Title : NSF 93-74 Engineering News Type : General Publication NSF Org: ENG Date : April 30, 1993 File : nsf9374 NSF Participates in New Defense Conversion Initiative The Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP) is being established to help implement the defense conversion strategy outlined by the Clinton administration. The project will be managed by the newly formed Defense Technology Conversion Council (DTCC). A total of $471.6 million will be available to TRP in fiscal year 1993. Chaired by the Defense Department's renamed Advanced Research Projects Agency, DTCC includes the Energy Department's Defense programs, the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Science Foundation. Linked by a Memorandum of Understanding, DTCC members will act in concert to solicit, evaluate, and select proposals. The eight programs covered by TRP are-- Defense Dual-Use Critical Technology Partnerships ($81.9 million)--to support the research and development of critical technologies that both meet defense needs and have commercial potential Commercial-Military Integration Partnerships ($42.1 million)--to develop and mature dual- use technologies with clear commercial viability and potential military applications Regional Technology Alliances Assistance Programs ($90.5 million)--to support regional efforts to apply and commercialize critical dual-use technologies Defense Advanced Manufacturing Technology Partnerships ($23.5 million)--to encourage research and development of advanced manufacturing technologies with the potential for a broad range of military and dual-use applications Manufacturing Extension Programs ($87.4 million)--to assist small manufacturers in upgrading their capabilities to serve both commercial and defense needs Defense Dual-Use Assistance Extension Program ($90.8 million)--to assist businesses economically dependent on DOD expenditures to acquire dual-use capabilities through a variety of assistance mechanisms Manufacturing Engineering Education and Training Program ($43.6 million)--to support the enhancement of existing programs and the establishment of new programs in manufacturing engineering education and training Manufacturing Experts in the Classroom ($4.6 million)--to support teaching, curriculum development, and other activities of manufacturing experts with practical experience at institutions of higher education Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) ($7.2 million)--to provide the mechanism and the incentive to small business for the development and deployment of dual-use technologies that address any TRP technology focus area and that deal with technological innovation and new commercial products or processes. In the first six activities listed, proposals may be submitted by various combinations of eligible firms, nonprofit research corporations, and governmental entities. However, Federal laboratories, universities, and other entities also may participate. In the next two initiatives, institutions of higher education may submit proposals in partnership with industry or other institutions. A solicitation was published on May 14, with the deadline for submission of proposals currently set for July 23. Announcement of initial awards is expected during the third quarter of calendar year 1993. Additional information can be obtained by phoning 1-800-DUAL-USE or faxing Technology Reinvestment Project, PA #93-21 at (703) 471-2372. NSF Engineering News is sponsored by the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Engineering (ENG). Its purpose is to promote current awareness of ENG activities throughout the engineering community by describing programs, policies, meetings, research projects, and other activities sponsored by the Directorate. For further information, contact the Editor, Glenn H. Larsen, Directorate for Engineering, National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. 20550, or call (202) 357-9774, E-Mail glarsen. tacting the Associate Editors in the Divisions, as follows: Ms. Deborah B. Young, Office of the Assistant Director (OAD), (202) 357-5165, E-Mail dbyoung Ms. Cornell S. Grier, Division of Biological and Critical Systems (BCS), (202) 357-9545, E-Mail cgrier Ms. Johnetta E. Lee, Division of Chemical and Thermal Systems (CTS), (202) 357-9606, E-Mail jelee Ms. Saundra E. Woodard, Division of Chemical and Thermal Systems (CTS), (202) 357-9606, E-Mail swoodard Ms. Carol A. Guido, Division of Design and Manufacturing Systems (DDM), (202) 357-7508, E-Mail cguido Ms. Sherry Scott, Division of Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS), (202) 357-9618, E-Mail sascott Ms. Michell Dunn, Division of Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS), (202) 357-9618, E-Mail mdunn Ms. Esther M. Bolding, Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC), (202) 357-9707, E-Mail ebolding Ms. LaVerne Flurry, Division of Industrial Innovation Interface (III), (202) 653-5202, E-Mail lflurry Mr. Maceo Hart, Division of Industrial Innovation Interface (III), (202) 653-5202, E-Mail mhart Ms. Hope Duckett, Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS), (202) 357-9542, E-Mail hduckett Ms. Stephanie White, Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS), (202) 357-9542, E-Mail smwhite NSF and EPRI Plan Joint Efforts The National Science Foundation and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) are continuing their collaboration by examining the possibility of future joint research support in several areas of mutual interest. The new endeavors are the result of recent joint EPRI/NSF workshops and followup discussions that focused on chemical separations systems and on microwave-induced chemical reactions. Another recent meeting between NSF and EPRI representatives discussed the merits of joint sponsorship of sensor research--covering a broad area, including sensors for power systems, for monitoring environmental conditions, and for materials processing and manufacturing. A two-phased workshop is expected to determine an appropriate sensors research agenda. The same NSF/EPRI meeting also addressed a broader set of civil infrastructure issues. NSF is applying its efforts in this area through increased research support for deterioration science, assessment technology, and renewal technology. EPRI, on the other hand, has an urban initiative that focuses primarily on electric power systems. Dialogue continues between NSF and EPRI about linking these growing separate initiatives. The NSF/EPRI collaboration is considered an effective mechanism for research advances across a wide set of technologies. It also provides a link between academic research and the electric power utility sector. The formal collaboration received impetus following a 1988 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining cooperation in such areas as production, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electric energy. Coordinators for implementing the MOU are Dr. Fritz Kalhammer, EPRI's Vice President for Exploratory Research, and Dr. Elbert Marsh, Deputy Assistant Director for Engineering at NSF. Other EPRI participants include Drs. Nari Hingorani, Thomas Schneider, Seymour Alpert, John Maulbetsch, and John Stringer. On the NSF side, Drs. Henry McGee, Division Director for Chemical and Thermal Systems (CTS), Irene Peden, Division Director for Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS), and William Hakala, acting Division Director for Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS), have played key roles. Early joint ventures included an initiative on the application of high-temperature superconductors to power systems and one on power system operations. The MOU broadened with time to address other joint research initiatives, including Advanced Polymeric Materials, Electrochemical Synthesis, and Intelligent Control Systems. The Advanced Polymeric Materials Initiative focused on innovative use of polymers in utility systems and development of polymeric