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National Science Foundation

Directorate for Engineering

Performance Report for FY 2001

D R A F T

Engineering

Contents

[Acronyms and abbreviations iii](#acronyms-and-abbreviations)

[1 The Engineering Directorate has met its outcome goals
1](#the-engineering-directorate-has-met-its-outcome-goals)

[The Engineering Directorate within the National Science Foundation
2](#the-engineering-directorate-within-the-national-science-foundation)

[Sources and methods used in this report
3](#sources-and-methods-used-in-this-report)

[The six divisions of the Engineering Directorate
3](#the-six-divisions-of-the-engineering-directorate)

[Selected accomplishments 5](#selected-accomplishments)

[High-risk and innovative awards 6](#high-risk-and-innovative-awards)

[Major solicitations 8](#major-solicitations)

[Selected workshops and grantee conferences
9](#selected-workshops-and-grantee-conferences)

[Areas for improvement 10](#areas-for-improvement)

[2 The Directorate is part of a productive web of crosscutting and
collaborative\
activities
11](#the-directorate-is-part-of-a-productive-web-of-crosscutting-and-collaborative-activities)

[NSF priority areas and cross-directorate programs
11](#nsf-priority-areas-and-cross-directorate-programs)

[Interagency and private partnerships and activities
14](#interagency-and-private-partnerships-and-activities)

[International activities 15](#international-activities)

[3 Independent evaluations help the Directorate plan for the future
17](#independent-evaluations-help-the-directorate-plan-for-the-future)

[4 Two Committees of Visitors reported positive outcomes in FY 2001
20](#two-committees-of-visitors-reported-positive-outcomes-in-fy-2001)

[People---Development of "a diverse, internationally competitive and
globally\
engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared citizens"
21](#peopledevelopment-of-a-diverse-internationally-competitive-and-globally-engaged-workforce-of-scientists-engineers-and-well-prepared-citizens)

[Ideas---Enabling "discovery across the frontiers of science and
engineering,\
connected to learning, innovation, and service to society"
25](#ideasenabling-discovery-across-the-frontiers-of-science-and-engineering-connected-to-learning-innovation-and-service-to-society)

[Tools---Providing "broadly accessible, state-of-the-art information
bases and\
shared research and education tools"
27](#toolsproviding-broadly-accessible-state-of-the-art-information-bases-and-shared-research-and-education-tools)

[5 The Directorate met its outcome goals through innovative and rigorous
projects
29](#the-directorate-met-its-outcome-goals-through-innovative-and-highly-productive-projects)

[People---Development of "a diverse, internationally competitive and
globally\
engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared citizens"
29](#peopledevelopment-of-a-diverse-internationally-competitive-and-globally-engaged-workforce-of-scientists-engineers-and-well-prepared-citizens-1)

[Ideas---Enabling "discovery across the frontiers of science and
engineering,\
connected to learning, innovation, and service to society"
34](#ideasenabling-discovery-across-the-frontiers-of-science-and-engineering-connected-to-learning-innovation-and-service-to-society-1)

[Tools--- Providing "broadly accessible, state-of-the-art information
bases and\
shared research and education tools"
44](#toolsproviding-broadly-accessible-state-of-the-art-information-bases-and-shared-research-and-education-tools-1)

[Appendixes 47](#appendixes)

[Appendix  1 Solicitations and program announcements, FY 2001
47](#appendix-1-solicitations-and-program-announcements-fy-2001)

[Appendix  2 Workshops and grantee conferences, FY 2001
48](#appendix-2-workshops-and-grantee-conferences-fy-2001)

[Appendix  3 Engineering Directorate activities reflecting attention to
high-risk, multidisciplinary, and innovative research, FY 2001
52](#appendix-3-engineering-directorate-activities-reflecting-attention-to-high-risk-multidisciplinary-and-innovative-research-fy-2001)

[Appendix  4 Support from Engineering Research Centers, by thematic
area,\
FY 2001
53](#appendix-4-support-from-engineering-research-centers-by-thematic-area-fy-2001)

[Appendix  5 Support for Combined Research and Curriculum Development
programs, by thematic area, FY 2001
54](#appendix-5-support-for-combined-research-and-curriculum-development-programs-by-thematic-area-fy-2001)

[Appendix  6 Research Experience for Undergraduates sites funded by the
Engineering Education and Centers division of the Engineering
Directorate, by thematic area, FY 2001
55](#appendix-6-research-experience-for-undergraduates-sites-funded-by-the-engineering-education-and-centers-division-of-the-engineering-directorate-by-thematic-area-fy-2001)

[Appendix  7 International collaboration in Engineering Research Centers
and Earthquake Engineering Research Centers, FY 2001
56](#appendix-7-international-collaboration-in-engineering-research-centers-and-earthquake-engineering-research-centers-fy-2001)

[Appendix  8 Participation of women and underrepresented minorities in
Engineering Research Centers and Earthquake Engineering Research
Centers,\
FY 1997--2001
57](#appendix-8-participation-of-women-and-underrepresented-minorities-in-engineering-research-centers-and-earthquake-engineering-research-centers-fy-19972001-percent)

[Appendix  9 Selected GPRA investment process and management goals for
Engineering Directorate, FY 2001
58](#appendix-9-selected-gpra-investment-process-and-management-goals-for-engineering-directorate-fy-2001-in-percent-except-as-otherwise-noted)

[Appendix  10 Detailed table of contents listing all project examples
cited in\
report
59](#appendix-10-detailed-table-of-contents-listing-all-project-examples-cited-in-report)

Tables

Table 1.1 Selected activities of Engineering Directorate by outcome
goal, FY 2001

Table 2.1 Engineering Directorate funding for NSF-wide programs, FY 2001

Table 4.1 COV ratings for outcome goals, by division, FY 2001

Table 4.2 Committee of Visitors schedule for Engineering Directorate, FY
2001--04

# Acronyms and abbreviations

AFM Atomic force microscopy

BE Biocomplexity in the Environment (NSF priority area)

BES Bioengineering and Environmental Systems (division of Engineering
Directorate)

BIO Biological Sciences (directorate)

BME Biomedical Engineering (cluster)

CAREER Faculty Early Career Development (program)

CISE Computer and Information Science and Engineering (directorate)

CMS Civil and Mechanical Systems (division of Engineering Directorate)

CONACyT Consejo Nacional de Ciencia Tecnología (Mexico)

COV Committee of Visitors

CRCD Combined Research Curriculum Development

CREST Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology

CTS Chemical and Transport Systems (division of Engineering Directorate)

DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

DMII Design, Manufacturing, and Industrial Innovation (division of
Engineering Directorate)

DOD Department of Defense

DOE Department of Energy

DOME Distributed Object-Based Modeling Environment

DSMSC Dynamic System Modeling, Sensing, and Control (program)

ECS Electrical and Communications Systems (division of Engineering
Directorate)

EEC Engineering Education and Centers (division of EEC)

EERC Earthquake Engineering Research Centers

EHR Education and Human Resources (directorate)

ENG Directorate for Engineering

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

EPSCoR Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

ERC Engineering Research Centers

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FY Fiscal year (October 1--September 30)

GEO Geosciences (directorate)

GHS Geotechnical and Geohazards Systems (program)

GOALI Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (program)

GPRA Government Performance and Results Act

GRF Graduate Research Fellowships (program)

HBCU Historically Black colleges and universities

HVAC Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

I/UCRC Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers

ICSST Information and Communications Systems for Surface Transportation

IERI Interagency Educational Research Initiatives

IGERT Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeships

IIS Infrastructure and Information Systems (program)

ITR Information Technology Research (NSF priority area)

LED Light-emitting diode

MEWG Metabolic Engineering Working Group

MPS Mathematical and Physical Sciences (directorate)

MRE Major Research Equipment

MRI Major Research Instrumentation

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NEES Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (program)

NEHRP National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

NIH National Institutes of Health

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology

NNI National Nanotechnology Initiative

NNUN National Nanofabrication Users Network

NSE Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSF priority area)

NSF National Science Foundation

QSB Quantitative Systems Biotechnology

RAPD Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (program)

RET Research Experience for Teachers (program)

REU Research Experience for Undergraduates (program)

SBE Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (directorate)

SBIR Small Business Innovation Research (program)

SGER Small Grants for Exploratory Research (program)

S/IUCRC State/Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers

SSE Structural Systems and Engineering (program)

SMME Solid Mechanics and Materials Engineering (program)

STC Science and Technology Centers

STTR Small Business Technology Transfer (program)

TSE Technology for a Sustainable Environment (NSF/EPA Partnership)

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

WTEC World Technology Evaluation Center

# 1 The Engineering Directorate has met its outcome goals

With a budget of \$430.84 million in FY 2001 the Engineering Directorate
met the three outcome goals of the National Science Foundation (NSF) as
measured by all applicable goal indicators.

The Directorate met all of NSF's management and process goals except
that of increasing award size and implementing the second merit review
criterion---which requires reviewers and program staff to consider the
broad social impact of proposed projects. In FY 2002, it will implement
policy to ensure that NSF goals for award size and duration are
implemented effectively across the Directorate. It will also participate
in an NSF-wide effort to enhance the implementation of the second
merit-review criterion ("broad social impact"). For more on the
management and process goals, see "Areas for improvement" in this
section, as well as section 4 and appendix 9.

The Directorate provided \$68.16 million for *people*---in the form of
education and human resource programs, \$354.03 million for *ideas*---in
research grants (including support for students on awards), and \$2.8
million for *tools*---represented by the National Nanofabrication Users
Network (NNUN), which provides the infrastructure for nanotechnology
research for a broad range of users and sponsors educational activities
for undergraduates and K-12 students (table 1.1).

Table 1.1 Selected activities of Engineering Directorate by outcome
goal, FY 2001

+----------------+--------------------------------------------+--------+
| Goal           | Activity                                   | B      |
|                |                                            | udget\ |
|                |                                            | (\$    |
|                |                                            | mil    |
|                |                                            | lions) |
+----------------+--------------------------------------------+--------+
| People         | Combined Research and Curriculum           | \      |
| ---Development | Development (CRCD)                         | $68.16 |
| of "a diverse, |                                            |        |
| i              | Research Experiences for Teachers (RET)    |        |
| nternationally |                                            |        |
| competitive    | Research Experiences for Undergraduates    |        |
| and globally   | (REU)                                      |        |
| engaged        |                                            |        |
| workforce of   | Graduate K-12 Fellowships                  |        |
| scientists,    |                                            |        |
| engineers, and | Integrated Graduate Education and Research |        |
| well-prepared  | Traineeships (IGERT)                       |        |
| citizens"      |                                            |        |
|                | Faculty Early Career Development           |        |
|                |                                            |        |
|                | ADVANCE                                    |        |
+----------------+--------------------------------------------+--------+
| Id             | NSF priority areas: Nanoscale Science and  | \$     |
| eas---Enabling | Engineering, Information Technology        | 354.03 |
| "discovery     | Research, Biocomplexity in the Environment |        |
| across the     |                                            |        |
| frontiers of   | Engineering Directorate initiatives        |        |
| science and    |                                            |        |
| engineering,   | Core programs                              |        |
| connected to   |                                            |        |
| learning,      | Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)  |        |
| innovation,    |                                            |        |
| and service to | Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)  |        |
| society"       |                                            |        |
+----------------+--------------------------------------------+--------+
| Too            | National Nanofabrication Users Network     | \$2.80 |
| ls---Providing | (NNUN)                                     |        |
| "broadly       |                                            |        |
| accessible,    | Network for Earthquake Engineering         |        |
| st             | Simulation (NEES)^a^                       |        |
| ate-of-the-art |                                            |        |
| information    | Engineering Directorate support for        |        |
| bases and      | research equipment^b^                      |        |
| shared         |                                            |        |
| research and   |                                            |        |
| education      |                                            |        |
| tools"         |                                            |        |
+----------------+--------------------------------------------+--------+

a\. Does not appear in Engineering Directorate budget.

b\. Funds are included in support for Ideas.

