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Tufts University, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The Center is a member of the Advanced Technology Center program of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. Through its industry-university collaborative research, the Center has contributed since 1984 to advanced engineering management of hazardous substances, developing new management technologies and testing and evaluating existing technologies to assess their operating ranges and performance capabilities. The researchers at HSMRC also are building a database to identify effective, environmentally safe, and economically viable hazardous waste treatment and remediation technologies. This database and the technologies developed through the Center's research are expected to -- * Assist industry to minimize, treat, and manage hazardous waste * Furnish the technology to identify and remediate hazardous substance spills and burial sites * Facilitate technology transfer between industry, Government, academia, and the public Research Program The Center operates through seven divisions: * Biological and Chemical Treatment Division -- Aims to produce effective and efficient biological and chemical treatment technologies * Health Effects Assessment Division -- Conducts research on the effects of hazardous substances in the environment on human health, with an emphasis on multi-chemical mixtures * Incineration Division -- Seeks to broaden the use of thermal destruction processes * Monitoring and Assessment Division -- Conducts research and development on innovative field assessment and monitoring technologies; designs and develops programs that will enhance the technology transfer rate * Physical Treatment Division -- Develops information on physical treatment processes to irreversibly transform hazardous substances into nonhazardous forms, or to isolate hazardous materials for later treatment * Public Policy and Education Division -- Performs research on how hazardous substance public policy is formed and implemented and on how public education regarding hazardous substance issues can be improved * Site Assessment and Remedial Action Division -- Assesses the public health and environmental hazards of existing and proposed hazardous and solid-waste disposal sites and develops cost-effective technologies to remediate contaminated sites. Special Center Activities The Center participates in domestic and international research programs and a range of educational programs. HSMRC collaborates with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Northeast Hazardous Substance Research Center (NHSRC) headquartered at NJIT, the Emission Reduction Research Center at NJIT, and the EPA Center for Airborne Organics (headquartered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). These centers share a common pool of researchers and work in close cooperation on a variety of hazardous waste and environmental issues. Center-developed technologies are currently under evaluation in the EPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Demonstration Program, at various Department of Energy (DoE) and Department of Defense (DoD) installations, at industrial sponsor sites, and in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. In collaboration with the EPA NHSRC, Center researchers are conducting collaborative research with faculty at minority academic institutions, providing research and retraining for DoD military and civilian personnel who have been displaced because of base closings and realignments, and providing technical expertise to communities affected by hazardous waste sites. HSMRC also performs collaborative research with industry/university research centers in Ireland and France and is working with colleagues at the University of Indonesia, Khon Kaen University in Thailand, and the University of the Philippines to develop similar industry/university cooperative research centers in the environmental areas in those two countries and to develop student and faculty exchange programs. The Center participates in several educational programs in engineering and science, including Young Scholars; Teacher Enhancement Projects; Research at Undergraduate Institutions; and the Women, Minority, and Disabled High School and Undergraduate Engineering Research Assistants program. Center Headquarters Center Director: Professor Richard S. Magee, Sc.D., P.E., DEE Center for Environmental Engineering and Science New Jersey Institute of Technology University Heights Newark, NJ 07102-1982 Phone: (201) 596-3006 Fax: (201) 802-1946 E-mail: magee@admin.njit.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. S. George Walters 789 Sergeantsville Road Stockton, NJ 08559 Phone: (609) 397-0990 Fax: (609) 397-0990 NSF 93-97ss (rev. 7/96) Queen's University Environmental Science and Technology Research Centre (QUESTOR) The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland Researchers supported by industry partners are looking at the basic science underlying improved methods of effluent treatment, clean technology, life cycle assessment, modelling, and environmental communications. Centre Mission and Rationale The QUESTOR Centre is an industry/university co-operative research centre carrying out fundamental and strategic, integrated, multidisciplinary scientific research in selected critical aspects of environmental science and technology. The research programmes seek to provide understanding aimed at finding cost-effective solutions to environmental problems allied to encouraging industrial endeavour and minimising environmental impact. Results of the Centre's research should: * Help to set the agenda for research into the basic science underlying effluent treatment and clean technology processes, thereby leading to more environmentally friendly production * Improve technology transfer between the University and the industrial members * Identify and train promising post-graduates and post-doctoral scientists and engineers for employment in industry. Research Programme The Centre's research is interdisciplinary. Research projects are carried out in the Departments of Agricultural Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Microbiology, and Psychology. Research carried out by the post-graduate students and post-doctoral staff is supervised by academic staff in the various departments. The main focus of the research programme is on techniques for effluent clean-up and clean technology. Research on the application of parallel processing to air and water modelling is also being undertaken, as are studies on the defects in environmental communications between experts and the public and the applications of life cycle assessment. A wide range of projects are being funded in the Centre's six research areas -- * Adsorption. Studies are under way on the effectiveness of the natural materials peat and lignite and their derived activated carbons for the removal of heavy metals and organics such as dyes and pesticides. Removal of odours using microbes supported on peat and lignite is also being studied. Initial results on the effectiveness of these low-cost materials are promising. * Clean Technology. Research is under way or planned for clean organic, inorganic, and microbial synthesis to reduce pollution arising from waste products. * Communications. Methods are being sought to detect and repair the breakdown in communications between the expert and the layman on environmental matters. * Flocculation. Research here concentrates on understanding the mechanism of