materials to increase the useful life and reliability of equipment. The MSS Division's participation includes grants for research on new polymeric ionic conduction materials (in particular, polyphosphazenes) and on polymeric ultrathin films. The Electrochemical Synthesis Initiative improves understanding of the production of chemicals using electricity instead of heat as a driving force. Advances in specificity of reaction and environmental compatibility are possible. An additional goal is the integration of this knowledge into industrial process design to thereby lower the barriers separating electrochemical technology from more traditional processing technologies. The Intelligent Control Systems Initiative is advancing the state of the art in control system design. Qualitatively, a system that exhibits the ability to learn about its environment, process the information to reduce uncertainty, and plan, generate, and execute control action in a safe and reliable manner constitutes an intelligent control system. A cross-disciplinary research approach would advance general control theory and ensure its success in a variety of applications--including robotics, power systems, manufacturing systems, chemical processing, and biologic systems. Geoenvironmental Research Emphasis Efforts to combat problems of soil contamination are reviewed in a current article by Dr. Mehmet T. Tumay of ENG's Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS). Tumey, who serves as Program Director of MSS's Geomechanical, Geotechnical and Geo-Environmental Systems (G3S), notes in Geotechnical News that G3S supports such areas as-- Fundamental aspects of soil/waste interaction Site characterization of contaminated sites New improved computer simulation models Automation in soil and groundwater remediation studies Data collection and reduction and management of geomaterials in contaminated areas Other promising multidisciplinary research directions, according to Tumay, include the need to manage the potential contamination of ground water from pesticides applied to different soils. The question addressed in this research is the effect of pesticides on the groundwater system beyond the unsaturated zone horizon. Results obtained from using a prototype automated groundwater simulation environment represent a unique opportunity for direct and productive collaboration between EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs and the NSF. Tumay adds that with more than 2,000 different potential soil contaminants identified at different sites throughout the U.S., both the scientific community and regulators face an overwhelming task of identifying how clean groundwater levels can be achieved and what the implications of the cleanup levels are. Still another promising area of research, Tumay writes, is the use of integrated groundwater transport simulation models, including how to simplify the models, control errors, and support and improve the decision-making ability of users of the models. ENG Awards Directory Now on STIS To provide researchers and administrators with fast and current information, award data for grants from the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) are available through the NSF's electronic bulletin board for documents, STIS--Science and Technology Information System. An electronic copy of the Fiscal Year 1992 Directory of Awards for ENG also is available on STIS. ENG published its last paper edition of the Engineering Directory of Awards for Fiscal Year 1991 during the transition to electronic form. ENG was motivated to use electronic media exclusively for this publication due to the slow and costly processing involved in producing the paper edition. Award information is now updated on STIS monthly. To help with the transition from paper to electronic form for ENG's award directory, several articles are provided in this issue of Engineering News. These articles will help familiarize STIS novices with the features of this information system and provide useful tips on using STIS efficiently. See the related article on page 4 to learn how you can obtain award data. All About STIS Whether you want to know how many NSF grant recipients are working on laser-based chemical separations, electrical conduction by squid neurons, or earthquake hazard prediction--or whether you just want to know how many NSF awards your institution received in the year 1992--this information is readily available to those who familiarize themselves with a few key procedures for using STIS. As an electronic dissemination system, STIS provides ready access to some 40,000 documents at no cost to the user except for possible long-distance telephone charges. Many NSF publications, including each edition of Engineering News, now provide a special page of information about STIS. Besides electronic versions of ENG publications, STIS users may choose from a myriad of other publications from all the directorates and divisions of NSF. These include publications such as the NSF Bulletin, directorate program announcements and news briefs, NSF organizational charts and statistics, and forms for submitting grant proposals. Not only is STIS an excellent way to access NSF publications, but it is also a powerful tool for searching. Besides obtaining up-to-date information about all NSF grant awards since 1989--including basic information on amount of funding, period of award, principal investigators, institution, address, and phone number--you also can get the abstracts that describe the scope of the research proposals receiving awards. This latter information is not available in the Engineering Directorate's paper versions of the award directories. The user can select to search one or more years of award information for one or more directorates. Awards reports are updated monthly so you can have timely data. Getting Started The first recommended step before using STIS is to read NSF's 1-page introduction (see page 15) and determine your most likely method of access. The choices include electronic documents via Internet or BITNET, e-mail, anonymous FTP, on-line STIS, direct e-mail, and Internet Gopher and WAIS. The second recommended step is dual: obtain and read the STIS User's Guide, concentrating first on section 7, Topic Tutorial. You may call 202-357-7555 to request that a copy be mailed to you, or you may choose to download the user's manual as soon as you have proceeded through the first steps outlined in the accompanying article and reached the STIS main menu. The manual is clearly written but does not necessarily stress or mention the pointers cited here for on-line users. (You may want to take a few minutes to number your guide's pages and to renumber the table of contents in the downloaded user's guide to match.) NOTE: If you are accessing STIS from a local area network (LAN) and want to print STIS documents at your local printer, see your LAN supervisor to ensure that your printer is recognizable by STIS. Focus on International Collaboration New ways to increase the involvement of the ENG research community in international collaborations are being considered by a special task group, the Engineering Task Group on International Focus. The group is looking at means to encourage U.S. academic researchers to consider cooperative research stays at foreign centers of excellence. This group is working with NSF's Division of International Programs (INT) to develop plans to take advantage of special INT programs that support medium-and long-term research visits at foreign centers of excellence, such as in Japan, Latin America, Western Europe, and India. ENG believes that young researchers, in particular, would benefit from such international experience. Facilitation Awards Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on an NSF project. See the program announcement or contact the program coordinator at (202) 357-7456. Getting ENG Award Information on STIS After you gain on-line entry to