After a careful review of one of the Directorate's divisions a Committee
of Visitors (COV) concluded that the division "had been successful in
meeting its process and management responsibilities and its strategic
outcome goals .... Programs ... are indeed producing a diverse and
competitive workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared
citizens, are connected to learning, innovation, and service to society,
and are providing broadly accessible, state-of-the-art information bases
and shared research and education tools."

With respect to the outcome goal for people, the COV was even more
positive, finding that the division's programs were having a
"significant and, in some cases, a dramatic impact on diversity,
curricula, and pre-college outreach."[^1]

The other COV review conducted within the Directorate this year reached
similar results. The evaluators found "ample evidence of successful
outcomes for all three strategic goals."[^2]

The Directorate's programs---and its participation in the programs of
NSF and other agencies and organizations---are described in increasing
detail in the sections that follow.

## The Engineering Directorate within the National Science Foundation

The Directorate for Engineering is one of six research directorates
within NSF. NSF provides 38 percent of all federal support for
fundamental engineering research and education at U.S. academic
institutions.

The Directorate's research and education activities are designed to
advance knowledge of major technologies such as microsystems,
nanotechnology, information technology, and biotechnology. Directorate
programs contribute to national efforts to develop an abundant, diverse,
and capable technical workforce. This support strengthens the nation's
industrial sector and provides a major impetus to economic growth.

The Directorate supports fundamental research and education on
engineering systems, devices and materials, and the processes and
methodologies that underpin them. Acting as a catalyst, it supports
research, education, and infrastructure leading to new paradigms and
breakthrough technologies. It promotes the development of research tools
that foster collaboration and spur discoveries at the frontiers of
knowledge.

Through merit review, the Directorate provides support only for the
strongest proposals and the best researchers.

All divisions support the education of a diverse workforce and realize
the importance of innovative, high-risk investments.

The Directorate participates in a wide range of partnerships---domestic
and international---to promote the creation and dissemination of new
knowledge, to leverage resources, and to provide opportunities for U.S.
researchers and students to pursue fundamental research on important
issues.

Through its support for centers and a major research facility---the
National Nanofabrication Users Network---the Directorate promotes
multidisciplinary research and technology transfer. The centers provide
a locus for new engineering disciplines to meet emerging challenges and
opportunities.

In FY 2001, the Directorate supported a broad range of education and
human resource programs. Partnerships with industry are supported
through the Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry
(GOALI) program, the Engineering Research Centers (ERC) program, and the
Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program. These
partnerships give students an opportunity to interact with industrial
researchers and to gain exposure to industrial operations.

## Sources and methods used in this report

This report was prepared in accordance with the *Guidelines for FY 2001
Directorate GPRA Annual Performance Reporting*. The assessment is based
on two COV reports---for Civil and Mechanical Systems (CMS) and
Engineering Education Centers (EEC)---and on annual reports from the
directorate's six divisions. To ensure objectivity, the report relies
wherever possible on outcomes reported in peer-reviewed journals.

The COV reports and division annual reports do not provide a
comprehensive assessment of performance with respect to the indicators
for the three outcome goals. This report addresses the indicators to the
extent possible, primarily by classifying noteworthy activities by
indicator.

The division directors and the assistant director for engineering have
reviewed the content of this report to ensure its accuracy and validity.

## The six divisions of the Engineering Directorate

Six divisions carry out the Directorate's programs.

*Bioengineering and Environmental Systems* (BES) supports research and
education in the rapidly evolving fields of bioengineering and
environmental engineering. BES has two principal objectives: (1) to
enable and facilitate the deployment of new technologies in the medical,
biotechnological, and environmental arenas, and (2) to advance
bioengineering and environmental engineering education, particularly
through the development of innovative programs by new faculty.

BES's priorities include postgenomic engineering, new technologies for
the environment, nanobiosystems, tissue engineering, and biophotonics.
These research areas are built on a continuing base that includes
biomaterials, biomechanics, controlled release, bioimaging, biosensors,
medical devices and instrumentation, artificial organs, therapeutic
agent bioprocessing, industrial bioproducts bioprocessing,
bioremediation, ecological engineering, water and waste treatment,
biomining, food engineering, and ocean engineering.

*Chemical and Transport Systems* (CTS) supports research to increase
knowledge and development of processes that transport and transform
matter and energy. The transformations involve chemical, biological, and
physical components. CTS outputs are used by manufacturing industries
such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, forest products, textiles,
materials, petroleum, food; energy industries including utilities, power
generation, natural gas; electronics companies, and manufacturers of
consumer products.

CTS also supports research in important traditional areas such as
chemical reaction engineering, interfacial transport and separations,
fluid dynamics and particle processes, and combustion and thermal
processing.

*Civil and Mechanical Systems* (CMS) has two major goals: (1) to provide
a fundamental and quantitative underpinning for the professions of civil
and mechanical engineering as applied to mechanical systems and
structures, and (2) rapid development and deployment of new technology
in service to the public.

CMS supports research and education activities that increase knowledge
in construction, geotechnology, dynamics, sensors and control systems,
engineering mechanics, and materials. CMS also invests in research and
technology to reduce the risks posed by earthquakes and other natural
and technological hazards. The division's cross-disciplinary
partnerships promote development of autoadaptive systems,
nanotechnology, and information sciences to enable revolutionary
advances in our nation's civil and mechanical systems.

*Design, Manufacturing, and Industrial Innovation* (DMII) addresses the
growing role of technology in engineering design and manufacture---and
the opportunities and challenges posed by new technology. DMII's five
research thrusts are complemented by investments in core research
programs. The five thrusts are: (1) nanomanufacturing, (2)
environmentally benign manufacturing, (3) engineering for the service
sector, (4) distributed design and manufacturing, and (5) information
technology.

DMII manages NSF's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program,
which provides support to small businesses for research across the full
range of science and engineering disciplines supported by the
Foundation, with a goal of creating new technologies, industries,
businesses, and jobs. The program also promotes linkages among small
businesses, university experts, and state agencies to provide technical
business expertise to talented entrepreneurs.

*Electrical and Communications Systems* (ECS) focuses on the convergence
of major technology streams in micro- and nanoelectronics,
communications, computation, and bioelectronics that will result in
rapid technological changes. ECS supports fundamental research on
component technologies and intelligent engineering systems to support
the integration of components and systems in a variety of domains.

Major program directions include nanoelectronics and quantum
engineering; integrated microsystems, hybrid systems, and embedded
computation; wireless technologies, information networks, and
distributed complex systems; learning, adaptation, and computational
intelligence; and biologically based systems and computation.

The division supports and provides program oversight for the NSF Science
and Technology Center (STC) for Nanobiotechnology.

*Engineering Education and Centers* (EEC) integrates academic and
industrial research across disciplines and among academe, industry, and
the public sector to bring knowledge of breakthroughs in science and
technology to students and practicing engineers---wherever they work and
learn. EEC attracts talented students from diverse backgrounds to the
engineering profession and helps them have rewarding and productive
careers. The division supports three complementary sets of centers and
groups: the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs),
the Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) and groups, and the Earthquake
Engineering Research Centers (EERCs).

## Selected accomplishments

The Directorate had major accomplishments in FY 2001. It continued its
leadership role in the Nanoscale Science and Engineering priority area
and launched a new thrust for environmentally benign manufacturing under
the Biocomplexity in the Environment priority area.

The Directorate implemented a number of cooperative agreements to create
the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES). NEES is a
collaborative effort designed to transform the environment for
earthquake engineering research and education and to improve the seismic
design and performance of civil and mechanical infrastructure systems.
NEES will encompass approximately 20 next-generation experimental
research equipment sites that will be linked for experimental
collaboration, data sharing, and computation. In addition, the sites
will offer teleobservation and teleoperation capabilities.

In FY 2001 the Directorate executed 11 cooperative agreements for
research equipment sites and one cooperative agreement for a system
integrator to develop the NEES high-performance Internet system.

The Directorate continues to coordinate the CAREER program and supports
many CAREER awards.

The Directorate's interagency activities flourished during FY 2001, with
new partnerships in health, energy, optical technologies, and
intelligent transportation. A new partnership with the Food and Drug
Administration, for example, will investigate scientific and engineering
issues for medical device technology.

## High-risk and innovative awards

The Foundation's performance plan calls for an appropriate balance of
high risk, multidisciplinary, and innovative research across programs.
The Directorate's response to that call is described in this section and
reflected in many of the activities identified elsewhere in this report
(tabulated in appendix 3).

The Engineering Directorate continuously assesses its portfolio to
identify emerging opportunities as well as mature areas undergoing a
transition from fundamental research to industrial applications. The
directorate's Advisory Committee, committees of visitors (COVs),
workshops, conferences, and dialogue with the community all contribute
to the ongoing assessment.

To spur research in emerging areas the Directorate promotes discussion
of new issues and provides focused support for new thrusts. Most thrusts
last for two or three years, during which time current programs are
reshaped to reflect the new emphasis. These initiatives are often
adopted by other parts of the federal government. NSF's nanotechnology
initiative, for example, has become a governmentwide effort that
receives substantial support.

The Engineering Directorate invests heavily in high-risk research and
education activities in Nanoscale Science and Engineering. The FY 2001
competition totaled \$75.9 million, with \$34.6 million coming from the
Engineering Directorate. FY 2001 awards support research and education
on biosystems at nanoscale; nanoscale structures, novel phenomena, and
quantum control; device and system architecture; design tools and
nanosystem-specific software; nanoscale processes in the environment;
multiscale, multiphenomena modeling and simulation at the nanoscale; and
studies on societal implications of nanoscale science and engineering.

In FY 2001, the Directorate funded \$28.14 million in awards for the
Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES)---a high risk
program to shift the emphasis of earthquake engineering research from
physical testing to integrated experimentation, computation, theory,
databases, and model-based simulation.

The Directorate also provided support for high-risk awards through
focused solicitations and approximately \$4 million in support for Small
Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) awards.

Selected high-risk or innovative awards include:

-   Robert Langer is using his SGER award (BES-99-04368) to explore
    whether electrical stimulation can control neural cell behavior as
    well as chemicals can.

-   Professors Austin and Chou of Princeton University are
    collaboratively exploring the use of nanotechnology techniques for
    DNA sequencing, based on a pioneering technology that combines the
    fields of nanotechnology, new fractionation science, and
    single-molecule molecular biology (ECS-99-80814). Their technology
    could become the basis for the development of a "biology laboratory
    on a chip."

-   Eric Stuve is developing novel experimental techniques that will
    make it easier to study chemical reactions at the atomic scale
    (CTS-98-76905). The results will pave the way for the design of
    catalyst nanoparticles to enhance the performance of methanol fuel
    cells.

-   A project at Michigan State is developing a multidisciplinary
    bioprocessing curriculum that integrates expertise from
    biochemistry, microbiology, chemistry, botany, and chemical
    engineering (EEC-98-72431). This effort has led to a new
    multidisciplinary graduate training program in "technologies for a
    bio-based economy."