formation of flocs using aluminum, iron, and mixed iron/aluminum reagents. Electron microscope and atomic force microscope studies have revealed important details of the formation of the floc, which should lead to more stable flocs. Work is being carried out on a pilot plant flowing-flocculation system. * Microbial Degradation. Research into the biochemistry, genetics, and physiology of anaerobic microorganisms such as Rhodococcus is under way. Degradation of chlorinated alkanes, polycyclic aromatics, and compounds with the carbon-phosphorus bond is being studied by two groups. * Parallel Processing. Applications of parallel processors to existing air and three-dimensional water models have shown speed improvements of up to a factor of ten. Current work aims to give a similar improvement for modelling of contaminants in the vadose zone and also modelling of odours. Special Features The QUESTOR Centre was the first environmental centre outside the United States to use the National Science Foundation (NSF) model for industry/university co-operative environmental research. As a non-U.S. centre, QUESTOR is unique in having an NSF Centre evaluator. The Centre funds a mix of post-graduates working towards PhDs and post-docs carrying out research. This mix is very valuable to the students, who learn from the post-docs. In addition, it is found that a PhD carried out in collaboration with industry, with well-defined goals to be met, is a highly valuable training mode and better prepares the student to enter industry. International links are very important. Joint research is being carried out with the Hazardous Substance Management Research Center (HSMRC) in New Jersey and the Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms at Pushchino, Russia. Links are also in place with RECORD in France and formative centres in Canada and Germany. The existence of the Centre has greatly increased the interactions between the University and industry. It has also brought into the University state-of-the-art equipment which would not otherwise be available. This means that students can be exposed to modern equipment before leaving the University. The Centre has the only tandem mass spectrometer in Ireland and the only ICP-mass spectrometer in Northern Ireland. Other equipment includes a high-resolution mass spectrometer, a porosimeter, a capillary zone electrophoresis instrument, a thermal analyser, an ion chromatograph, an HPLC, a GC-FTIR, and computer-controlled fermentation vessels. Pump-priming funding for the QUESTOR Centre came from the International Fund for Ireland, administered along the lines of an NSF Centre grant by the Northern Ireland Industrial Research and Technology Unit. Additional funding came from the European Community STRIDE programme for developing the infrastructure for R&D in Northern Ireland. Most recently the Centre received £2.74 from the European Union-funded TDP programme, the successor to the STRIDE programme. This funding will build the clean technology side of the research programme and also install a major demonstration facility which will be used to show current remediation and clean technologies to members and also industry in general throughout Ireland. In addition, the International Fund for Ireland has made a further grant of £1.06 to the Centre to develop an outreach programme to facilitate environmental technology transfer to industry throughout Ireland, paying particular attention to small and medium- sized enterprises. Industry contributions to the Centre come from its members, which range from manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, instruments, textiles, and beverages through suppliers of electricity and water. The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland is also a member. The Centre was a winner in the prestigious UK-wide competition, "The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education" for 1996. A highly successful conference entitled "Hazardous Waste Management - The Incineration Option" was held in September 1992, at which industry and government regulators and planners achieved a much greater appreciation of the other's point of view. Regular workshops between the QUESTOR academics and industry members are held to discuss the research strategy of the Centre. Each summer a number of second-year undergraduates are employed to work in the Centre, where they gain experience in employment and a better understanding of the requirements of industry. A programme to involve primary school teachers is currently being planned to counteract the worrying trend of many students to turn away from science and engineering. Center Headquarters Centre Director: Prof. Jim Swindall The QUESTOR Centre, The Queen's University of Belfast, David Keir Building Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG Northern Ireland Phone: +44 (1232) 335577/8 Fax: +44 (1232) 661462 E-mail: j.swindall@qub.ac.uk Centre Evaluator: Dr S. George Walters 789 Sergeantsville Road Stockton, NJ 08559 Phone: (609) 397-0990 Fax: (609) 397-0990 NSF 93-97tt (rev. 7/96) Ocean Technology Center (OTC) University of Rhode Island Technology for understanding and utilizing the ocean and the 70 percent of Earth's surface that lies beneath it Center Mission and Rationale Rhode Island -- "the Ocean State" -- has a long tradition of fostering marine industry, and the University of Rhode Island (URI) has a long tradition of education and research programs in oceanography, ocean engineering, and related marine disciplines. Many commercial firms and government agencies that work in ocean science and technology are clustered in southeastern New England. The Ocean Technology Center (OTC) brings together these regional resources and those of organizations in other parts of the country to perform research that will advance our ability to understand the ocean and to benefit from it. In particular, our goal is to assist our members in developing tools and systems that solve real-world problems in the ocean. Research Program Ocean Technology is an extremely broad field, encompassing everything from oil rigs to fishing gear to electronic charts. At present the OTC's research program focuses on two sectors of ocean technology, marine environmental monitoring systems and underwater mapping systems. Beginning in 1997, the research program will expand into a third sector, which we call marine foods technology -- aquaculture and seafood processing. The Center funds faculty, graduate students, and staff from departments throughout the University to work on projects related to these areas. * Coastal Zone Data Collection -- Two projects address problems having to do with data collection in the coastal zone. The first is a small, affordable underwater winch that sits on the sea floor and deploys a sensor package through the water column, either on demand or according to a predetermined schedule. After the sensor package reaches the sea surface, it is reeled back down to the winch, where it is stowed out of harm's way until the next scheduled sampling cycle. Data can be relayed via satellite, while the sensors are on the surface, or stored for later retrieval. The second project deals with the problem of efficiently storing, displaying, and retrieving large amounts of data from a distributed network of sensors in the marine environment. COASTMAP is a PC-based software system for doing that, as well as for using the data in embedded numerical models to predict future ocean conditions or the location of pollutants in the ocean. The underwater winch and COASTMAP are especially