STIS by your choice of methods, you will see the message "Connected to STIS" at the top of your screen indicating that you are connected. If you do not see the "Connected to STIS" message, try pressing the <> key. When this message does appear, press <> to see the screen shown in Figure 1. You are now prompted to "login." At this login prompt, type the word "public" and press <>. You are next asked for your STIS ID. If you are new to the system, choose an identifier that is easy for you to remember. For example, if your name is Jane Smith, "jsmith" might be an appropriate password. STIS does not limit the length of your password, but it should be a convenient one for you to remember. After you enter a password, as a newcomer, you will then be asked to respond to a short questionnaire. One of the questions you will then be asked--whether you are a newcomer or previous user--is to enter your terminal type (i.e., vt100, vt100nkp, vt100nes, sunkbd3, or sunkbd4). You must have at least a vt100 terminal emulator in order to use STIS. Although you may be able to access STIS with a lesser terminal type, the information will be unintelligible. Enter in the type of emulator that best matches yours or press <> to accept the default value (vt100). At this point you are given the option of going back and changing any of the information you have already entered. If you wish to go back, type "back" at this point and press <>. If you wish to proceed without changing information, simply press <>. You'll now see the STIS Main Menu (Figure 2). This menu box has seven choices. (NOTE: Some users will find that they cannot use their movement arrow keys until they activate the number-lock <> key). If you do not have the STIS User's Guide, you can type 4 to download the STIS manual (see information below on how to download information to your local printer). To access awards information, highlight option number 1 in the STIS Main Menu, "Search/Browse (TOPIC)," and press <>. (If your monitor is monochromatic, you may need to concentrate to track the option being highlighted.) Now a menu with six categories--Help, Search, Topics, Filters, Documents, and Exit--will appear across the top of the screen. Note that as you move the arrow keys from one option to the next, a brief description of each option appears at the bottom of the screen. Move your cursor to Documents option. A pull-down menu appears (Figure 3). Within the Documents Menu, highlight the Partitions option and press <>. Documents on STIS are organized into "partitions." For other uses of STIS, you do not need to be concerned about partitions, but they are not only important but essential if you are interested in the awards abstracts. Within the Partitions Menu, you enable a category by highlighting it and pressing the spacebar. This puts an asterisk (*) in front of the option you are selecting. Alternatively, you can disable, or temporarily eliminate, a category by pressing the spacebar to remove the *. For example, if you wish to search awards for the past 5 years, you would place an * in front of all the years in the menu and then press <> before escaping. However, if you wish only to search 1992 awards, you would activate only the 1992 option. Do this now for your search (Figure 4). Do not forget to press <> after activating your selection. Next, highlight the Filters option in the Search/Browse Menu and then highlight the Clear option in the pull-down menu and press <>. Now you are ready to begin your awards search. NOTE: If you were to return to the Partitions option of the Documents Menu, you would now see that 8127 awards have been activated for your search of 1992 awards. Move the cursor to the Search option in the Search/Browse Menu. In the pull-down menu that appears (Figure 5), you are given three search options: Topic, Word, and Boolean Plus. A word search is the easiest way to find either a specific NSF publication or to locate all documents that have a particular word in them. However, for information about specific awards, a Boolean search may be the more appropriate type of search strategy. (For award searches, you will never need the Topic option.) The Boolean Plus option allows you to combine word searches (e.g., first and last name of principal investigator or technology areas) using Boolean operators such as "and," "or," and "not." It also can be used easily to search for phrases. Highlight the Boolean Plus option in the Search Menu and press <> to view the Boolean Search screen. Type in the key words in double quotes ("/") separated by the word "and." (No quotes are needed around "and," just around the key words.) The double quotes are important because they specify an exact word match for the search. For instance, if you wish to search awards92 by principal investigator (for example: Bailey, James), type in "Bailey" and "James" (Figure 6). This tells STIS to search for only 1992 awards with a principal investigator with a combination of the two names Bailey and James. To execute the search, press the <> key to move down to the lower box in the screen. Then move the highlight to Retrieve and press <>. The next screen that appears is the Results Browser, which--in this case--contains one award. Highlight the award and press <>. A menu box appears giving you options for displaying, printing, deleting, explaining, and downloading the award information (Figure 7). Highlight the display option and press <> to display the Document viewer screen (Figure 8). You will note that the name of the principal investigator for whom your search was specified is highlighted. Use the <> or down arrow key to scroll down the document and read the abstract for this award. If you would now like a printout of the award for future reference, press <> to leave the Document viewer screen. This will return you to the Results Browser screen. Since you have only one award listed in this screen, press <> again to get the menu that gives you the display, print, delete, explain, and download options. Highlight the Download option and press <>. Figure 9 shows the message that now appears. Press <> to continue. You are now shown a menu giving you a number of options for the type of download you want (Figure 10). If you are working at a remote site, it probably will be easiest to print to your local system. When you are ready to print, highlight the Print on Local System option or type "4" to begin printing the file. You will now see the award information appear on your screen as it is being sent to your printer. After the file has printed, you are returned to the Results Browser screen. To return to the Search/Browse Menu, press <> two times. When you have returned to the Search/Browse Menu, highlight the Exit option and then press <> or type "E." This will return you to the STIS Main Menu. Highlight Exit STIS (logout) and press <> or type "7" to leave STIS and return to your communications program. This article has dealt with accessing award information on an individual investigator. However, depending on how much information you are interested in sifting through, the same types of searches can be done to access award information pertaining to a particular research area, such as "plasma systems," or to a division of the Directorate for Engineering, such as "Chemical and Thermal Systems." These two types of searches could best be done by a Boolean Plus search strategy. To get a printout of the entire Engineering Directory of Awards, you would select the Documents option of the Search/Browse (TOPIC) Menu and then select the Browse option of the Documents Menu. You would then scroll through the document browser until you find the ENG publications. Printing the full directory is done following the same procedures described above (and will require several hundred sheets of paper). New NSF Director Search Under Way The White House and the National Science Board are undertaking a search for a new director of the National Science Foundation to