-   E.A. Elsayed of Rutgers received an exploratory research award
    (DMI-99-08337) to investigate the feasibility of creating
    sophisticated folded structures from metal and polymer sheet for
    applications requiring light but stiff structures. He later received
    an unsolicited research award (DMI-01-15440) to integrate his
    earlier mathematics and materials research with mechanics and
    machine system design.

-   Roman Hryciw is using his SGER award (CMS-01-29485) to investigate
    the use of magnetorheological fluids for temporary *in situ*
    solidification of coarse-grained soils, making it less costly to
    sample saturated or dry, loose soils. Other potential future
    applications of such fluids in geotechnical engineering may include
    stabilization of soil for excavation, tunneling, and preconstruction
    settlement.

-   Professors Shaw and Haddow at Michigan State University are working
    with automotive engine designers to cut down vibration and shake in
    combustion engines. They are exploring an approach similar to that
    used in skyscrapers, which involves adding small moving parts
    (CMS-97-00143 and CMS-00-84947).

## Major solicitations

In addition to leading the NSF-wide Nanoscale Science and Engineering
competition, the Engineering Directorate participated in the development
of solicitations for other priority areas, including Biocomplexity in
the Environment and Information Technology Research.

The directorate's major solicitations in emerging areas in FY 2001
included the following:

-   NSF 01-19: Interagency Announcement of Opportunities in Metabolic
    Engineering, in partnership with NSF's Biological Sciences and
    Mathematical and Physical Sciences directorates and other federal
    agencies (NIH, DOE, NASA, NIST, EPA, DOD, and USDA)

-   NSF 01-30: Biophotonics Partnership Initiative II, in partnership
    with NIH and DARPA

-   NSF 01-37: Quantitative Systems Biotechnology

-   NSF 01-65: Ultra-High-Capacity Optical Communications and
    Networking, in partnership with NSF's Computer and Information
    Science and Engineering directorate

-   NSF 01-76: 2001 Technology for a Sustainable Environment, in
    partnership with the Mathematical and Physical Sciences directorate
    and EPA

-   NSF 01-87: NSF/USDOT Partnership for Exploratory Research on
    Information and Communications Systems for Surface Transportation
    (ICSST)

-   NSF 01-139: FY 2002--2003 Combined Research Curriculum Development
    (CRCD), in partnership with the Computer and Information Science and
    Engineering directorate.

A complete list of Engineering Directorate solicitations for FY 2001
appears in appendix 1.

## Selected workshops and grantee conferences

The Engineering Directorate supports workshops and grantee meetings to
identify emerging research opportunities, foster the dissemination of
knowledge, and encourage collaboration among grantees. Timely workshops
not only shape emerging fields of science but also enable NSF to target
future support for those fields. Selected events in FY 2001 include:

-   3rd International Symposium on Radiative Transport

-   5th Annual Green Chemistry Conference

-   ECS-EPSCoR Electronics, Photonics, and Device Technologies National
    Grantees Conference

-   First Annual Engineering Education Grantees Conference

-   Minorities in Chemical Engineering Workshop

-   Multiagency Metabolic Engineering Grantees Conference

-   National Research Council Chemical Sciences Roundtable

-   NATO-NSF Workshop on Model-Based Simulation of Durability of
    Materials and Structures

-   NSF/DOE/EPRI Workshop on Future Research Direction for Complex
    Interactive Electric Networks

-   NSF-EC Workshop on Nanomanufacturing and Processing

-   Supply Chain Management Practice and Research-Status and Future
    Directions

-   Symposium on Research to Develop an Artificial Retina

-   The Earthquake Research Plan: Research Needs and Opportunities for
    Earthquake Engineering, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute

-   The Future Revolution in Optical Communications and Networking

-   U.S.-China Joint Workshop: Catalysis for Sustainable Chemical
    Technologies

-   Wireless Technology Grantees' Conference

-   Workshop for the World Congress on Disaster Reduction, American
    Society of Civil Engineers

-   Workshop on Advanced Sensor Technology for Civil Engineering Systems

-   Workshop on Chemical and Physical Nanotechnology, National
    Nanofabrication Users Network

-   Workshop on Grand Challenges in Nanoscale Science and Engineering

-   Workshop on Tissue Engineering Research in Europe, Japan, and the
    United States

A complete list of workshops and conferences supported by the
Engineering Directorate in FY 2001 appears in appendix 2.

## Areas for improvement

The Engineering Directorate will cooperate in NSF-wide efforts to
implement a more systematic effort to ensure that the second
merit-review criterion (assessing the likely broader impact of proposed
projects) is given adequate consideration throughout the review and
selection process.

NSF is exploring improved mechanisms to capture demographic data on NSF
awardees and reviewers. In the meantime the Engineering Directorate is
implementing enhanced data-management systems to enable the EEC division
to improve reporting on the demographic characteristics of the centers
and programs it supports, for which substantial data collection is in
place. Data on the demographic characteristics of participants in ERCs,
EERCs, and REUs appear in appendix 8.

The Directorate will enhance its process for preparing for and
conducting COV reviews. By providing outcome data for each performance
indicator, for example, the Directorate will help the COVs assess the
divisions' performance.

# 2 The Directorate is part of a productive web of crosscutting and collaborative activities

The Engineering Directorate collaborates with a wide range of
organizations. The collaborations leverage Directorate resources and
facilitate innovative and multidisciplinary research and education
activities.

## NSF priority areas and cross-directorate programs

The Directorate is active in all of the Foundation's priority
areas---Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Biocomplexity in the
Environment, and Information Technology Research, and in Learning for
the 21^st^ Century. It has assumed management responsibility for
appropriate awards, and its staff have developed solicitations and
participated in the review and selection process.

The Directorate's FY 2001 investments in the Foundation's priority areas
were as follows:

-   Nanoscale Science and Engineering, \$65 million

-   Information Technology Research, \$8 million

-   Biocomplexity in the Environment, \$3 million

-   Learning for the 21st Century, \$3 million.

A member of the Engineering Directorate staff leads the NSF-wide group
on Nanoscale Science and Engineering, which prepares publications and
organizes competitions and evaluations of the program. Nanoscale Science
and Engineering is part of the interagency National Nanotechnology
Initiative (NNI)---now in its second year.

Directorate activities related to Nanoscale Science and Engineering are
listed in appendix 3.

The Engineering Directorate leads several innovative cross-directorate
programs.

It manages the *National Nanofabrication Users Network* (NNUN) in which
the Biological Sciences, Computer and Information Science and
Engineering, and Mathematical and Physical Sciences directorates
participate. NNUN provides the infrastructure for research on the
control of properties at the atomic/molecular level, the assembly of
nanostructured materials, and the use of those materials as building
blocks for engineering applications such as thin films and coatings,
advanced chemical catalysts, artificial biomaterials, and novel
optoelectronic devices.

In cooperation with the Computer and Information Science and Engineering
directorate, it manages the *Combined Research and Curriculum
Development* (CRCD) program, which incorporates cutting-edge research
advances into upper-level undergraduate and graduate engineering courses
and stimulates active faculty researchers to place increased value on
curriculum innovation. Support for CRCD projects in FY 2001 is detailed
in appendix 5.

The *Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry* (GOALI)
provides support for an an eclectic mix of industry-university linkages.
A major goal of the program is to enable faculty, postdoctoral fellows
and students to conduct research and gain experience with production
processes in an industrial setting. The program is conducted jointly
with the Mathematical and Physical Sciences and the Social, Behavioral,
and Economic Sciences directorates.

In FY 2001, the Engineering Directorate provided approximately \$59
million through other NSF-wide programs (table 2.1).

The *Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER)* program provides support
to junior faculty for the conduct of the highest quality research and
education. In FY 2001, Engineering Directorate staff led the
coordinating committee for the CAREER program and provided support for a
committee of visitors that reviewed the program. It funded almost
one-fifth of the CAREER awards made by NSF---continuing its strong
support of the program.

The *Research Experience for Undergraduates* (REU) program encourages
students to become independent researchers. It has demonstrated to
women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities that
promising careers in engineering research are accessible to them. Of the
368 REU students involved in Engineering Research Centers in FY 2001, 86
are female, 126 are from underrepresented minority groups (46 African
Americans, 74 Hispanics, 2 Native Americans), and none is disabled.

In FY 2001, the Directorate provided than \$3 million in support through
research grants and \$5.99 million to fund 70 REU sites, making 19 new
awards, two of which were cofunded by other directorates. Each site
consists of a group of undergraduates who work with faculty and graduate
students on carefully defined projects aligned with the research
programs of the host institution. Students are accepted from around the
country and receive stipends and, in some cases, assistance with housing
and travel.

The focus areas of the ten REU sites funded by the Engineering Education
and Centers (EEC) division of the Directorate are closely aligned with
NSF-wide and Directorate areas of emphasis---two in nanotechnology, two
in microsystems, and six in biocomplexity and bioremediation (see
appendix 6).

The Engineering Directorate provided \$2.79 million for NSF's *Graduate
Research Fellowships* (GRF) program, making possible additional graduate
research fellowships for women in engineering. This highly competitive
program supports three years of graduate study leading to a
research-based master's or doctoral degree.

Table 2.1 Engineering Directorate funding for NSF-wide programs, FY 2001

  --------------------------------------------------------- -------------
  Program                                                   Funding\
                                                            (\$ millions)

  Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER)                 33.73

  Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)             9.23

  Science and Technology Centers (STC)                      4.00

  Graduate Research Fellowships (GRF)                       2.79

  Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships  2.98
  (IGERT)                                                   

  Minority Institutions for Excellence                      1.14

  Interagency Educational Research Initiatives (IERI)       2.00

  Research Experiences for Teachers (RET)                   2.20

  ADVANCE                                                   0.98

  Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education               0.70
  --------------------------------------------------------- -------------

In FY 2001, Engineering Directorate staff led the Foundation-wide
coordinating committee for the *Integrative Graduate Education and
Research Traineeships* (IGERT) program---and the EEC division provided
\$2.98 million in support. IGERT funds sites that give groups of Ph.D.
students in science and engineering the multidisciplinary training they
need to succeed. The program is expected to catalyze a cultural change
in graduate education transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Fifteen of the 22 sites that received awards in FY 2001 have
concentrations of particular interest to engineering.

*Interagency Educational Research Initiatives* (IERI) is a joint program
with NIH and the Department of Education to improve pre-K-12 student
learning and achievement in reading, mathematics, and science by
supporting rigorous interdisciplinary research into promising
educational practices and technologies. EEC, which represents the
Engineering Directorate in the program, provided \$2 million in FY 2001
support. To provide for the accumulation of databases of reliable and
strictly comparable data, IERI-supported projects share common
benchmarks.

*Research Experiences for Teachers* (RET) provides opportunities for
K-12 teachers to participate in research in areas of emerging
technology, facilitating inquiry-based learning and ensuring that new
knowledge enters the curriculum.

The *Minority Institutions for Excellence* program provides funds and
technical assistance to institutions that have a history of awarding
science, engineering and mathematics degrees to African Americans,
Hispanics, and Native Americans.

*ADVANCE* is a program to increase the representation and advancement of
women in academic science and engineering careers.

*Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education* provides fellowships and
instructional training to enable highly qualified graduate and advanced
undergraduate students in the sciences, mathematics, engineering, and
technology to contribute to the education of K-12 students. Fellows
spend at least 10 hours a week working with teachers in the classroom.

## Interagency and private partnerships and activities

The Engineering Directorate participates in a wide range of interagency
partnerships, cofunding awards with other agencies and inviting those
agencies to participate in Directorate-sponsored workshops and other
activities. Major partnerships include:

*Engineering Research Centers*. In FY 2000, the Directorate's network of
20 Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) and 3 Earthquake Engineering
Research Centers (EERCs) had 505 partnerships with industrial firms and
practitioners, an average of 25 firms per center. State and local
government agencies throughout the country responsible for disaster
mitigation and the provision of power, gas, and electricity were also
members of the EERCs.

The ERCs and EERCs receive only 25-30 percent of their support from NSF,
with the balance coming from contracts with industry and other federal
agencies, as well as other sources.

ERC spending is closely aligned with NSF priorities (appendix 4).
Participation of women and underrepresented minorities in ERCs, EERCs,
and REUs is detailed in appendix 8.

*Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers*. Over 700 company
memberships provide the primary funding for Industry/University
Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs), with industry interest
sufficient to generate in excess of \$10 for every dollar provided by
NSF. I/UCRCs also received more than \$3 million in funding from other
federal agencies in FY 2001.

*Metabolic engineering*. The Engineering Directorate has led the
conception and implementation of a rare multi-agency initiative in the
field of metabolic engineering
(www.epa.gov/opptintr/metabolic/index.htm). Through the Metabolic
Engineering Working Group, eight agencies co-review and jointly fund
exciting proposals dealing with the purposeful alteration of metabolic
pathways to produce useful chemicals and other medical phenomena.

The Engineering Directorate participates in an interagency committee
that coordinates federal tissue engineering activities
(http://tissueengineering.gov). This group is currently sponsoring a
WTEC international technology assessment of the field to aid in future
planning.

*Earthquake hazards reduction*. The Engineering Directorate, together
with the GEO and SBE directorates, works with the other National
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) agencies (FEMA, NIST, and
USGS) to fund research into hazard reduction. Congress designated FEMA
to lead the initiative.

*Scholar-in-Residence at NIH*. The Engineering and Mathematical and
Physical Sciences directorates collaborate with the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) to support the NSF/NIH Scholar-in-Residence at NIH
program (NSF-00-97). The directorates support engineers and mathematical
and physical scientists in the NSF grantee community who wish to explore
innovative new directions at the interface of medical and biological
fields within the intramural research environment of NIH**.**

## International activities

The Engineering Directorate has promoted---with the International
division of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
directorate---international activities through (1) grant awards that
involve collaboration with researchers in other countries, (2)
international assessments, (3) partial funding of travel for
international conferences, and (4) workshops to initiate international
collaborations.

ERCs are particularly active in numerous international collaborations,
as detailed in appendix 7.

*Postdisaster reconnaissance and earthquake mitigation*. The directorate
supports a broad spectrum of research, including data collection and
rapid-response reconnaissance inspections following catastrophic events
such as earthquakes, scouring, tsunamis, floods, piping (particle
erosion, transport, and deposition), and landslides and debris flows.
Several examples of such research appear in sections 5 and 7 of this
report.

Since 1998, the Directorate has provided \$1.5 million per year (matched
by the Japanese government) to support joint collaborative research
projects on earthquake mitigation. Some 30 projects have focused on
performance-based design and engineering, integrated social science
research, advanced steel structures, geotechnical engineering systems,
and advanced technologies. Graduate and undergraduate students have been
exchanged with support from the Summer Student Institute in Japan
program of the Foundation's Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
directorate**.**

*NATO-Russia joint science and technology cooperation*. The Engineering
Directorate has worked with other directorates and NATO to support
workshops, linkage grants, and expert visits under the NATO-Russia Joint
Science and Technology Cooperation program
(http://www.nato.int/science/e/russia/info.html). The first competition,
in FY 2001, resulted in three exploratory linkage grants and expert
visits, and one workshop co-funded by NATO and Russia.

*U.S.-Mexico collaborative research*. NSF and the Consejo Nacional de
Ciencia Tecnología (CONACyT) of Mexico support a cooperative research
and research infrastructure effort in engineering and computer science.
The program identifies scientific research needs and provides
opportunities for investigators in both countries to take advantages of
onsite investigations, develop educational and linguistic skills, and to
use specialized research tools that might otherwise not be available to
individual researchers. Approximately \$600,000 was spent to support
this effort in FY 2001.

*Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers*. The I/UCRC program
helped establish three international centers in FY 2001---one each in
Sweden, France, and Great Britain. The collaborative project linking the
I/UCRC for Biosurfaces with the University of Malmo I/UCRC in Sweden is
"Adaptive and Survival Strategies of Microorganisms in Biofilms" and is
cost-shared by INT and BES.

*Evaluations*. The Engineering Directorate has sponsored international
evaluations by the World Technology Evaluation Center (WTEC) of the
International Technology Research Institute at Loyola College of
Maryland. These studies assess the competitive status of U.S. efforts,
current collaborative activities, and identify opportunities for new
approaches in U.S. research programs and topics for further
international cooperation. (See section 3.)

# 3 Independent evaluations help the Directorate plan for the future

The Directorate's work was the subject of two reviews by committees of
visitors, reported in the next section, and several independent
assessments---all of which reached positive conclusions and provided the
Directorate with valuable guidance for action.

The National Academy of Sciences assessed the use of decision-making
approaches in engineering design, the validity of these approaches, and
their implications for engineering education. The report is in the
Academy's review process.

A worldwide evaluation of tissue engineering by the World Technology
Evaluation Center (WTEC) of the International Technology Research
Institute at Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland---funded by NSF and
other federal agencies---is in preparation. The completed study will
guide the Directorate's---and NSF's work in the important emerging area
of tissue engineering. (The Engineering Directorate has tasked Abt
Associates to study the role NSF played in fostering that emergence.)

The final report from WTEC's study of environmentally benign
manufacturing was published on the Web and in print in April 2001
(http://itri.loyola.edu/ebm/ebm.pdf). The report includes global
benchmarking of the current technologies, systems, and policies, with
suggested recommendations for future research needs. Use of metals and
polymers in the automotive and the electronics sectors were the primary
topical areas.

The study found that better tools, data, metrics, and technologies were
needed on specific materials and industrial sectors. It called for
development of high-performance business practices such as supply chain
management, goals alignment, and assessment tracking.

Two workshops have been funded to convene researchers in academia and
industry to discuss activities related to the recommendations:
Environmentally Benign Manufacturing for the Transportation Industries,
September 26--28, 2001 (DMI-01-17800), cosponsored by Ford and several
professional and trade groups; and New Directions in Environmentally
Benign Manufacturing and Materials Processing towards Dematerialization,
October 5, 2001 (DMI-01-21008), in conjunction with the USA-Japan
Ecomaterials for Human Environment and Global Security conference
sponsored by Tokai University.

WTEC is conducting studies of spin electronics and quantum information
science. In these studies the Engineering Directorate asked WTEC to (1)
evaluate the competitive status of U.S. engineering and research and
development efforts vis-à-vis those of Japan, Europe, and Australia in
technology areas critical to U.S. standing in the global marketplace,
(2) assess current collaborative activities, and (3) identify
opportunities for new approaches in U.S. research programs and topics
for future international cooperation. Additional interagency studies are
planned in the area of microelectromechanical systems. These studies
have helped the division's program directors to plan future investment
strategies.

Three studies---complete or nearing completion---focus on research
cooperation between industries and universities.

The first, "Outcomes and Impacts of the State/Industry-University
Cooperative Research Centers (S/IUCRC) Program" (NSF-01-110) finds that
the program has been a modest success as measured against its goals and
objectives and compared with the outcomes and impacts of the I/UCRC
program that served as its model. S/IUCRC attracted considerably more
in-state firms than out-of-state firms and a much greater proportion of
small firms. Participation rates in center activities were similar for
both programs, but the frequency and range of beneficial results related
to more tangible research outcomes were greater for members of S/IUCRCs
than members of I/UCRCs.

Some of the S/IUCRC Program's outcomes and impacts can be attributed to
its unique features, some to the more general nature of
university-industry cooperative research activities, and some to the
characteristics of center member firms. Outcomes related to intellectual
property occurred more frequently for S/IUCRC member firms than for
I/UCRC member firms, but could not be clearly identified with the unique
intellectual property provisions attached to S/IUCRC non-core research.

The design of a future partnership program between NSF and the states,
however, must account for the lack of integration in many states between
plans for economic development, on the one hand, and science and
technology, on the other, and for variations in the nature of state
agencies responsible for support of universities. Strengthening state
science and technology infrastructures might be a realistic goal

The second study, "Trends in Industrial Support of University-Based
Cooperative Research," by Christopher Hill and Jon Tucker of George
Mason University, continues research started with a grant from the
Social Dimensions of Science and Technology program of the Social,
Behavioral, and Economic Sciences directorate. The ongoing study found
that Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) working to extend an
established area of interest in industry are attractive to large,
research-intensive firms that have a long-term interest in the results
of the center's work. In contrast, centers working in areas that are out
in front of existing product lines or corporate interests are much more
likely be of interest to small firms and firms that do little or no
research and have few or no financial resources to support center work.

Centers in the first category were able to collect much higher
membership fees than were those in the second. Recently formed ERCs are
more likely to fall in the second category---a reflection of the
intentional change in emphasis that occurred between the first- and
second-generation centers in the ERC program. Those changes explain the
evolution in program-wide industry funding patterns between first and
second generation ERCs.

The third study, "Impact of Interaction with ERCs on Industry: Repeat
Study," examines the outcomes and impacts of ERC membership on firms
that are members of mature second-generation ERCs (centers in the
classes of 1994--96) and identifies changes in firms' interactions with
ERCs due to changes in the program and in industry compared with
first-generation ERCs (classes of 1985--90).

SRI International is assembling a worldwide directory of earthquake
engineering research equipment for the Engineering Directorate. The
directory will be posted on the Web site of the Network for Earthquake
Engineering Simulation (NEES) in late 2001.

# 4 Two Committees of Visitors reported positive outcomes in FY 2001

Two divisions of the Engineering Directorate---Civil and Mechanical
Systems and Engineering Education Centers---received Committees of
Visitors (COVs) in FY 2001. Both COVs found the divisions to be
successful with respect to the Foundation's three outcome goals, as
noted in the opening section of this report (table 4.1).

Table 4.1 COV ratings for outcome goals, by division, FY 2001

  ----------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
  Outcome goal                                    CMS COV     EEC COV
                                                  rating      rating

  People---Development of "a diverse,             S           S
  internationally competitive and globally                    
  engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and             
  well-prepared citizens"                                     

  Ideas---Enabling "discovery across the          S           S
  frontiers of science and engineering, connected             
  to learning, innovation, and service to                     
  society"                                                    

  Tools---Providing "broadly accessible,          S           S
  state-of-the-art information bases and shared               
  research and education tools"                               
  ----------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------

Ratings: S (successful); NS (not successful); NR (no rating); DNA (did
not apply).