useful in the coastal environment, where high gradients and human activity make environmental sampling programs both necessary and complex. * Ocean Floor Measurements -- Two URI scientists are conducting theoretical and experimental research into the generation and propagation of "acoustic bullets," small packets of acoustic energy that are capable of much better resolution and range than conventional pulse-echo sonar systems. In principal, systems using acoustic bullet techniques could provide improved underwater search capabilities and might have applications in other areas, such as medical diagnostics. Another OTC-sponsored project having to do with the ocean floor is an experimental program to improve techniques for remote classification of sea floor sediments. Several test ranges have been established in Narragansett Bay. The ranges have been densely sampled, and their bottom characteristics are known in detail. A variety of sonars and other systems will be run over the ranges in a systematic study of methods for determining ocean sediment types without physical sampling. * Ocean Surveying -- Surveys of the ocean bottom or water column are time- consuming and expensive. Improving the efficiency of these operations is a high priority for both researchers and survey ship operators. The OTC has started a project aimed at achieving higher efficiency from survey ships by using a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based system to track, display, and modify a survey in near real time. This system will have the capability to display several layers of data (e.g., bathymetry, magnetics, and sub-bottom profiles) and will enable a user to correlate this information while at sea. Special Center Activities Although the OTC is relatively young, some of its research projects have already begun to bear fruit. The underwater winch, for example, is being produced in small numbers for use in coastal zone measurement programs. COASTMAP and an associated sensor network are going to be implemented by the City of Warwick to monitor pollution in nearby Greenwich Bay. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Jeffrey Callahan Graduate School of Oceanography University of Rhode Island Narragansett, RI 02882 Phone: (401) 874-6210 Fax: (401) 874-6578 E-mail: callahan@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu Center Evaluator: Prof. Russell Koza Management Science Department University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI 02881 Phone: (401) 874-2089 Fax: (401) 874-4312 NSF 93-97uu (rev. 7/96) Center for Innovation Management Studies (CIMS) Lehigh University Effective management of innovation is important if we are to reap the full benefits of advances in science and technology Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Innovation Management Studies (CIMS) is devoted to the study of the management of technological innovation -- its focus is on management disciplines rather than science or engineering disciplines. CIMS is the hub of a network of industrial sponsors and academic research associates across the country who are interested in developing a better understanding of the relationships between technological innovation, management decisionmaking, and industrial growth and productivity. CIMS-sponsored research is currently being carried out at more than 12 universities. CIMS' mission is to produce and disseminate knowledge about the management of technological innovation in a form that will create or support productive changes in industry practices and to generate, publish, and disseminate research results that are highly regarded within the academic research community. The Center's goals are to -- * Improve understanding of the relationships between technological innovation, management decisionmaking, and industrial productivity and competition * Create a knowledge base of innovation performance and management practices to support the education and training of technology managers * Bring new investigators into the field, and take the lead in setting the research agenda for the study of innovation-management policies and practices. Research Program Innovation management is the set of managerial activities that stimulate the generation of productive ideas, that provide the resources and incentives to transform these ideas into inventions, and that facilitate the commercialization of these inventions in ways that serve the economic and competitive interests of businesses and society. Innovation management is the management of technological change and is distinct from the management of stable organizations and processes. CIMS research encompasses the following areas -- * Linking technology and business strategy * Internal management of research and development * Technology transfer and commercialization * Measuring R&D and innovation performance. Special Center Activities CIMS is regarded as one of the premier sources in the United States of data and information related to industrial R&D and innovation. The Center is one of the very few sources of funding for research in the R&D, innovation, and technology management areas. For example, CIMS has supported eight research projects focused on reducing the time length of the product development cycle. The preface of a 1993 book, Winning in High Tech Markets, published by the Harvard Business School Press, credits CIMS and the Sloan Foundation for helping to fuel the study on which the book was based. CIMS has developed a comprehensive database on the nation's major industrial firms that perform R&D. In association with the Industrial Research Institute (IRI), CIMS designed and conducted a survey of the IRI membership in 1982 and 1988. The survey data were then used to construct a database, which was greatly expanded in 1993. CIMS has become a major research arm of the IRI and its Research-on-Research Committee. The Center maintains awareness of state-of-the-art research on critical issues concerning research and innovation management. CIMS sponsored a study of the changing ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of the professional technical workforce and its implications for supervisory practices and career development. The study, being conducted by Rutgers University, has been mentioned in the Wall Street Journal as well as the technical press. A CIMS-sponsored study by Villanova University on decision-support systems for technological innovation led to the design and implementation of an information system that tracks process development projects in real time and permits users to compare the firm's needs at the strategic, product line, and technical levels with actual accomplishments at each of these levels over time. The system is being used by a CIMS sponsor to manage capital expenditures for newly developed production systems and equipment. Software developments that can be used for technology benchmarking are another benefit available to the Center's sponsors. One study sponsored by CIMS paved the way for the development of a patent-analysis algorithm that can be used to assess the relative technical strength of firms holding patents in particular fields of technology. This project, developed by Mogee Associates of Great Falls, VA, is moving toward commercialization under SBIR grants from the NSF, with support from industry. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Alden S. Bean Kenan Professor of Management and Technology Lehigh University Rauch Business Center #37 Bethlehem, PA 18015 Phone: (610) 758-3427 Fax: (610) 758-3655 E-mail: asb2@lehigh.edu Center Evaluator: Jean Russo Center for Social Research Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA 18015 Phone: (610) 758-5082 Fax: (610) 974-6439 E-mail: mjr6@lehigh.edu NSF 93-97vv (rev. 7/96) Center for Virtual Proving Ground Simulation: Mechanical and Electromechanical Systems The University of Iowa and the University of Texas at Austin Virtual prototyping reduces mechanical system development time and improves product quality Center Mission and Rationale Powerful, stand-alone computer-aided engineering (CAE) and analysis tools are broadly used in industry by specialists from various disciplines. New methods are being developed by the Center for Virtual Proving Ground Simulation: Mechanical and Electromechanical Systems to enable these tools to function in an integrated, concurrent engineering environment to support large-scale mechanical system development. The Center advances basic technologies in mechanical system dynamic simulation, durability and reliability analysis, maintainability analysis, structural design optimization, and real-time operator-in-the-loop simulation methods and software, and it creates an integrated multidisciplinary virtual prototyping software environment. Research Program The Center's basic technical objectives are to develop-- * Dynamic simulation methods for broad classes of mechanical and electromechanical systems. The Center has developed high-speed recursive dynamics formulations that can achieve real-time simulation on parallel processor computer systems. * Virtual prototyping capabilities to support the design of human-operated equipment. The Center utilizes real-time, operator-in-the-loop simulation to place the operator directly in control of a high-fidelity, dynamic simulation of the system under design with realistic cueing feedback. This revolutionary new capability allows designers to tune the design of equipment to the capabilities of the operator. * Structural design sensitivity analysis (DSA) and optimization methods. The Center has developed linear and nonlinear structural design sensitivity analysis and optimization methods using finite element analysis results from ANSYS, MSC/NASTRAN, and ABAQUS. This capability enables optimization with respect to material properties, sizing, shape, and configuration design parameters that are defined using CAD and geometric modelers such as Pro/ENGINEER and PATRAN. * Durability and reliability analysis methods for mechanical components. The Center has developed capabilities to predict component failure, based on fatigue crack initiation and propagation due to general nonproportional loading histories obtained from dynamic simulation. A component-level reliability analysis capability has been developed, based on simulation and prediction of multiple failure modes that result from general loading histories. * Maintainability analysis. The Center has developed maintainability analysis methods and software to support the rapid assessment of maintainability, using computer models of maintenance personnel for mechanical systems and support equipment. The software helps the user identify design features that cause maintainability problems and propose design modifications to eliminate problems encountered during maintainability analysis. * Methods to integrate engineering software tools in a broad range of mechanical system analysis, design, and manufacturing disciplines. The Center has developed an integrated concurrent engineering environment that allows engineers from various disciplines to collaborate effectively. This environment supports design data sharing, design process management, distributed computation, and design trade-off analysis. The Center believes that performing pilot research projects with its sponsors is the most effective means of focusing on key problems that must be solved to create a virtual prototyping capability that meets industry needs. Since its inception, the Center has carried out pilot projects related to military and commercial vehicles and construction equipment. These pilot projects have been augmented by major research projects sponsored by the Department of Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO), and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The goal of one special joint project with ARPA is to develop a virtual prototyping-based concurrent engineering environment for ground vehicles. The US Army Tank-Automotive Command (TACOM) and several military vehicle industrial firms are participating in this project. The project focuses on virtual prototyping for system acquisition and is demonstrating the feasibility of supporting vehicle system acquisition using soldier-in-the-loop simulation. Operator-in-the-loop simulation of wheeled and tracked vehicles with an engineering level of realism has been created, and databases suitable for off-road military vehicle simulation with the soldier-in-the-loop have been developed and demonstrated. The Center has carried out special joint projects with a number of industries. One project with Ford Motor Company, for example, involved the development of DSA capabilities for dynamic frequency response for noise, vibration, harshness (NVH) suppression that are now in use by Ford engineers. Special Center Activities The Center has developed dynamic simulation and structural optimization software that is used by a number of Center members and is also being commercialized. Real-time dynamic simulation capabilities developed by the Center have established the feasibility of virtual prototyping-based design of complex mechanical systems and enabled development of the nation's most advanced ground vehicle driving simulator, the Iowa Driving Simulator (IDS), which is available for Center member use. The real-time simulation technology was also the foundation for a Department of Transportation (DOT) project that is creating the world's most advanced ground vehicle driving simulator, called the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS). This world-class facility will be acquired by the DOT, located at The University of Iowa, and operated in cooperation with the Center. The Center has collaborated with many other I/UCRCs and universities. Center Headquarters Center Director: Edward J. Haug Mobile-EB The University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone: (319) 335-5726 Fax: (319) 335-6061 E-mail: haug@ccad.uiowa.edu Center Co-Director: William F. Weldon Center for Electromechanics 10100 Burnet Road Bldg. 133 Austin, TX 78758-4497 Phone: (512) 232-1626 Fax: (512) 471-0781 E-mail: b.weldon@mail.utexas.edu Center Evaluator: Arthur H. Miller Department of Political Science 314 SH The University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone: (319) 335-2347 Fax: (319) 353-2239 E-mail: arthur-miller@uiowa.edu NSF 93-97ww (rev. 7/96) Center for Health Management Research (CHMR) Arizona State University and the Network for Health Care Management Understanding and solving problems in the management of health care delivery organizations is a growing national concern Center Mission and Rationale Health care has become one of the foremost domestic issues in the United States; health care costs represent about 14 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Government, industry, and the public share growing concerns about a range of health care matters. Governments at all levels recognize that, despite a variety of regulatory as well as competitive initiatives, health care costs continue to escalate. Business and industry view the increased costs of health care and health-care