replace Dr. Walter E. Massey. Dr. Frederick Bernthal is Acting Director following the departure of Massey for his new position as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of California. NSF Deputy Director since March 1990, Bernthal also served a prior stint as Acting Director. His background includes service as an Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, as a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and as a professor of chemistry and physics at the University of Michigan. Massey, who served as Director since March 1991, was praised by Dr. James E. Duderstadt, Chair of the National Science Board and President of the University of Michigan, for providing . . . "extremely strong leadership for the NSF and on broader science and technology issues . . . His vision and his leadership will be sorely missed." New Masking Technique Speeds Auto Painting Currently, vinyl lower body coating (stone chip) material is being used in the automotive industry, but the manual process is time-consuming and tedious. To reduce the cycle time and increase coating quality, Dr. Jay Lee, a Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) program director, and Alex Mauro of Robotics Vision Systems, Inc. (RVSI) designed an automated masking device to integrate with industrial robots for improving current capability. The method devised by Lee and Mauro provides masking simultaneously with the material spray, thereby eliminating mask application and removal processes. The two researchers hold a new patent for their intelligent automated masking technique for robotic spray painting and other material spray deposition. The process consists of several steps, beginning with providing a shield attached to the robot end effector that carries the coating; then placing the shield in a position between the coating spray nozzle and surface to prevent the coating of areas beyond a designated boundary; guiding the industrial robot via a 3-D vision sensor so that the robot sprays the coating material on the surface to be coated; removing from the shield the unused material intercepted by the shield; and returning the reclaimed material to the source of coating material. Presently, this technique is used by Ford Motor Company for the Lincoln Mark VIII and Continental car bodies in the Wixon, MI, assembly plant. Recipient of Awards Dr. Irene C. Peden, Division Director, Electrical and Communications Systems, has recently been the recipient of three prestigious awards in engineering. Peden has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, inducted into the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Hall of Fame, and selected as NSF's nominee for the Federal Engineer of the Year. Peden is on an IPA assignment from the University of Washington, Seattle, where she is Professor of Electrical Engineering. Her research interests include geophysical subsurface remote sensing, radio science, antennas, and propagation. Among her accomplishments, Peden has the distinction of having been the first American woman engineer/scientist to conduct field work in the interior of the Antarctic continent. The Division Director is active in a number of engineering research and educational professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Society of Women Engineers, and as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Health Care Cost Venture The National Science Foundation is undertaking a jointly funded research venture aimed toward containing or reducing ever-spiraling health care costs. Along with the Whitaker Foundation, the NSF expects to bring together the diverse expertise--including engineering--needed to meet this goal. The undertaking, Cost Effective Health Care Technologies, seeks to promote innovative multidisciplinary research that can contribute to the containment or reduction of health care costs without compromising the quality, effectiveness, or accessibility of health care. Besides engineers, the initial focus is on teams of physical scientists and mathematicians, complemented by computer scientists, economists, and health care professionals. Examples of areas to be studied include research to-- Increase productivity and reduce costs in the hospital environment Develop new technologies for low-cost diagnosis Develop new technologies that can enable the delivery of care outside the hospital environment Increase patient independence by developing novel means for self-diagnosis, self-therapy, and disease prevention Other interests include research on advanced materials for use in implants and external rehabilitative devices that would increase device longevity and minimize the need for replacement or retrieval. Additional studies would examine expert and knowledge-based systems for improved and standardized diagnosis and treatment and better health care delivery and risk management. Other critical needs are innovative and cost-effective means to link patients, providers, care facilities, insurers, and homes. Also needed are improved information and communication systems to provide uniform, rapid, and data-secure access to patient medical histories, eliminate duplication of tests, and supply data for statistical, epidemiological, and outcome studies. User-friendly computer-based educational systems that may help to facilitate the application of technology to contain health care costs are still another area to be investigated. Women's Role in Structural Engineering General problems encountered by women professors in the field of structural engineering are being examined following a recently held workshop in Salt Lake City. Sponsored by ENG's Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems (MSS), the Workshop on the Role of Women in Structural Engineering covered areas such as how to recruit more women from elementary school to graduate level, how to retain women in the profession, and how to seek research support. The workshop also provided an opportunity for attendees to share common problems. Approximately 35 women attended the meeting. A similar workshop on the Role of Women in Geotechnical Engineering was held at the National Science Foundation in 1990. Advanced Oxidation Technology Scrutinized Interested parties from industry and academe are studying results of the recently held Symposium on Environmental Applications of Advanced Oxidation Technologies. The meeting was conducted to review the status of advanced oxidation processes in environmental engineering practice as a step toward identifying further research needs. Supported jointly by the NSF and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the conference attracted 150 registrants, including Dr. Edward H. Bryan, Environmental Systems Program Director in ENG's Division of Biological and Critical Systems (BCS). Bryan reported that the session on Supercritical Water Oxidation (chaired by Dr. Earnest Gloyna) found that the oxidation processes step is viable. Identified research needs included materials of construction, the fate of salts in the process, physical and thermodynamic properties of the fluids used, and conditions needed to increase reaction rates. Bryan also reported on the results of discussion at several other sessions: The Electrohydraulic Cavitation and Sonolysis session (chair, Dr. Michael Hoffmann) concluded that research is needed on frequency effects, interfacial conditions, the temperatures and pressures required to induce and maintain cavitation, and new approaches to inducing cavitation. The Electron Beam Radiation session (chair, Dr. Stephen Mathews) found the need for more consideration of reaction byproducts and for field-scale demonstrations to enhance public and regulatory acceptability. Other necessities include making available higher powered accelerators than are now commercially available and increasing the reliability of operating electron beam accelerators while lowering the costs. The Non-Thermal Processes session (chair, Dr. Louis