With respect to management and investment process goals, the COVs also
were in general agreement. The EEC COV concluded that the division had
been "successful in meeting its process and management
responsibilities," though it made several suggestions for improvement.
Notably, the COV found that reviewers provided less detail on the second
merit review criterion---that pertaining to a project's broad
impact---than on the criterion of intellectual merit. However, they also
found that the EEC program officers did a good job of balancing the two
criteria. The EEC COV also found that it "could not provide a meaningful
evaluation" of reviewers' geographic, demographic, and professional
diversity due to missing or incomplete data. The EEC COV reviewed 65
proposal jackets.[^3]

The CMS COV, too, found after 153 jacket reviews that "the panel review
process is effective." Noting, however, that most reviewers of
unsolicited proposals did not address the the second merit review
criterion, it recommended that the term "broader impact" be better
explained to reviewers.[^4]

Although the CMS COV found the reviewer pool showed "a good
representation of people with appropriate expertise from different
institutions and parts of the country," it suggested some improvements,
in particular to address the finding that "some panels might lack
specific expertise in some of the technologies and subjects involved in
the proposals." Multidisciplinary programs present a special challenge
in this regard.

In each of the next three years, two divisions will be reviewed (table
4.2).

Table 4.2 Committee of Visitors schedule\
for Engineering Directorate, FY 2001--04

The EEC COV highlighted the importance of distance learning and more
comprehensive strategic planning. It found reviewer selection to be
adequate but suggested that the pool of potential reviewers be enlarged
to include more women, younger reviewers, and more reviewers from
industry. The COV also emphasized the importance of publicizing the
division's outcomes and suggested that additional funding be provided
for public affairs activities.

The CMS COV cited the need to increase award size and duration and to
place greater emphasis on high-risk/high-return projects. It recommended
that the division conduct more strategic planning, particularly with
respect to the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES), and
suggested that the division place greater emphasis on the integration of
research and education.

Although neither COV provided a comprehensive assessment for individual
performance indicators, both identified many activities that exemplify
the divisions' success in responding to the outcome indicators. The
selections reproduced below are organized by the NSF outcome indicator
that they best illustrate.

## People---Development of "a diverse, internationally competitive and globally engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared citizens" 

### Indicator 1--- Improved mathematics, science, and technology skills for U.S. students at the K-12 level and for citizens of all ages

#### Noise cancellation system (CMS-95-01470)

An interactive noise cancellation system displayed at the North Carolina
Museum of Life and Science promoted potential noise pollution control
technology for visitors---particularly the legions of K-12 students who
visit the museum as part of their science curriculum.

#### Summer camps for particle science and technology (EEC-94-02989)

The Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Particle Science and
Technology at the University of Florida encourages secondary students'
interest in engineering through day-visit tours and summer engineering
camps. Through hands-on laboratory experiences students learn about
careers in particle science and technology. An intensive 8-week
residential laboratory research experience offered to high school
students through the university's Student Science Training Program hosts
up to four students each year and places them on multidisciplinary
research teams consisting of university students. These talented high
school researchers present their ERC projects at the university's annual
junior high school science and humanities symposium and at school
district science fairs.

### Indicator 2---A science and technology and instructional workforce that reflects America's diversity

#### Gateway Coalition for retention of African-American engineering students (EEC-97-27413)

Retention of African American engineering students from the freshman to
the sophomore year in the universities of the Gateway Coalition
increased from 67 percent in 1992 to 87 percent in 2000. For women
students, retention increased from 75 percent to 90 percent, and for all
engineering students from 79 percent to 86 percent.

#### Earthquake planning and reconstruction symposium (CMS-98-18494, CMS-94-16416, CMS-90-25125, CMS-89-08032)

Professionals who plan and manage reconstruction after major foreign
earthquakes were invited to describe their experiences to the planning
directors of major U.S. cities subject to earthquakes in a symposium
funded by the directorate. Before the symposium, both the Whittier
Narrows and Loma Prieta earthquakes struck. Planners from the affected
cities attended the symposium to share their experiences with early
recovery and to learn from their foreign counterparts.

The symposium was an early attempt to bring information about
postearthquake reconstruction directly to the global planning community.
NSF funded the development of a training exercise in which planners
confronted the major reconstruction decisions, problems, and
opportunities typically faced in the first year or two after an
earthquake, including preparing a reconstruction plan and defining
mitigation actions that could make each of the tasks easier to carry
out. The exercise has been distributed by FEMA to state mitigation
officers and flood, earthquake, and hurricane program managers.

### Indicator 3--- Globally engaged science and engineering professionals who are among the best in the world

#### New distance-learning courses (CRCD-99-01565)

The Maintenance and Reliability Center at the University of
Tennessee-Knoxville (an Industry/University Collaborative Research
Center) obtained support from industry and CRCD to develop four new
academic courses. Distance-learning versions of the courses were
presented at participating universities, including the University of Sao
Paulo in Brazil.

#### Geotechnical reconnaissance report on Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake (CMS-95-20204)

Eighteen U.S., Japanese, and Canadian researchers were rapidly deployed
in the area affected by the Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake to prepare a
document of substantial value to U.S. practitioners and researchers.
Shortly after the earthquake, the report was available on the Web. The
work represented exceptional international collaboration and provided
invaluable reconnaissance training for young researchers who have
subsequently become leaders of reconnaissance efforts after major
earthquakes in Turkey, Taiwan, and Washington state (figure 4.1).

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ![](media/image2.wmf)

  Figure 4.1 This highway deck collapsed in the wake of the Kobe
  earthquake. (CMS-95-20204)
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

### Indictor 4---A public that is provided access to the benefits of science and engineering research and education

#### Museum exhibit on links among product design, manufacturing processes, and business needs (EEC-95-29125)

The ERC for Reconfigurable Machining Systems at the University of
Michigan is creating an exhibit for a local museum that will enable
visitors to explore the interdependence and impact of product design,
manufacturing processes, and business issues.

#### Second National Assessment of Research Applications on Natural Hazards (CMS-95-41969, CMS-95-44211, and CMS-96-41063)

A major research project for the 2nd National Assessment of Research and
Applications on Natural Hazards involved over 130 national experts in
hazards and disasters from all fields of science, engineering, policy,
and practice. The results greatly influenced policies for hazard-loss
mitigation in FEMA's Project Impact, which will establish a national
risk assessment, meet the need for computer-aided systems to inform
local hazard decision-making, and assist local efforts to design safer
communities. The document was subsequently used internationally. For
example, it provided the basis for redrafting New Zealand's
environmental and hazards legislation to link sustainable development
with environmental management and hazards mitigation.

## Ideas---Enabling "discovery across the frontiers of science and engineering, connected to learning, innovation, and service to society"

### Indicator 1---A robust and growing fundamental knowledge base that enhances progress in all science and engineering areas

#### Neural networks application (CMS-00-84556)

A novel application of neural networks by researchers at the University
of Illinois has led to the development of a method that back-calculates
the most appropriate characteristics for modeling soil behavior based on
actual field measurements of deep excavation performance. This approach
provides for auto-adaptive modeling to estimate subsequent construction
behavior. The resulting real-time simulations allow engineers to predict
ground deformation and instabilities in advance and take appropriate
measures to avert life safety and economic problems.

#### Packaging Research Center (EEC-98-20254)

The Packaging Research Center at Georgia Tech has taken a leadership
position in developing new approaches to education in electronic
packaging. With the assistance of an NSF/ERC equipment award matched by
the Georgia Research Alliance, the ERC has developed a facility where
students further their educations by designing, building, and operating
new packaging systems with industrial mentors in two instructional
laboratories supplemented by classroom experience. These unique,
state-of-the-art facilities, valued in excess of \$56M, are available to
students, faculty, staff, visiting industry engineers, visiting
scientists and scholars, and global collaborators to support the
Center's research, education, and industry collaboration mission.

The center has developed an interdisciplinary certificate program in
packaging and is developing a new, practice-oriented master's program.
Supported by NSF, IEEE, and the International Microelectronics Packaging
Society, these efforts will develop a broad range of curricular
materials and modules for electronic packaging for use by faculty in and
outside the ERC. The center's director, Professor Rao Tummala,
collaborated with electronic packaging faculty throughout the world to
produce the first electronic packaging textbook for undergraduates.

### Indicator 2---Discoveries that advance the frontiers of science, engineering, and technology

#### Actuator control systems for high-density magnetic and optical disk drives (EEC-89-07068)

The Data Storage Systems Center (an ERC at Carnegie Mellon University)
has developed two-element actuator control systems for improved tracking
speed and accuracy in high-density magnetic and optical disk drives. The
center has played a pivotal role in the industry, as evidenced not only
by industrial funding, but also by the establishment of a major
industrial research facility (by Seagate Corporation) near the center in
Pittsburgh, directed by the ERC's founding director.

#### Detection of cardiac arrhythmia (CMS-96-25161)

A theory and method to anticipate pathological nonlinear vibrations
through precursor sensor measurements were applied to the detection of
cardiac arrhythmia in collaboration with Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. The
method was further applied to the detection of dysfunctional behaviors
of drilling and milling tools in collaboration with Boeing.

### Indicator 3---Partnerships connecting discovery to innovation, learning, and societal advancement

#### Greater Houston Wastewater program (CMS-95-26094)

A partnership with the City of Houston produced surveys and studies
toward an ambitious ten-year Greater Houston Wastewater program to
rehabilitate old pipes and add new pipelines and facilities.

#### Machine control using biological sensing and control systems (EEC- 94-02726)

The ERC for Neuromorphic Systems Engineering at Caltech envisions a new
era of machines whose behavior is inspired by the sensing and control
systems of biology. Results have been a stimulus for substantial
commercial investment, with the creation of seven spin-off companies,
participation in both the spin-offs and the center by a variety of
established companies, and the potential for creating a neuromorphic
systems industry.

### Indicator 4---Research and education processes that are synergistic

#### Effects of earthquakes on urban highways (CMS-96-33386) 

Graduate and undergraduate students in transportation and structural
engineering, seismology, economics, and other disciplines studied the
effects of earthquakes on urban highway infrastructure productivity. The
project is a model of interdisciplinary research.

#### Green Design project (EEC-97-00568, I-4)

The Green Design project at Carnegie Mellon University has developed
modules and case studies that enable students to perform lifecycle
analyses and understand the environmental consequences of design
decisions. The materials and tools are available on the Web and have
been used by students from around the world.

## Tools---Providing "broadly accessible, state-of-the-art information bases and shared research and education tools"

### Indicator 1--- Shared-use platforms, facilities, instruments, and databases that enable discovery and enhance the productivity and effectiveness of the science and engineering workforce

#### Predicting the ground motion of large basins during strong earthquakes (CMS-93-18163)

The Quake project, funded by NSF and DARPA under the High Performance
Computing and Communication/Grand Challenge Application Grant program,
is a joint effort by seismologists at the University of Southern
California and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and
the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. The goal
is to develop the ability to predict, by computer simulation, the ground
motion of large basins during strong earthquakes, and to use that
ability to study the seismic response of the Greater Los Angeles Basin.

### Indicator 2--- Networking and connectivity that take full advantage of the Internet and make science, mathematics, engineering, and technology information available to all citizens

#### Innovative educational technology delivery systems and interactive learning software (EEC-98-76363)

Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Harvard/MIT, and the University of Texas at
Austin established the Bio-Engineering Technology ERC to mount a
"broad-based attack on the barriers to our vision of an integrated
effective system for . . . engineering education." Innovations include a
library of common component Java modules, common visualization tools,
model curricula for undergraduate and graduate education, and a wide
range of innovative educational technology delivery systems and
interactive learning software.