benefits as impediments to their ability to compete in international markets. At the same time, 37 million Americans are uninsured or underinsured. Health-care-delivery organizations and university researchers have independently sought to address these problems. The Center for Health Management Research brings together academic faculty and health-industry leaders to address these critical issues. The Center believes that its research, which combines the resources of 15 universities, will provide important insights into health-care cost, quality, and access. Research Program The Center's research goals are to -- * Develop a research agenda together with its corporate sponsors * Perform research, development, and evaluation projects on behalf of its sponsors and disseminate research results * Identify and disseminate relevant research findings and successful innovations and management practices from other industries, countries, and health care organizations. Research at the Center is organized around the major theme of integrated health care systems. Specific themes include new ways of managing quality, managed care, patient care restructuring, physician-organization integration, information systems, and community health. Six research projects have been undertaken at the Center. * Evaluating New Ways of Managing Quality was undertaken by faculty from Northwestern University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Colorado at Denver. This project provides shared knowledge about different ways of implementing quality improvements and offers guidelines and suggestions to improve current practices. * Managed Health Care: Inside the Black Box was undertaken by faculty at the University of Washington. This project provides indicators of the nature and degree of managed care within participating organizations and measures the relationships among alternative structures of managed care, physician-hospital integration, and costs and outcomes of care. * Restructuring Patient Care Delivery was conducted by faculty at Arizona State University and Ohio State University. The project reviews alternative approaches for patient care restructuring and examines their respective expectations. * Evaluating Physician-Organization Arrangements is an ongoing project being conducted by faculty at the University of Michigan, the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Pennsylvania, and Arizona State University. The project is exploring alternative approaches to such arrangements and will enhance understanding of conditions for and characteristics of successful integration. * Clinical Practice Patterns and Health Care Information Systems is being undertaken by faculty at the University of Missouri and the University of North Carolina. The project seeks to identify how information technology can enhance practice patterns across the continuum of care. * Prenatal Services for Teens is being conducted by faculty at the University of Colorado at Denver. The project is exploring how member organizations can develop and enhance prenatal services for teens and improve community health. The Center has also commissioned papers on: --Physician leadership --Incorporating health promotion and disease prevention into integrated delivery systems --Advances in clinical integration --Implication of physician "right-sizing" --Dissemination and utilization of innovation --Economies and financial implications of re-engineering, work redesign, and cost reduction --Organizational implications of re-engineering, work redesign, and cost reduction. The Center's academic participants include faculty from graduate programs in health services management and policy at the following universities: Arizona State University, University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Colorado at Denver, University of Southern California, University of Washington, San Diego State University, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, University of Michigan, University of Missouri, University of North Carolina, The University of Pennsylvania, University of Toronto, and Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia. Ten health-care-delivery organizations across the nation are corporate members of the Center for Health Management Research. Special Center Activities The Center disseminates information about its research by holding an annual Dissemination Conference that brings together multiple members of each of the corporate sponsors and research organizations. The Working Paper Series is another means by which the Center disseminates information. The Working Paper Series is a series of papers resulting from the Center's ongoing and recently completed projects. The papers are distributed to the corporate and affiliate sponsors, research organizations, and faculty members for their review and comments. After the members review and comment on the papers, they may be submitted to professional journals. Many of these papers have been published in health-related journals. The CHMR record is sent out quarterly to update readers about Center activities and ongoing research. Research results and findings also are incorporated into teaching programs on the member university campuses, thus benefitting the students in their respective programs. Center Headquarters Center Director: Prof. Howard S. Zuckerman School of Health Administration and Policy College of Business Arizona State University Tempe, AZ 85287-4506 Phone: (602) 965-2363 Fax: (602) 965-9606 E-mail: ichsz@asuvm.inre.asu.edu Center Co-Director: Catherine A. Robinson Executive Director The Network for Healthcare Management 2168 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 300 Berkeley, CA 94704 Phone: (510) 642-0790 Fax: (510) 642-3890 Center Evaluator: David A. Tansik, Ph. D. College of Business and Public Administration University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: (602) 621-1710 Fax: (602) 621-4171 NSF 93-97xx (rev. 7/96) Center in Ergonomics Texas Engineering Experiment Station -- The Texas A&M University System Helping industry improve its competitiveness by improving worker performance and reducing injuries and illnesses related to cumulative trauma disorders in the workplace Mission and Goals The mission of the Center in Ergonomics focuses on cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). CTDs, also known as repetitive trauma disorders, are the most frequent and costly illnesses in the industrial workplace. Goals of the Center are three-fold: to determine the root causes of cumulative trauma disorders; to identify effective interventions to combat these illnesses; and to identify emerging technologies and issues related to CTDs. The Center seeks: * To contribute to the technology and information base necessary to evaluate and redesign existing workplace environments and work methods that affect CTDs, while providing leadership for the effective design of future work systems * To provide an opportunity for industry to develop, select, and evaluate CTD research topics in response to both safety and health issues and ergonomics guidelines and standards that are being developed and proposed. Every industrial sector can benefit from CTD research, since cumulative trauma disorders seriously affect competitiveness by decreasing productivity and increasing costs. Significant concerns exist in general manufacturing, office environments, heavy industry, transportation and logistics, data processing, and the semiconductor, food, defense, and aerospace industries. Research Program The purpose of ergonomics -- fitting