Rasocha) concluded that research is required to better define the reaction chemistry involved in processing flue gases using plasma devices and then to characterize the reaction byproducts. The Photolysis and Photocatalysis session (chair, Dr. David Ollis) concluded that research is needed on the reaction mechanisms, byproduct characterization, appropriate catalysts, and application-oriented data. In the Ozonation and Combined Methods session, Dr. William Glaze, the chair and editor of Environmental Science and Technology magazine, stated that when the "hype" on advanced oxidation processes is over, economics will be the driving force for selection and adoption of new technologies. Glaze emphasized that these technologies all exhibit a common need for more attention to reaction byproducts and for the availability of more information in the public domain to compare their respective advantages, costs, environ-mental issues, and impacts on treatment goals. DDM Holds Grantee Conference The most recent Division of Design and Manufacturing Systems' (DDM) grantee conference is unique in that it was the first such meeting to also include contributions and researchers from the Division of Information Robotics and Intelligent Systems and the Division of Engineering and Education Centers, which have complementary manufacturing programs. The annual grantee conference--held this year at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte--enhances communication between researchers, encourages joint research, promotes synergism, and develops networks for technical interchange. As in previous years, the conference presentations covered two topics each day. An overview of papers for a specific session was followed by parallel poster sessions where the authors met with attendees to discuss their research and respond to questions. The conference was organized and managed by Dr. Robert Hocken, Professor of Precision Engineering, and other faculty at the University of North Carolina. ENG Warms to "The Ice" NSF's Office of Polar Programs is planning construction of a new, modern facility to replace the aging science station at the South Pole. The responsibilities of NSF's Office of Polar Programs include management of Antarctic science projects ranging from studies of the ozone hole to neutrino telescopes. Helping to evaluate logistics issues in the construction of the new facility is Dr. F. Hank Grant of ENG's Division of Design and Manufacturing Systems (DDM). Grant is using industrial engineering tools to develop several simulation models that will aid in the selection of an optimal cargo delivery plan. Grant, who is DDM Program Director for Operations Research and Production Systems, recently spent 2 weeks in Antarctica--called "the ice" by the scientists working there--to collect necessary information to construct the models. He met with personnel from the McMurdo Station and the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole, where the design for the new station was discussed. Antarctica's environment is extremely harsh: temperatures can drop to 75o below zero, winds can reach 180 mph, and periods of 24 hours of darkness alternate with similar periods of sunlight over the year. No permanent airport exists to service the local population (30 persons in the winter, and 130 in the summer) or to bring in materials to construct the new station that will replace one built in the early 1970's. Data collected in Antarctica by Grant were used to construct three different models. The first focuses on direct flights from McMurdo to the South Pole using a newly constructed ice runway on the Ross Ice Shelf. This runway allows wheeled takeoffs, permitting higher cargo loads in the planes. Landings are on skis that can be extended in the air. The second scenario uses Caterpillar Challenger vehicles and tracker trailers to transport the cargo via an overland traverse of more than one thousand miles. Challengers are designed for extended operation and are well suited for this application. This traverse involves a climb up the Skelton Glacier to the Polar Plateau. The traverse is difficult because of the 80-mile climb up the glacier and the crevasse fields that must be navigated. The third option is a combination of the first two. Aircraft fly cargo to a "blue-ice" runway, a particularly hard area of ice that is suitable for wheeled landings after extensive leveling and preparation. Because aircraft can use wheels to take off and land on this runway, higher loads can be carried. The landing area is on the Mill Glacier, which is an offshoot of the Beardmore Glacier that the British explorer, Robert Falcon Scott, used in 1911 on his fatal journey to the Pole. Once flown to Mill Glacier, the cargo would be carried by Challengers for the final 300 miles to the South Pole. Using the simulation modeling tool, SlamSystem, Grant developed models for the three cargo delivery alternatives. Each model includes a graphical animation of the processes to verify the models and illustrate their operation. To date, several variations have been explored that investigate the sensitivity of the system to variable factors such as resource availability, weather, and scheduling. The models developed are providing valuable input for NSF's Office of Polar Programs in the selection of the most feasible method to use for South Pole Station cargo delivery. The models will continue to be used as the design of the station is refined and more details are required. After Hours Schooling Several ENG employees are making good use of NSF's after-hours career development program designed to help them complete undergraduate college training. Those currently matriculating are CTS Program Assistant Tammi T. Owens, computers and English; EEC Senior Program Assistant Madeline Pauling, business management; OAD Computer Specialist Stevan L. Perez, who is completing a computer science course; EEC Program Assistant Tammie Sellars, English and other courses; and MSS Division Secretary Stephanie White, studying personnel administration. E-Beam Systems Success Story NSF-supported research using an electron beam accelerator to process hazardous organic substances is being credited for helping to develop a new marketing product. High Voltage Environmental Applications, Inc., a corporation formed to provide services and to market electron accelerators for use in environmental engineering applications, is a direct result of an award from ENG's Environmental Systems in 1987, according to Dr. Edward H. Bryan, the Program Director. He reports that the corporation founders attribute their expertise to experience gained from NSF-supported research conducted at an engineering scale in Miami on treatment of water, wastewater, and sediments containing hazardous organic materials. The corporation founders--an interdisciplinary research team--are University of Miami Professors Thomas D. Waite (a civil engineer) and Charles N. Kurucz (an industrial engineer) and the Director of Florida International University's Drinking Water Research Center, William J. Cooper (a chemist). The large electron beam accelerator used in their research was installed 10 years ago at the Miami-Dade wastewater treatment plant on Virginia Key to evaluate its potential for disinfection of sludge produced during wastewater treatment. Installation of the accelerator resulted from research started with NSF support in 1974 by Dr. John Trump at MIT and at the Metropolitan District Commission's Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Boston. The electron accelerators that the corporation plans to market will be produced by Vivirad High Voltage Corporation of Billerica, MA. Vivirad also manufactured the Miami accelerator and the earlier prototype used by Trump at MIT. CO-HEMIS to Spur Joint Research The University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, recently established a Center for Hemispherical Cooperation in Research and Education in Engineering and