#### Distributed object-based modeling environment (EEC-95-29140)

The Center for Innovation and Product Development (developed a
Distributed Object-Based Modeling Environment (DOME) to enable product
designers to share information pertaining to product design over the
"World Wide Modeling Web." Several major companies have implemented
DOME-type systems, and DOME developers received over 500 requests to
give presentations.

#### Model predicting susceptibility of brakes and clutches to thermoelastic instability (CMS-96-19527)

SGER grantee J.R. Barber at the University of Michigan has developed a
model to predict brake heating.

When two bodies slide against each other, frictional heat produces
thermoelastic deformation---altering the distribution of contact
pressure between the two bodies and causing thermoelastic instability.
Above a certain critical speed, a nominally uniform pressure
distribution is unstable, giving way to localization of load and hence
to hot spots at the sliding interface. The problem is particularly
prevalent in energy dissipation systems such as brakes and clutches. In
addition to causing wear and damage, hot spots are a source of
undesirable vibrations, known in the automotive community as "hot
roughness" or "hot judder."

Software for estimating the susceptibility of brake and clutch systems
to thermoelastic instability is available on the Internet at
http://www-personal.engin.\
umich.edu/\~jbarber/TEI.html.

# 5 The Directorate met its outcome goals through innovative and highly productive projects

The Directorate finds its performance to be successful with respect to
the three outcome goals. This assessment is based primarily on the COV
reports and the Division annual reports. There is not sufficient
information in these reports to determine whether the Directorate has
been successful with respect to individual performance indicators. Some
outcomes were achieved for all relevant performance indicators but
greater detail would be needed to make a formal assessment. The
indicator "Information and policy analyses that contribute to the
effective use of science and engineering resources" is relevant to
selected activities but does not apply to the Directorate as a whole.

The Engineering Directorate is implementing a Directorate-wide effort to
work more closely with awardees to identify and disseminate important
outcomes. These activities will focus on the full range of performance
indicators.

Highlights of the Directorate's work in FY 2001---organized by outcome
goal and indicator---are presented below.

## People---Development of "a diverse, internationally competitive and globally engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared citizens" 

### Indicator 1---Improved mathematics, science, and technology skills for U.S. students at the K-12 level and for citizens of all ages

#### Workshop on light-emitting diodes (ECS-00-93742)

In summer 2000 Joan M. Redwig of Pennsylvania State University held a
workshop on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for 60 students in grades 9-12.
The students utilized LEDs in several tests and activities to introduce
concepts including the visible spectrum, color mixing, infrared and
ultraviolet energy, electroluminescence, III-V materials, and circuit
design. Examples of LEDs for lighting, sensing, and displays linked the
scientific principles with engineering applications. As a final
activity, the students designed a simple circuit to power their LEDs and
constructed pocket-sized flashlights based on their design.

#### Getting secondary school students interested in science and math (Various grants)

Recipients of CAREER grants are doing excellent work to interest junior
and senior high school students in science and mathematics. For example,
a grantee at Ohio State (BES-00-93783) is conducting hands-on workshops
for eighth-grade girls. Another at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
(BES-00-93191) is mentoring high school students, especially minorities
and women, and exposing them to environmental engineering. A grantee at
the University of Maryland (BES-0093853) is also working with high
school students. Another at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and
Technology (BES-0093853) is providing training for K-12 science
teachers. A former high school teacher at Carnegie Mellon University
(BES-0092463) is involving high school teachers in her lab.

#### ERC for Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology (EEC-97-31748)

The ERC for Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology---a
collaboration of Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University,
MIT, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine (EEC-97-31748)---has a multi-dimensional pre-college outreach
program that includes a semiannual Lego robot competition that gives
high-school students experience in solving engineering problems, a
Directorate-funded Research Experience for Teachers program for K-12
teachers of science and mathematics, and a summer robotics course for
high-school seniors in computer-integrated surgery.

#### Summer outreach program in electrical engineering (ECS-99-06062)

James Momoh created a summer outreach program at Howard University that
exposed high school and junior college students to research in
electrical engineering. During the four-week course, students learned
the basics of electrical engineering and worked in teams to develop
research projects.

### Indicator 2---A science and technology and instructional workforce that reflects America's diversity

#### Student design contest, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (DMI-99-83245)

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (DMI-99-83245) sponsored
an annual design contest for Hispanic students. Engineering Directorate
staff helped judge the contest.

#### Student research at the National Nanofabrication Users Network (EEC-99-87915)

In FY 2001, 42 students in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates
program participated in research at the National Nanofabrication Users
Network (NNUN). The students came from 37 institutions and 15 majors;
more than half were from underrepresented groups (figure 5.1). Research
topics included nanostructure characterization, new techniques for
micro-fluidics, and fluctuations in nanowires.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ![](media/image3.wmf)

  Figure 5.1 The Research Experience for Undergraduates site at the
  National Nanofabrication Users Network is very diverse. Depicted here
  are 42 students from 37 institutions and 15 majors. More than half are
  from under-represented groups.\
  (EEC-98-20311)
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

#### Workshop for retention of underrepresented and minority engineering educators (CMS-01-29530)

The biannual workshop of the Directorate's CMS division for the
advancement and retention of underrepresented and minority engineering
educators---begun in 1995 by a single program---is heralded by
participants as a unique resource. The workshop has stimulated many
CAREER proposals to the division, including many from underrepresented
groups. Of the 183 CAREER proposals received by CMS in FY 2001, 22 were
submitted by women and 17 by members of other underrepresented groups.
Their success rate was 34 percent.

### Indicator 3---Globally engaged science and engineering professionals who are among the best in the world

#### U.S.-Japan collaborative research on earthquake mitigation (award number to come)

Since 1998 the CMS division has provided \$1.5 million per year (matched
by Japan) to support joint collaborative research projects on earthquake
mitigation. Some 40 projects have been supported, including 12 awards in
FY 2001 in the areas of nonlinear building and bridge response,
integrated decision support research, lifeline performance, and advanced
technology for earthquake energy dissipation. Exchanges of graduate and
undergraduate students have occurred through the SBE directorate's
Summer Student Institute in Japan program.

#### Research Experiences for Undergraduates funded by NIST and NSF (EEC-98-20311)

NSF and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fund
the only REU site at a federal lab. The site provides opportunities for
outstanding undergraduate students to perform research with
internationally known NIST scientists in the fields of intelligent
systems, manufacturing process metrology, precision engineering, and
manufacturing systems integration. REU student Matthew Tundermann of
Syracuse University worked with NIST, ATF, and FBI researchers to create
the "standard" bullet---one with markings that allow ATF and FBI
technicians to improve the efficiency and accuracy of bullet matching
for law enforcement.

#### Workshop on decision theory for engineering design faculty (DMI-01-15013)

A workshop will teach the basics of decision theory to engineering
design faculty so that they may incorporate relevant concepts into their
curriculum. The workshop---open to 25 engineering design
educators---will include presentations by experts in areas of
mathematics, game theory, decision theory, probability theory, and
economics.

#### New method for measuring nanoforces (CMS-99-71414)

Thomas Kenny at Stanford is designing ultra-thin cantilevers, 60 nm
thick, to measure small forces. He has successfully measured the forces
exedrted by insects and other small creatures. Because force dissipates
in such measurements, due to native oxide and damping in conducting
layers, Kenny discovered a new noncontact surface-conductivity probe to
solve the problem. His team worked with IBM Almaden to extend the world
record for force detection below 820 zN. A zN is 10^--21 ^N.

### Indictor 4---A public that is provided access to the benefits of science and engineering research and education

#### Intelligent connector to monitor aircraft wiring (ECS-00-80559)

Cynthia Furse of Utah State University has developed an intelligent
connector that uses time domain reflectometry to monitor the health of
aircraft wiring and report faults before they cause a disaster such as
the crash of TWA flight 800.

As the nation's aircraft fleet ages, the potential for more disasters
from faulty wiring grows. Although wiring problems begin to appear after
20 years, the current B-52 fleet is scheduled to remain in service until
it reaches an average age of 80.

It is impossible to visually inspect much of an aircraft's wiring
because it is hidden in the airframe. Faults are often transitory and
may appear only when the aircraft is in service. The new technique not
only warns of the fault, but also locates its position along the wire.

#### Fern that hyperaccumulates arsenic from soils (BES-00-86768)

Lena Ma and her collaborators discovered that the brake fern (*Pteris
vittata*) is extremely efficient in extracting deadly arsenic from soils
and moving it into its above-ground biomass. The first known
hyperaccumulator of arsenic has many attributes that recommend it for
use in the remediation of contaminated soils.

Although both FeAsO^4^ and AlAsO^4^ are relatively insoluble in soils,
brake fern hyperaccumulates arsenic derived from these compounds into
its fronds at levels three to six times greater than soil arsenic.

The fern is versatile and hardy, and prefers sunny (unusual for a fern)
and alkaline environments (where arsenic is more available). It has
considerable biomass and is fast growing and easy to propagate. Ma's
results were published in *Nature*'s edition of February 1, 2001.

#### Multiscale models for microstructure control of epitaxially grown materials (CTS-97-02615)

Miniaturization of thin films requires precise control of their
microstructure based on accurate models. But the vast disparity in the
length and time scales of thin-film systems makes detailed modeling and
control impractical with current computational resources.

Dionisios G. Vlachos (formerly at the University of Massachusetts and
now at the University of Delaware) developed algorithms and models to
overcome the disparity of scales in epitaxial growth of advanced
materials. The models link microscopic simulations for the film at the
atom level with macroscopic simulations for larger scales, such as those
encountered in a chemical reactor.

They thus allow one to understand how varying parameters experimentally
affect film and nanoparticle quality in the manufacture of
semiconductors, photonic materials, and catalysts. The computationally
intensive models are to be used for practical purposes. Mathematical
techniques have been applied to derive simplified models for control of
microstructure of advanced materials.

#### Methods to improve the delivery of medical treatment (DMI-98-00544)

Ariela Sofer of George Mason University and colleagues at the Georgetown
University hospital are pioneering the use of optimization methods to
improve medical treatment, including the detection of prostate cancer,
the second leading cause of cancer-related death among men in the United
States.

Sofer applies models to determine how many needles should be inserted
into the prostate, and where, to maximize the probability of a correct
diagnosis. Testing on 300 cases shows that the optimal protocol has an
estimated detection rate of 79 percent, compared to an estimated rate of
67 percent for the currently used method. Optimized protocols for
biopsies with additional needles lead to detection rates of 83, 85, and
87 percent. Because 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be
diagnosed in 2001, even a 12 percent increase in the detection rate
would have enormous impact.

#### Undergraduate design project, University of Toledo (BES-00-78748)

The University of Toledo's undergraduate design project has had a big
impact on the local community. The principal investor and his students
in mechanical, industrial and manufacturing engineering present an
annual, day-long show of senior engineering design projects and a
manufacturing technology seminar that are well attended by the public,
industrial firms, and the news media, as well as community leaders,
health care providers, patients and their families, teachers, and
university faculty. Presentations are judged by external referees and
cash awards given for the best projects.

## Ideas---Enabling "discovery across the frontiers of science and engineering, connected to learning, innovation, and service to society"

### Indicator 1---A robust and growing fundamental knowledge base that enhances progress in all science and engineering areas

#### Ceramic-based, multi-chip module manufacturing of novel layered tape casting (DMI-93-13126 and DMI-00-99360)

Jennifer Lewis's 1993 project on ceramic-based, multi-chip module
manufacturing of novel layered tape casting was the precursor for a
solid freeform system for producing structural ceramics that is bringing
Lewis international recognition, including the cover of the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences for July 31, 2001.