the work to the person -- is to improve worker performance and safety. Ergonomics researchers study general principles that govern the interaction of humans with machines, materials, and working environments. Cumulative trauma disorders are one specialty in the field of ergonomics. Carpal tunnel syndrome, a progressive and disabling disease of the hand-wrist, is the best known CTD. The most frequent and costly CTD illness, however, is low back pain, a debilitating musculoskeletal disorder. The Center's 10-year focus is to predict injuries and illnesses by analyzing CTD risk factors. CTD risk factors can be grouped into four categories: occupational, nonoccupational, personal, and psychosocial. The abrupt increases in injury/illness rates, health care costs, workers' compensation costs, and regulatory activity have dictated the Center's near-term research agenda and its key CTD research areas, which include-- * National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting guidelines energy expenditure validation * Job rotation schedules * Biomechanical modeling to determine cart design * Worker physiology studies such as work hardening and thermal stress * Standing fatigue affected by footwear and anti-fatigue devices * Evaluation of alternate keyboards and input devices, such as split keyboards, trackballs, touch pads, etc. The Center's Industrial Advisory Board meets twice annually to evaluate ongoing research and set research priorities. Center funding also is complemented by support from a NIOSH ergonomics training grant. Facilities In addition to interdisciplinary resources available on the campus of Texas A&M University, the Center's facilities include 20,000 square feet of laboratory space. The Center is fully equipped to support research on work environment simulations, work physiology, manual materials handling, continuous lifting studies, workplace design and evaluation, psychomotor and perceptual investigations, adjustment and reconfiguration for optimal ergonomic design of computer workstations, and kinetic and kinematic data acquisition. Center Headquarters NSF I/UCRC in Ergonomics Phone: (409) 862-1345 Fax: (409) 845-6443 Center Director: Jerome J. Congleton, PhD, PE, CPE NSF I/UCR Center in Ergonomics Safety Engineering Program Nuclear Engineering Division Texas Engineering Experiment Station The Texas A&M University System College Station, Texas 77843-3133 Phone: (409) 845-5574 Fax: (409) 845-6443 E-mail: ergo@acs.tamu.edu Associate Director: Alfred A. Amendale, PhD, PE, CPE Safety Engineering Program Nuclear Engineering Division Texas Engineering Experiment Station The Texas A&M University System College Station, Texas 77843-3133 Phone: (409) 845-4107 Fax: (409) 845-6443 E-mail: amen@acs.tamu.edu Associate Director: Carter J. Kerk, PhD, PE, CSP Safety Engineering Program Nuclear Engineering Division Texas Engineering Experiment Station The Texas A&M University System College Station, Texas 77843-3133 Phone: (409) 862-4149 Fax: (409) 845-6443 E-mail: kerk@acs.tamu.edu Center Evaluator: Craig Blakely, PhD Public Policy Research Institute H.C. Dulie Bell Building, Ste. 314 Texas A&M University College Station, Texas 77843-4476 Phone: (409) 845-8800 Fax: (409) 845-0249 E-mail: craig@ppri-nw.tamu.edu NSF 93-97yy (rev. 7/96) Center for Aseptic Processing and Packaging Studies (CAPPS) North Carolina State University and The University of California, Davis Aseptic processing may reduce costs while maintaining or improving product quality and nutritive value Center Mission and Rationale Aseptic processing and packaging refers to the continuous procedure in which a product first passes through a heat-hold-cold process, with subsequent filling and sealing in a sterile package in a sterile environment. This technology may save energy, packaging, and distribution costs while maintaining, and even improving, product quality and nutritive value. Successful development and implementation of this technology requires knowledge of the interrelations between product components, process conditions, and the post-process environment. The Center for Aseptic Processing and Packaging Studies (CAPPS) was chartered to provide leadership and coordination for aseptic processing and packaging research and as a mechanism to align the resources and expertise of universities to meet the research needs of participating industries. As its mission CAPPS focuses on conducting industrially relevant, fundamental research directed at developing methods and technologies for the safe production of marketable, high quality, shelf-stable aseptic products. Research Program CAPPS supports research that provides the knowledge to-- * Enhance safety of aseptic products * Characterize continuous flow thermal sterilization processes * Ensure the integrity of aseptic packaging processes. The Center employs an interdisciplinary approach utilizing engineering, microbiology, and chemistry to meet these objectives. Engineering studies focus on properties, kinetics, process evaluation, validation, modeling, and design. The opportunities for two-phase (solid-liquid) processing present special challenges. The slowest heating point in the fastest moving particle dictates the minimum thermal treatment. Factors which influence temperature in the particle include carrier fluid flow rate and properties; particle population, properties, and size; type and rate of heat transfer; and particle/fluid residence time distributions. CAPPS has developed new techniques to measure thermal properties of fluids and particles at high process temperatures and techniques to measure residence-time distributions. Research is ongoing, using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and other techniques, to measure the temperature history of a particle's interior as it moves through a thermal system. To meet the engineering challenge of developing rapid, non-chemical, cost-effective methods for on-line package sterilization, the center conducts research on leak detection, rapid sealing, and rapid nondestructive testing of seals. CAPPS supports microbiology projects that aim to achieve and maintain product and package sterility and to document sterility in order to validate packaging machinery sterilization. The goal is to ensure the microbiological integrity of the finished products. Other projects include production, recovery, and documentation of the resistance of biological indicators (bacterial spores) and the mechanisms of spore inactivation. The Center's microbiologists and engineers have collaborated on projects to develop and evaluate alternative procedures to sterilize packaging materials and equipment, to understand inactivation kinetics and mechanisms in continuous thermal processes, and to develop methodology for sterilization validation of surfaces and particulate matter. Aseptic technology poses chemical challenges prior to and during processing. Fundamental investigations are necessary to ensure that the applied result is attractive and of high quality. CAPPS supports projects that deal with product quality considerations relating to color, texture, flavor, particulate integrity, and nutritional attributes. Reaction chemistry at high temperatures and kinetic studies to predict properties are also under active investigation. Additionally, nonthermal processing is of interest. Related projects range from investigations on colloidal stability of aseptic product, including shelf-life prediction studies, to enzyme stability and inactivation under high-temperature, short-time processing conditions. Interactions of packaging materials with critical quality constituents are also part of this overall effort. Studies on physical attributes include texture, thermal characteristics of particulates, and techniques to measure the physical properties of fluids at high temperatures. CAPPS projects also deal with generic issues expected to improve the quality of aseptically processed and packaged products. Special Center Activities CAPPS participates in various joint research programs. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Partnership for Education links CAPPS to institutions in the Pacific Rim region. APEC activities have included cooperative research, personnel/student exchanges, education, training, and joint research projects. An aseptic pilot plant is housed in the Department of Food Science at NCSU. State-of-the-art aseptic processing and packaging equipment is installed and fully operational. Current processing units include direct heating/vacuum cooling (steam injection) and indirect heating/cooling (tubular, plate, and scraped surface heat exchangers). Paper-foil laminate aseptic packaging, shrink-wrap and boxing facilities are available. Complementary facilities at the University of California at Davis include MRI facilities for flow visualization, rheological properties and sensory analysis, and a complete line of membrane separation technologies which complement many aseptic projects. Also, an ohmic system, marlen pumps, and dewatering systems are being made available. In addition to the facilities at NCSU and UCD, CAPPS research is conducted at many additional U.S. universities. During the past eight years, projects have been funded at Michigan State University, North Carolina A&T, Indiana University, Purdue University at Fort Wayne Campus, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, The Ohio State University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Rochester Medical Center, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The scientific knowledge and laboratory facilities of these academic institutions extend and enhance the overall program of CAPPS. Center Headquarters Managing Director and NCSU Site Director: Kenneth R. Swartzel Box 7624 North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7624 Phone: (919) 515-2951 Fax: (919) 515-7124 E-mail: krs@unity.ncus.edu Web: http://www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/CIL/CAPPS/ UCD Site Director: Sharon Shoemaker CIFAR/250 Cruess Hall University of California at Davis Davis, California 95616 Phone: (916) 752-2922 Fax: (916) 752-4759 E-mail: spshoemaker@ucdavis.edu Center Evaluator: Denis O. Gray Department of Psychology North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7801 Phone: (919) 515-2251 Fax: (919) 515-7634 NSF 93-97zz (rev. 7/96) Center for Integrated Pest Management (CIPM) North Carolina State University Managing pest species in agricultural environments requires judicious choices among chemical, biological, cultural, and mechanical controls Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Integrated Pest Management fosters pest management programs leading to a high level of knowledge of pest biology coupled with choices of control technology and monitoring tools which result in the most economically sound, environmentally compatible, and sociologically responsible integrated crop management and production. We seek to play a vital, national role in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) research, education, and training. The Center supports IPM through the evaluation of emerging technologies, information management and dissemination, environmental stewardship, estimation of economic consequences, resistance management tools and systems, and integration of disciplinary expertise in general. Research Program The Center's research program encompasses seven core areas: * Impact of pest management on environmental quality -- Research is under way to define the parameters that are important in determining the environmental impact of pest management practices. Once the appropriate factors have been identified and their importance ranked in some quantifiable manner, models can be developed to predict the potential impact of pest management decisions. * Benefits assessment protocols and determination of economic thresholds -- The ability to accurately assess benefits for specific IPM practices as well as potential crop losses from pest outbreaks is essential to successful IPM practice. Predictive data on crop loss are also needed when the Environmental Protection Agency conducts risk/benefit analyses in pesticide registration cases. * Genetic engineering for improved pest management -- Recent advances in biotechnology -- especially the ability to rapidly manipulate genetic traits among species -- offer great potential in many areas of IPM. Two research subjects of high priority are whether crop plants and livestock can develop increased resistance to pests and whether biological control agents can be greatly improved. * Improved understanding of pest biology and ecology -- Proper management of many crop and livestock pests depends on the ability to predict if and when a particular pest species will cause a problem. Research designed to better understand the biology of pest species will aid in the development of specific management options that produce fewer adverse effects. * Detection and management of pesticide resistance -- Pesticides are and will continue to be a major method of pest control. One of the most common reasons that a pesticide ceases to be useful is the development of chemical resistance by the target pest. Research programs designed to understand pesticide resistance at the molecular level and at the pest population level will help to delay or even avoid this phenomenon. * Development of decision support systems for IPM-- IPM decision makers (farmers, consultants, extension agents, and chemical distributors) make complex decisions that may have grave economic consequences. Many times the factors that must be considered are so numerous that it is not humanly possible to properly assess them all. Computer technology gives IPM decision makers the computational speed necessary to consider all the factors that impact a decision and to evaluate multiple scenarios. Developing decision support software for IPM will be one of the Center's major research components. * Electronic information transfer -- This is a prerequisite for modern IPM technologies. The Center for IPM is at the forefront of developing and promoting IPM information provision on the Internet's Wide World Web. Inexpensive, accurate, and timely information transfer to growers, consultants, and retailers, together with provision of decision aids, is critical to IPM acceptance and use. The National IPM Network, founded by the Center, now includes a national server at the USDA, four regional servers, and numerous state cooperators. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Ron Stinner Center for Integrated Pest Management North Carolina State University 840 Method Road, Unit 1 Raleigh, NC 27607 Phone: (919) 515-1648 Fax: (919) 515-2824 E-mail: cipm@ncsu.edu Center Evaluator: Dr. Denis Gray Department of Psychology North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7801 Phone: (919) 515-2251 Fax: (919) 515-7634 E-mail: denis_gray@ncsu.edu NSF 93-97aaa (rev. 7/96) Center for Enhancement of Science and Mathematics Education (CESAME) Northeastern University Fostering innovations in pre-K through 12 science and math education Center Mission and Rationale The Center for Enhancement of Science and Mathematics Education (CESAME) is a unique and dynamic multisector partnership of federal and state agencies, private foundations, and industry, established in 1991, with a continuing mission to foster innovations in pre-K-12 science and math education. The Center believes that teachers -- because they best understand students' learning needs -- represent a largely untapped source of innovation in our schools. CESAME brings together the resources of teachers, scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to improve Massachusetts school children's access to, excitement about, and understanding of mathematics and science. CESAME acts as resource center for K-12 educators, hosts workshops on grant writing and curriculum development, provides access to specialists for assistance with project development, and offers opportunities to network with teachers and others involved in math and science education. CESAME maintains a comprehensive database of 2,000+ teachers and administrators across the state. These individuals receive the CESAME newsletter, workshop and seminar announcements, and CESAME proposal solicitations. CESAME staff also make presentations at local science and math meetings and provide information via on-line information services. Education Initiatives CESAME has two primary initiatives -- * The Teacher Innovation Program (TIP) is designed to support teacher innovation within a school, group of schools, or district(s) via minigrants in which technical assistance and monitoring extend the relatively modest monetary grants to empower and support innovative teachers. Grant awards range from $5-10K per project per year. Since its inception, CESAME has funded close to 50 TIP projects across the Massachusetts. * The Statewide Implementation Program (SIP) is designed to assist a school, group of schools, or district(s) to implement a "SIP-approved" exemplary curriculum or teacher enhancement project that has already been developed, field-tested, and proven effective in improving the mathematics, science, and/or technology education of our students. Grant awards are in the range of $15K per year for a three-year period; CESAME is currently funding ten SIP projects in 1995-96. The SIP initiative was launched in January 1994. Funding from The Noyce Foundation and the National Science Foundation totals $4.7 million over the next five years. Other educational initiatives include the following: CESAME is currently coordinating the field test of the Active Physics curriculum. Active Physics is an NSF-supported curriculum project developed by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the American Institute of Physics (AIP) with assistance from the American Physical Society (APS). Active Physics is an alternative physics course for high school students who do not currently enroll in physics. Because of its limited prerequisite math and reading skills, this activity-based course can be successfully used with students from the 9th-12th grades. CESAME's sister organization, the Center for Electromagnetics Research at Northeastern, has also taken a leadership role in developing initiatives to enhance the quality of pre-K-12 education in New England. The NSF Young Scholars Program is an intensive, six-week summer experience for 26 Massachusetts high school juniors and seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability in math and science. Participants learn about careers in engineering while earning a stipend working in research laboratories at Northeastern's College of Engineering and the Center for Electromagnetics Research. The program consists of seminars, lab research classroom experiences, and field trips. Student assignments are in chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, and other engineering fields working on such endeavors as the exacting task of designing microelectronics instruments, new applications for lasers, research on aerogels, ground-penetrating radar, and earthquake simulation experiments. Northeastern's dedication to encouraging industry-relevant experiences and classroom education is the major thrust of the program. Many Young Scholars alumni pursue engineering and physics degrees at MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and Northeastern, to name but a few. The Project SEED program (Science Education through Experiments and Demonstrations) is an enhancement program for middle school science teachers supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Project SEED is an inquiry/activity-based integrated science/mathematics program with a focus on physical science. One of the main goals of the program is to familiarize teachers with many inexpensive activities that they can use to enhance their students' understanding of the basic concepts and principles of physical science. Project RE-SEED enhances science education by training retired science professionals to be volunteer Science Resource Agents (SRAs) who assist middle school science teachers with activity-based teaching. Project PRO-SEED trains middle school science teachers to be Leader Teachers who will conduct after-school science workshops in their geographic areas. The external after-school workshops comprise the EX-SEED program in which the Leader Teachers teach some of the hands-on SEED activities to their colleagues. Special Activities CESAME is based on the National Science Foundation's Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) model "... to foster and support the research projects of scientists and engineers working in technological areas relevant to industry." Accordingly, CESAME nurtures and disseminates research projects conducted by teachers working toward systemic education reform. In keeping with the systemic vision of educational reform, CESAME collaborates with the Massachusetts statewide systemic initiative, PALMS (Partnerships Advancing the Learning of Mathematics), a NSF-funded project spearheading statewide reform in K-12 science and mathematics standards, methods, and policy. In addition, CESAME works closely with the National Diffusion Network (NDN), the Technical Education Research Center (TERC), the Education Collaborative of Greater Boston (EDCO), The Network, Inc., the Regional Alliance for Science and Education Reform, and the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse. CESAME is currently supported through financial and in-kind contributions from Northeastern University, the National Science Foundation (its prime federal partner), the Bay State Skills Corporation (its prime state partner), the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, Massachusetts Biotechnology Research Institute, Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications (MCET), U.S. Army/Natick Research Development and Engineering Center, the Noyce Foundation, the Millipore Foundation, and the Oliver S. & Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust. Center Headquarters Center Director: Dr. Michael B. Silevitch Center for the Enhancement of Science and Mathematics Education Northeastern University 716 Columbus Avenue, Suite 378 Boston, MA 02120 Phone: (617) 373-3033 Fax: (617) 373-8496 E-mail: msilevit@lynx.neu.edu TIP Evaluator: Dr. Paula G. Leventman Northeastern University College of Engineering 140 Snell Engineering Center Boston, MA 02115 Phone: (617) 373-4835 Fax: (617) 373-8496 SIP Evaluator: Susan Cohen Program Evaluation and Research Group Lesley College 29 Everett Street Cambridge, MA 02138-2790 Phone: (617) 349-8458 Fax: (617) 349-8668 NSF 93-97bbb (rev. 7/96)