Applied Science (CO-HEMIS). CO-HEMIS encourages joint research projects, dissemination, and educational programs that are of common interest to a large group of countries within the Western Hemisphere. The establishment of the Center, headquartered at Mayaguez, is the result of a conference attended by representatives from the North and South American continents. More than 30 researchers and scientists attended the initial conference held in Mayaguez in November 1991. The countries participating included Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Republic of Domingo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Paraguay. Canada was represented by persons from the Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Queen's University. The U.S. conferees represented the Department of State-Latin American Affairs, American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Environmental Protection Agency, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Miami, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Organization of American States was represented as well. The conferees presented papers discussing their views related to the objectives and mission of a possible center for cooperation and outlined the research interest areas of specific countries. This exchange was followed by group actions to study various aspects, activities, and administration for the proposed Center for Cooperation. After a unanimous decision, the University of Puerto Rico was asked to formalize the Center. NSF Headquarters to Move to Virginia The National Science Foundation is moving its headquarters from downtown Washington, DC, to a new building in Arlington, VA. The move is being accomplished in phases and should be completed by early autumn. This move culminates a process begun several years ago and caps negotiations among the NSF, General Services Administration (GSA), and Office of Management and Budget. NSF is consolidating its current four separate locations into the single new site. Beyond improved office spaces and meeting rooms, the building is designed to accommodate present and future computer and communication requirements. CIS Task Group Recommendations The NSF is currently reviewing recommendations of the Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) Task Group regarding the need for CIS research and for developing the basis for a broad-based, interdisciplinary CIS research program. The task group was established by the Engineering Directorate's (ENG's) Strategic Planning Committee. The group's 40 experts from universities, industry, professional practice, and Federal agencies are recommending that the NSF move quickly to put existing knowledge about civil infrastructure to work and generate new engineering and scientific knowledge. The task group proposes that NSF use a holistic approach, targeting optimal system performance and innovative techniques and methods. The recommendations also include that NSF should seek to-- Promote proof-of-concept research, knowledge transfer, education and training, human resource development, and federal, state, and private-sector partnerships Systematically address issues of deterioration science, assessment technologies, and renewal engineering Strengthen research programs at infrastructure-related academic research centers Encourage university and other investigators to pursue critical civil infrastructure research needs The task group is calling for research thrusts for performing basic research and for addressing knowledge diffusion--enabling research results to be turned into products and services for industry. Research Thrust in Neural Networks Continues The National Science Foundation is continuing its cross-disciplinary effort to increase knowledge of how the nervous system operates. An interdisciplinary panel is currently reviewing proposals received in response to the announced thrust in biosystems analysis and control. Current efforts are aimed at gaining new knowledge of biological data in engineering models of neural networks and also engineering methodology in biological research. Although the nervous system interprets intricate biological signals and controls complex biological functions with apparent ease, the analysis of how biological signals are processed and controlled has proven difficult. Researchers believe that concepts from systems engineering are relevant to such a challenge and that past studies have not paid sufficient attention to real-time, nonlinear, stochastic systems that can learn. The goal of the cross-disciplinary focus is to develop innovative techniques to analyze and control complex dynamic systems by extending the understanding of how biological systems interpret sensory signals, control physiological processes, and adaptively monitor and control bioprocesses. Last fiscal year (FY 92), some 73 proposals were submitted, resulting in eight awards totaling $2 million. Up to $1.5 million for initial commitments are being made available for the second phase of the neural network award competition. The Engineering Directorate's Divisions of Biological and Critical Systems, Electrical and Communications Systems, and Mechanical and Structural Systems, and the Biological Sciences Directorate's Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience are coordinating the grant award program. JTEC Indicates Japan Tech Gains A program assessing Japanese research and technology indicates that while the United States is superior in basic research, Japan is rapidly gaining in technology development and is often superior in applications. Moreover, in some areas, such as superconductivity, Japanese basic research is receiving increased support and becoming competitive. Paul J. Herer, Senior Advisor for Planning and Technical Evaluation, OAD, and Director of the Japanese Technology Evaluation Center (JTEC) program, reports the findings come from more than two dozen JTEC assessments. JTEC's in-depth technical assessments of Japanese research and development are supported by NSF's Engineering Directorate to help the United States meet the competitive challenge in selected technologies--such as flat panel displays and satellite telecommunications. These assessments contribute to more balanced technology transfer between the United States and Japan. Although NSF is the lead Federal agency, other support is provided to JTEC by the Advanced Research Projects Agency, DOD, NASA, and the Departments of Energy and Commerce, among other agencies. The program is carried out through a cooperative agreement between NSF and Loyola College of Baltimore. Each assessment is performed by a panel of U.S. technical experts who are selected from industry, academe, and government. Panelists spend approximately one month of effort over a 6-month period reviewing literature, traveling to Japan, making assessments, and writing reports. About 35 technology areas have been studied or are in process, including recent studies on micromachines, electronics packaging, and polymer composites manufacturing. Panel findings are presented at workshops that are well attended by industry. Final reports are available from the National Technical Information Service. The JTEC approach is being extended to Europe and the former Soviet Union, with recent studies on nuclear power plant instrumentation and controls, satellite telecommunications, civil infrastructure systems, and submersible vehicles. Staff Updates New staff members include the following-- Dr. Edgar O'Rear is on a 2-year temporary assignment from the University of Oklahoma as director of the Interfacial, Transport, and Separation Processes program in the Division of Chemical and Thermal Systems (CTS). O'Rear, who earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering with a research focus in biomedical engineering, replaces Dr. Charles Malderalli, who is now at City College of New York. Dr. Milton J. Linevsky is on temporary assignment