Lewis's most recent work on the agile fabrication of mesoscale periodic
composites brings an interdisciplinary team together to create
functional materials through combinatorial engineering. This
exploitation of the fundamentals of solid freeform fabrication gained in
the earlier research projects now provides for the rapid building of
complex 3-D components by robotically controlled deposition.

The creation of structural components with complex 3-D geometries will
provide many opportunities for advancements in filtering and catalytic
reactions, microelectromechanical systems and microelectronics, and
biomedical structures and devices. Specific applications include
scaffolds to support the growth of biological tissue and
interpenetrating ceramic-polymeric matrices for advanced medical imaging
sensors.

#### Outstanding contributions to operations research (DMI-98-02773 and DMI-00-98427)

The Association of European Operational Research Societies awarded its
2001 gold medal for outstanding contributions to operations research to
Egon Balas. Balas was recognized for his lifetime of fundamental
contributions to integer and combinatorial optimization, especially
methods for sharpening the computational descriptions of the set of
feasible solutions that have proved central to gains in solution
algorithm efficiency over the past two decades.

#### Synthesis of nonlinear feedback controllers for complex distributed processes (CTS-97-33509)

Unmet needs in semiconductor manufacturing, nanotechnology,
biotechnology, and unmanned aerial vehicles have provoked extensive
research on control and optimization of complex nonlinear distributed
processes.

Panagiotis D. Christofides at the University of California, Los Angeles
has developed a framework for synthesizing practically implementable
nonlinear feedback controllers for such processes using models that
accurately predict their behavior.

Applications of the new controllers include temperature profile control
in Czochralski crystallization of high-purity crystals, uniformity
control in chemical vapor deposition of thin films, aerodynamic flow
control for drag reduction and delay of separation, control of size
distribution in crystallization of proteins, and aerosol-based
production of nanoparticles.

### Indicator 2---Discoveries that advance the frontiers of science, engineering, and technology

#### Broadband channel characterization for tether-free/wireless systems (ECS-99-79376)

As information systems become more mobile, broadband channels are being
opened to handle the higher levels of communications traffic. To exploit
their full capacity, however, broadband channels must be accurately
"characterized." But in urban environments, where users are
concentrated, electromagnetism disperses the channel characteristics,
resulting in unacceptable distortion of broadband signals.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ![](media/image4.png){width="1.0in"
  height="0.9980314960629921in"}![](media/image4.png){width="1.0in"
  height="1.0in"}![](media/image5.png){width="1.0in"
  height="0.9984251968503937in"}

  Figure 5.2 Kamal Sarabandi's new broadband channel characterization
  system dramatically improves signal quality in wireless systems.
  (ECS-99-79376)
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kamal Sarabandi at the University of Michigan has demonstrated a
broadband channel characterization for tether-free/wireless systems
(figure 5.2). If a signal is modulated using multiresolution wavelets
before being propagated through the channel, and if the signal is then
properly decoded after propagation, distortions due to electromagnetic
scattering can be removed, yielding dramatic improvement in signal
quality.

#### Synthesis of templated and nanostructured surfactant gels (CTS-99-09912)

Vijay John and his colleagues at Tulane University and the University of
Rhode Island have developed a novel method for synthesizing templated
and nanostructured surfactant gels on nanomanufactured materials using
self-assembly of unique gel-like templates. The new nanomaterials are
polymers and ceramics with gradient properties that depend on changes in
field effects such as electrical charge, temperature, and magnetic
field. The key to the new technique is the use of organohydrogel
systems.

John has developed two new classes of surfactants containing gel
systems. The first is a pure organogel, in which reverse micelles have
been transformed into long, entangled chain structures by the addition
of phenolic dopants that form hydrogen bonds with the surfactant. In the
second class of gels, John adjusts the curvature of inverse micellar AOT
systems by adding lecithin (phosphatidylcholine), which tends to form
flatter bilayer structures. As a consequence, the liquid solution
transforms into organohydrogels---gels containing a structured aqueous
phase and a structured organic phase. These bicontinuous systems contain
percolating networks of water and an organic phase existing in highly
rigidified microstructures. They can be used use to synthesize extended
inorganic or polymeric nanostructures (or polymer-ceramic
nanostructures).

John also uses the extensive interfacial areas in these systems to
generate polymer nanostructures through enzyme catalyzed interfacial
polymerization.

#### Adsorbents with adjustable pore size for separation of small molecules (CTS-96-24613 and CTS-00-91406)

Michael Tsapatsis and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts
separate small molecules using microporous oxides as adsorbents and
membranes in a size-selective molecular sieving process. Inorganic
membrane materials and adsorbents are generating increasing interest
because they can be used in corrosive atmospheres and at very high
temperatures and pressures.

In a paper published in *Nature* the investigators describe a new
technique for tuning the pore size in titanium silicate in the range of
3.0 to 4.0 Angstroms so that the material can be prepared for
separations such as N^2^/O^2^, Ar/O^2^, and N^2^/CH~4~.

#### Painless microneedles and probes (ECS-97-31293 and ECS-97-31294)

Research conducted at the National Nanofabrication User's Network (NNUN)
on microsampling for bioanalysis has produced flexible microneedles and
probes that cause no pain. These tiny needles can remain attached to the
body for long periods of time, permitting continuous monitoring of
analytes. The devices will be inexpensive to produce in large
quantities.

#### Nonlinear Modeling and Multivariable Control of Combustion Instability in Jet Engines (ECS-00-70146)

When the ratio of fuel to air drops in jet engine combustion, the
benefits of operating with lean mixtures are lost as the flame front
becomes unstable and oscillates in position and temperature. Efforts to
compensate for that instability run have been frustrated by the
difficulty of detecting variables at more than one point in the
combustion chamber and making finely targeted adjustments. Robert
Bitmead at the University of California, San Diego, has developed a
control-relevant low-order description of combustion instability in jet
engines for use in testing new control strategies for more
fuel-efficient and responsive engines (figure 5.3).

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ![](media/image6.png)

  Figure 5.3 Robert Bitmead's model of combustion instability in jet
  engines will make future jet engines more efficient and responsive.
  (ECS-00-70146)
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

#### Mapping cell-surface nanostructure and measuring activities of macromolecules in semi-fluid state (CTS-99-08864)

The density, distribution, and clustering of macromolecules at the cell
surface affect physiological responses to many regulatory signals.
Although the molecular basis of the receptors and ion channels at the
cell surface are being investigated extensively with biochemical
strategies, there is little information about their density, their
distribution, or the other properties that play a critical role in
localized control of cell functions.

S. Banerjee---a fluid dynamics expert at the University of California,
Santa Barbara---and neuroscientist R. Lal have developed a novel
technique to directly map the cell-surface nanostructure and measure the
activities of macromolecules in the semi-fluidic state. The technique,
based on functionalized atomic force microscopy (AFM) (figure 12a), has
been used to map the density and distribution of various ion channels
and receptors in the cell plasma membrane in their native hydrated
states. Functionalized AFM probes obtain spectroscopic measurements of
interaction forces between vascular endothelial growth factor receptor,
a cell surface receptor, and its antibody. The real-time clustering and
distribution of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptors in the
cell plasma membrane, along with the viscoelastic properties of the cell
surface, are examined using AFM "force-volume maps."

The investigators show that by using functionalized AFM tips, the
"force-volume map" of the quantized antigen-antibody or receptor-ligand
interactions provides information on the location and density as well as
the real-time clustering and redistribution of various biomolecules on
the cell surface.

Such information will provide the basis for understanding the molecular
mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal functions mediated by these
macromolecules. The idea has opened the door to an exciting area of
direct investigation of nanostructure of macromolecules, such as those
in the cell surface, for better understanding of signal transmission
through the cell surface.

#### Use of genomic information to reconstruct cell's metabolic networks (BES-98-14092)

Advances in sequencing the genomes and understanding protein functions
in different organisms have provided new information to enable engineers
to reconstruct metabolic networks and predict physiological functions of
a cell subjected to different cellular environments.

Among the many potential applications of such technology are rapid
screening and evaluation of microbial capabilities and predicting the
favorable effects of gene manipulations or alteration of metabolic
pathways before performing expensive and laborious experiments.

A recent example is the work reported by Palsson and colleagues at the
University of California at San Diego in volume 19 of *Nature
Biotechnology* (February 2001, pp. 125--130). Genomic information (top
of figure 5.4)---which determines the cell's ability to regulate and
control biochemical reactions---is used to reconstruct the metabolic
networks (second from top in figure) the cell uses to convert raw
materials to new products. Mathematical algorithms, computational
methods, and metabolic flux information are then used to predict the
rates of biochemical reactions that will maximize growth or other useful
cellular functions for a set of given conditions (third and fourth in
figure). ![](media/image7.png){width="2.183333333333333in"
height="6.5in"}

The new technology will be used to engineer the metabolic pathways of
industrial microorganisms needed for medically important biotechnology
products.

#### New polyketides (BES-98-06774)

The growing public health hazard of antibiotic-resistant,
disease-causing bacteria calls for antibiotics that are more active
against the resistant pathogens. But the traditional means of screening
a large number of natural or chemically synthesized compounds to find
new antibiotics is time consuming and expensive. Greater promise may lie
in a new library of potential antibiotics built from accumulated
knowledge of the chemical and biological properties of antibiotic
compounds.

Chaitan Khosla and colleagues at Stanford University are using gene
regulation and biosynthetic pathway information about host
microorganisms to design new antibiotic molecules. They aim to discover
and produce new polyketides---one of the largest groups of natural
products (including erythromycin) derived from sequential condensation
of short carboxylic acids.

The investigators' recent success in generating various antibiotic
activities from a group of polyketide- and erythromycin-synthesizing
enzymes was reported in *Science* (March 2, 2001, pp. 1790--92). The
host organism, *E. coli*, has been engineered to pump out a polyketide
at rates potentially useful for industrial drug production. Because *E.
coli* cells can be economically grown and are amenable to genetic
manipulation, their results offer a great potential for rapid discovery
and production of new and more active polyketide antibiotics.

#### cBN-TiN coating for cutting tools (DMI-97-13660)

At the University of Arkansas Ajay Malshe has synthesized a novel
cBN-TiN coating for cutting tools using a nontraditional process in
which electrostatic coating is followed by chemical vapor infiltration
in a porous particulate matrix.

The process allows the deposition of functionally graded materials and,
by controlling the processing parameters, growth of a multilayered
material with different phases. The cBN particulate varies in size from
the nanoscale through 2 microns, providing a new composite scaffold by
electrostatic coating that is then infiltrated with the TiN.

The advantage is that the graded composite will exhibit improved wear
properties for tooling applications, as the desired phases continue to
be available throughout the wear process. The composite cannot be
attained through traditional deposition methods due to thermodynamic
constraints, making the chemical vapor infiltration process attractive
to tooling manufacturers looking for materials with tailored engineering
properties.

Valenite---the university's partner in this GOALI program---is
commercializing the process, which can be used on a large range of
properties and sizes. Training and hands-on experience at the industrial
site for students and industrial employees has been particularly
effective during the transfer of technology.

#### Single-phase motor drive circuit topology (EEC-97-31677)

A novel topology for a single-phase motor drive circuit for low-cost,
adjustable-speed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
motors has been developed at the Power Electronic Systems ERC at
Virginia Polytechnic and State University.