from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory as a program director for Thermal Systems and Engineering in CTS. Dr. Lawrence Goldberg has been named Senior Staff Advisor for the Division of Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS). He formerly served as Program Director of ECS's Quantum Electronics, Waves, and Beams Program. Retiring from the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) are-- Dr. F. Dale Draper, Program Director, Engineering Education, who served a stint as Acting ENG Planning and Budget Officer before undertaking oversight responsibilities for the GATEWAY coalition. Draper also was Program Manager for the Program on Combined Research-Curriculum Development in Technological Areas of National Importance. One of his future plans is to teach at the University of Maryland. Dr. George E. Brosseau, an Engineering Research Centers (ERC) program director, who came to NSF in the early 1970s to work on a national needs program on aging. He helped develop a performance database for the ERCs. Dr. Joseph Mathias, an Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program director, who came to NSF in 1987 as one of the first program directors from industry. He was Vice President for Research at Sperry Rand. Mathias plans some consulting as well as volunteering as an emergency medical technician. SBIR Assists HBCUs NSF's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program sponsored a recent 1-day workshop that coordinated NSF presentations on the details of basic research, education, and SBIR proposal preparation. Darryl Gorman, SBIR Program Manager, organized the workshop to provide specific, detailed information on the preparation of competitive NSF proposals. Gorman and Dr. Nathaniel Pitts, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Infrastructure, first led the audience through the intricacies of content and development for basic science proposals. Then Alice Moses, Program Director in the Elementary, Secondary and Informal Education Division, identified key aspects for the development of education-focused proposals, and Charles Hauer, SBIR Program Manager, helped attendees understand the complexities of SBIR proposal preparation. The session was initially planned for representatives of nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) from the State of Georgia, but registration was later extended to other States as well. Some 85 college and university faculty and sponsored research officials participated in the Atlanta workshop, with many coming from Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana, and North Carolina, as well as Georgia. Workshop attendees found the program valuable for several reasons. First, it fostered collaboration and interaction between faculty members and between universities. For example, successful grantees were identified as resources for future reference for attendees at the workshop. Furthermore, some faculty members discovered by talking with each other that their peers were also involved in the quest for research support. In addition, attendees became aware that some types of research projects that NSF supports require collaborations among several faculty members or institutions to put forward a competitive proposal. Another reason that potential awardees found the workshop useful was the assistance it offered in executing a competitive proposal. Some participants had good ideas but had not understood before how to convert them into proposals. Attendees also indicated that the informational resources previously available to HBCU faculty were not sufficient to explain proposal preparation. Answers to questions such as with whom to talk, what to ask, what to provide, and what to make of what you learn are the kinds of points that this workshop highlighted. The NSF Outreach program provided partial support for the NSF participants. The office of U.S. Senator Wyche Fowler cosponsored the workshop. Similar sessions are being planned for the HBCUs in Maryland and Virginia. Decision Making in the 21st Century Engineers in the 21st century may be confronted with making total system decisions that affect not only many branches of engineering but also social and political issues--issues that are particularly important to civil infrastructure considerations and global competitiveness. The Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, therefore plans to conduct a workshop to discuss the question of future managerial decision making in the engineering curriculum. The invitees include some 20 representatives from academe, professional practice, professional societies, and government. Lee to Revitalize MHED Committee Dr. Jay Lee, a program director for the Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) of the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC), is revitalizing the Materials Handling Engineering Division (MHED) Executive Committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). As chair of the executive committee, Lee is seeking to impart an integrated concept from a systems engineer's point of view, incorporating control systems, information technology, and material transports. The committee members, combining a range of skills and disciplines necessary to address research issues, are the following: Dr. Ira W. Pence, Vice Chair, Center Director, Material Handling Research Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta; Dr. Prasanna G. Mulagnkar, Program Director, Advanced Automation Technology Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA; Dr. U. S. Palekar, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana; and Eric Malstrom, Professor of Industrial Engineering, University of Arkansas. Lee also will chair the special panel on Accelerating Industry/University/Government Partnership in Manufacturing at ASME's winter annual meeting, November 28-December 3, 1993, in New Orleans, LA. ENG Outreaches to Touch Many The Engineering Directorate is an active participant in NSF's Outreach Program. These partnership activities with schools are designed to bring the expertise of NSF staff to assist in various ways, ranging from introducing scientific and engineering education curricula to judging science fairs and participating in career days. Recent ENG participants include-- Sue Kemnitzer, EEC Deputy Division Director for Education, who visited Annunciation School, Washington, DC, to speak about space-related careers. She also spoke about NSF programs before students at a junior high school in Martinsburg, WV, and at Mississippi State University, Jackson. Dr. J. Eleonora J. Sabadell, a program director in the Division of Biological and Critical Systems (BCS), who was a science fair panel judge at the Washington Middle High School, Arlington, VA. Dr. Lucy Morse in the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC), who spoke at San Jose State University, the University of Arkansas, Brigham Young University, and the University of Dayton, as well as at Banneker High School, Washington, DC. Dr. Maria K. Burka, a program director in the Division of Chemical and Thermal Systems (CTS), who appeared at several high schools and was a judge at an invention convention at the Norwood School, Bethesda, MD. She also has chaired the panel that chose the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) engineering award recipient and has served on an American Association of University Women (AAUW) panel in Washington, DC. An upcoming event on Burka's schedule is a science fair at the St. Albans School, Washington, DC. ENG Conference Update The NSF Directorate for Engineering (ENG) will be going to some varied destinations this year--Dallas, San Francisco, and Phoenix to name a few--all via the ENG exhibit accompanied by various division sponsors. ENG's exhibit just returned from Pittcon '93 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, where there were more than 7,000 conference attendees, excluding the exhibitors. In Atlanta, the exhibit was accompanied by representatives of ENG's Division of Industrial Innovation Interface (III). The next conference at which ENG will be exhibiting is the American Control Conference, June 2-4, at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. This conference is expected to draw more than 1,000 attendees. The ENG division participating in this conference is Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS). Another June conference is scheduled for June 20-23, with an exhibit area open from June 21-23 at the American Society for Engineering Education's 100th Annual Conference and Centennial Celebration. Representatives from ENG's Engineering Education Centers (EEC) Division will host NSF's exhibit booth. This conference will be held at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, to allow faculty members from many major engineering schools to attend at a relatively low cost. More than 2,000 attendees are expected. The theme for this conference is "Shaping our World-Century II." Besides the conference itself, there will be an exhibit area, showcase rooms, poster sessions, and special banquet events. For more information, call Conference and Logistics Consultants (410) 269-6801. The conference schedule resumes in the fall as follows: October 24-27: American Society of Civil Engineers Fall Convention & Expo, Dallas, TX; October 28-31: Annual Conference on Engineering in Medicine & Biology, San Diego, CA; October 31-November 1: Operation Research Society of America/The Institute of Management Sciences (ORSA/TIMS) Joint National Meeting, Phoenix, AZ; November 7-12: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Hospitality Suite, St. Louis, MO; and November 29-December 2: American Society of Mechanical Engineers Winter Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. NSF Volunteers The willingness of NSF staffers to volunteer their services is evident in many NSF-sponsored programs and events as well as employee activities and some efforts not related to NSF endeavors. Besides the kinds of volunteer activities described below, volunteers totally staff and run the NSF Employees Association. When staff members are on official travel, they often add in side trips to nearby institutions to give orientations about NSF funding opportunities. In doing so, they particularly reach out to institutions that are not among the leading recipients of NSF funds. To help local schools, last year NSF's Outreach Program recruited more than 270 NSF scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and nontechnical staff as volunteers. The Outreach Program links these volunteers with local schools to share science and engineering discussions with students, hands-on demonstrations, field trips, student mentoring, career presentations, and science fair judging. (See the related article, ENG Outreaches to Touch Many, on page 13.) For many NSF staffers, volunteering does not end with work-related efforts. A wide assortment of groups, associations, clubs, organizations, and societies is assisted by NSF volunteers. For example, Janie Harris, a senior program associate in ENG's Division of Biological and Critical Systems, not only meets the demands of her job, commutes, and serves as mother and homemaker but volunteers her services to two local Girl Scout troops. Serving as an assistant to the leader and den mothers of the two troops, Harris says, "Being a part of this organization gives you a whole new outlook on life." The impetus for this volunteerism, according to Harris, was to give something back to the Girl Scouts for the opportunities provided to her daughter. With the Scouts, both mother and daughter have had the opportunity to visit Hawaii, take a cruise, and plan an upcoming trip to Canada. Fundraising also is an important part of Harris's participation with the Girl Scouts. She says, "Funds are limited these days and lots of families cannot afford to let their girls participate in many of the functions. To help out, we raise money to make it possible for all those interested to attend each event." Harris also urges others to volunteer their time to the scouting effort, declaring that "We need concerned parents. We need volunteers." Research Award The 1993 Outstanding Research Award of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) has been won by Dr. Hareesh Tippur of Auburn University. NSF provided support for Tippur's research on "Experimental Simulation of Crack Initiation at Bimaterial Interfaces due to Mechanical and Thermal Loads" through a fiscal year 1991 Research Initiation Award (RIA) from ENG's Mechanics and Materials Program in the Division of Mechanical and Structural Systems. The RIA award extends through February 1994. The aim of Tippur's research is a better understanding of adhesive bonds, thin films on substrates, and the interfacial failure mechanisms that predominantly control the fracture behavior of multiphase materials, such as polymer and metal matrix composites and metal-filled composites. Using optical measurements of interfacial crack tip deformations prior to and at fracture initiation, Tippur has sought relationships between the local crack tip parameters and external or material parameters, such as remote loading and material property mismatch. STIS Update During just 3 months, December 1992 through February 1993, more than 7,563 individuals signed on to use STIS, NSF's electronic publications dissemination system. In February alone, information was downloaded 52,152 times. STIS also has 1,411 subscribers to its Summary of New Documents, and 239 users subscribe to receive the full text of every new document put on the system. For articles on how to use STIS to obtain information on ENG awards, see pages 3 and 4 of this newsletter. Newsline If you would like to encourage your local radio stations to air more news features on scientific subjects, tell them about the NSF 800 NEWSLINE number that they can obtain to record and air stories on subjects ranging from black holes to biomaterials. The contact person to put your favorite station on the mailing list for regular flyers about the NEWSLINE is James Cosgrove, Division of Public Affairs, Room 527, (202) 357-9498. ENG Program Deadlines June 14, 1993-- Small Business Innovation Research (Brochure NSF 93-18). Contact person: Ms. La Verne Flurry, Division of Industrial Innovation Interface, (202) 653-5202. June 30, 1993-- Program initiative: Repair and Rehabilitation Research for Seismic Resistance of Structures--Second year phase (Brochure NSF 92-28). Contact person: Dr. Henry Lagorio, Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Program, Division of Biological and Critical Systems, (202) 357-9780. Calendar of Events (Listed events involve ENG sponsorship or participation.) Jun. 21-24 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Urbana-Champaign, IL. For information, call Conference and Logistics Consultants, (410) 269-6801. Oct. 24-27 American Society of Civil Engineers, Fall Convention and Exposition, Dallas, TX. For information, call Specialty Conferences Dept., (212) 980-4681. Oct. 28-31 Annual Conference on Engineering in Medicine & Biology, San Diego, CA. For information, call Conference Dept., (613) 993-4005. Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Operation Research Society of America & The Institute of Management Sciences Joint National Meeting, Phoenix, AZ. For information, call TIMS, (401) 274-2525. Nov. 7-12 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Hospitality Suite, St. Louis, MO. For information, call Exposition Dept., (212) 705-7931. Nov. 29-Dec. 2 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Winter Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. For information, call Ms. Jacqueline Illonardo, (212) 705-7100. Jan. 5-7, 1994 NSF Design and Manufacturing Annual Grantees Conference, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. For information, call Ms. Frances Page, MIT, (617) 253-5179.