Throughout the United States, fans, pumps, and compressors used in HVACs
are powered by constant-speed drives rather than by energy-efficient
adjustable-speed drives. The reason? Lower initial capital investment.
But HVAC systems account for more than 20 percent of the energy consumed
throughout the world, and adjustable-speed drives could cut that
consumption by 35 percent while improving indoor air quality and overall
system efficiency. As energy costs rise, their commercial potential is
clear.

### Indicator 3---Partnerships connecting discovery to innovation, learning, and societal advancement

#### Computer simulation of building construction process (CMS-95-96277)

Sarah Slaughter began working in 1995 on methods to simulate building
processes. With the assistance of her students, she made time and motion
studies of 12 processes common to most building
construction---installing structural steel, framing with wood framing,
casting concrete, and so on. Using data from more than 200 construction
sites, Slaughter and her students simulated the parts of the building
process and applied the simulations to a model five-story office
building. From this they were able to establish a baseline, confirmed by
industry specialists as realistic, against which the effects of changing
basic materials or methods could be measured. These tools permitted Dr.
Slaughter to reduce usual costs by 20 percent. In one case the time
required to install new plumbing during a dorm-room renovation was cut
by 30 percent.

Slaughter founded MOCA Systems, an acronym for "models of construction
activities," in mid-1999. Early in 2000, she raised \$1.1 million and
launched the business with 13 employees, including two former students.
*Fortune Small Business* flagged MOCA as one of its "Innovators with Big
Ideas" to watch in 2001.

#### FutureTruck competition (DMI-99-05892)

The Engineering Directorate, the Department of Energy, and several
industrial partners sponsor an annual competition to raise fuel economy
and performance, and reduce emissions. In the 2001 event, in which
competitors modified the GM Suburban, the University of Wisconsin's
entry achieved an amazing gasoline-equivalent rating of 28 mpg, while
the University of California at Davis and University of Idaho vehicles
demonstrated the potential for zero emissions (figure 5.5). In addition
to helping organize and judge the contest, the Engineering Directorate
funds an annual faculty adviser's award.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ![](media/image8.wmf){width="6.013888888888889in"
  height="2.5972222222222223in"}

  Figure 5.5 A team from the University of Wisconsin won last year's
  FutureTruck competition by improving fuel efficiency in the big GMC
  Suburban to an astounding 28 mpg. DMI-99-05892
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

#### Regeneration filtration system for diesel engines (CTS-96-12483)

R. Pfeffer of the New Jersey Institute of Technology is working on a
GOALI project with a group of companies, including petroleum refiners
(Exxon, Mobil Technology), catalyst manufacturers (Engelhard, Alcoa,
Johnson Matthew) and diesel engine manufacturers (Cummins, Ford,
Mercedes-Benz, Volvo).

His rotating, variable-speed, fluidized bed reactor collects soot during
low-power operations and causes it to react with NOx at high-power
operations---when the temperature is higher. (A particulate catalyst
acts as a filter medium, retaining soot and reducing NOx.) The pollutant
emitted at low-temperature operations thus reduces that emitted at high
temperature operations.

Fundamental research on the new fluidized bed and catalyst has already
produced promising preliminary results. An Industry Advisory Board meets
periodically to guide the academic and industry participants.

### Indicator 4---Research and education processes that are synergistic

#### Numerical simulations of insect flight (CTS-00-93792)

Z. Jane Wang of Cornell University received a CAREER award for research
in numerical simulations of insect flight. Her innovative computational
methods have explained the basic mechanisms of insect flight, which
could not be predicted by conventional aerodynamic analysis (figure
5.6). The results were cited in *Nature* (September 11, 2000), *Science*
(September 22, 2000), and *Physics Today* (December 2000). The results
of her work can be found at www.tam.cornell.edu/Wang.htm.

Wang is developing a three-dimensional model to simulate real flight.
The model will make possible the design of miniature flying machines
that mimic insect flight.

#### Tissue engineering for nervous system repair (BES-97-33156)

Christine E. Schmidt is working with biomedical companies in Texas and
surgeons at the University of Texas Medical School System in Houston to
repair nervous system tissues.

NSF funds enabled Schmidt and her students to design a novel material
that combines biological properties that trigger desired cellular
responses (such as the formation of new blood vessels), with electrical
properties that improve the regeneration of bone and nerve tissues.
Biomaterials such as an electrically conducting polymer can be used to
help nerves regrow their severed axons.

Schmidt and her group have also produced electrically conductive,
HA-containing PP biomaterials that retain HA on their surfaces for
several days and promote vascularization when implanted in animals. More
blood vessels in the vicinity of the PP/HA biomaterial could
tremendously aid in the repair of many tissue types (figure 5.7).

#### Producing aluminum using solar energy (DMI-99-00053)

Jean Murray of the Colorado School of Mines has discovered an
environmentally benign means of producing aluminum through directed
solar energy. With a GOALI award she is conducting the experimental
component of her research at the solar test facility of the Institute
for Materials and Processes in Odeillo, France. Murray obtained funds
from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program to bring U.S.
undergraduates to France to work for a summer on the project.

## Tools---Providing "broadly accessible, state-of-the-art information bases and shared research and education tools"

### Indicator 1---Shared-use platforms, facilities, instruments, and databases that enable discovery and enhance the productivity and effectiveness of the science and engineering workforce

#### Instrumented test bed for traffic and transportation research (CMS-01-16099)

Hashem Rakha of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has
developed a data-collection environment to be used in evaluating the
effects of traffic flow improvement projects on energy consumption,
emissions, and safety. The uses of the comprehensive, instrumented test
bed in Blacksburg include: testing traffic flow theory, contributing to
a database of field data for research on alternative means of
disseminating real-time travel information to the public, evaluating
energy and environmental impacts of transportation projects, quantifying
the noise impacts of transportation projects, evaluating emerging
surveillance, communication, and Intelligent Transportation System
technologies, and allowing practitioners, researchers, and students to
acquire, access, and analyze real-life traffic data.

#### Geographic information system database on lifeline seismic performance (award number to come)

As a consequence of the Northridge earthquake, the Los Angeles Division
of Water and Power water delivery system required repairs at more than a
thousand locations.

A Cornell University research team led by Thomas O'Rourke and his
students at the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering
Research at the University of Buffalo collected data on repair sites,
digitizing 11,000 km of distribution mains and 1,000 km of trunk lines.
The data became the foundation for the largest geographic information
system (GIS) database on lifeline seismic performance ever assembled in
the United States.

The relational database was enhanced by data from the Southern
California Metropolitan Water District, CalTrans, and the Los Angeles
Bureau of Engineering, and by more than 240 records of strong ground
motions, vectors of earthquake-induced horizontal displacement, and
other events.

The outcome---a rich characterization of the world beneath Angelenos'
feet---is being used as a template for modeling water supply losses in
other U.S. urban areas through incorporation in ASCE prestandards and
FEMA's HAZUS loss-estimation methodology.

### Indicator 2---Networking and connectivity that take full advantage of the Internet and make science, mathematics, engineering, and technology information available to all citizens

#### Testbeds for new fiber and film products and processes (EEC-97-31680)

The Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films, a joint
Engineering Research Center of Clemson University and MIT, maintains
testbeds in which pilot-scale production equipment can be used to
develop new fiber and film products, as well as to validate advanced
process models. An advanced parallel processor with 528 1GHz chips and
264 gigabytes of RAM supports the modeling effort. The output of the
parallel processor is fed directly to a distributed computer cluster
dedicated to visualization, allowing researchers to incorporate
molecular detail into the process models being developed at the center.
The estimated value for the facilities is more than \$5 million.

#### Computational modeling of strain localization in frictional granular materials (CMS-01-12950)

Kanthasamy Muraleetharan of the University of Oklahoma is developing a
scalable, parallel geoanalysis tool using a framework-based finite
element application in a three-way collaboration among the University of
Oklahoma, TeraScale LLC, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
This analysis tool will be able to analyze static and dynamic behavior
of dry, unsaturated, and saturated soils (fluid flows and solid skeleton
deformations). But in contrast to the closed architecture of existing
proprietary codes, the open architecture of the new framework will
provide users with easy extendibility to include other multi-physics
behavior in geomaterials.

# Appendixes

## Appendix 1 Solicitations and program announcements, FY 2001

  ---------------------------------------------- ---------- --------------
  Description                                    Number     Date

  FY 2002-2003 Combined Research Curriculum      NSF 01-139 July 27, 2001
  Development                                               

  Industry/University Cooperative Research       NSF 01-116 June 28, 2001
  Centers Program                                           

  Research Experiences for Undergraduates        NSF 01-121 June 15, 2001
  Supplements and Sites                                     

  Proposals for Cooperative Activities in        NSF 01-105 Apr 17, 2001
  Materials Sciences between the National                   
  Science Foundation and the European Commission            

  Opportunities for International Research       NSF 01-91  March 30, 2001
  Training Activities with Support from the                 
  National Science Foundation and the European              
  Commission                                                

  Research Equipment Funding                     NSF 01-93  March 27, 2001

  NSF/USDOT Partnership for Exploratory Research NSF 01-87  to come
  on Information and Communications Systems for             
  Surface Transportation                                    

  2001 Technology for a Sustainable Environment: NSF 01-76  February 20,
  NSF/EPA Partnership for Environmental Research            2001

  Ultra-High-Capacity Optical Communications and NSF 01-65  to come
  Networking, in partnership with NSF's Computer            
  and Information Science and Engineering                   
  directorate                                               

  George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake    NSF 01-56  January 12,
  Engineering Simulation: Consortium                        2001
  Development - Program Solicitation                        

  Pan-American Advanced Studies Institutes       NSF 01-48  January 8,
  Program                                                   2001

  Quantitative Systems Biotechnology             NSF 01-37  December 21,
                                                            2000

  Biophotonics Partnership Initiative II         NSF 01-30  December 8,
                                                            2000

  Small Business Innovation Research and Small   NSF 01-28  December 8,
  Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase I             2000
  Solicitation FY-2001                                      

  Research for Mixed Signal Electronic           NSF 01-23  December 7,
  Technologies: A Joint Initiative                          2000

  Interagency Announcement of Opportunities in   NSF 01-19  November 28,
  Metabolic Engineering                                     2000

  Biomedical Engineering Program and Research to NSF 01-12  November 1,
  Aid Persons with Disabilities Program                     2000

  Research Experience for Teachers Supplement to NSF 01-18  October 31
  Current NSF Awards                                        2000
  ---------------------------------------------- ---------- --------------

## Appendix 2 Workshops and grantee conferences, FY 2001

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Workshop or conference description
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  17th North American Catalysis Society Meeting

  2001 NSF Design, Service and Manufacturing Grantees and Research
  Conference

  2nd International Workshop on Oxide Surfaces (IWOX-2)

  5th Annual Green Chemistry Conference

  7th International Congress on Toxic Combustion Byproducts

  Adaptive Memory and Evolution: Tabu and Scatter Search

  Advanced Methods of Mapping Surficial Processes

  Assessing Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Research Training,
  Education and Career Development: Opportunities for NIH and NSF
  Collaboration

  Assessment/Completion of the NEES Experimental Infrastructure

  Beneficial Use of Recycled Materials In Transportation Applications

  CLEANER (Comprehensive Long-term Engineering Assessment Network for
  Environmental Research) Workshop

  Complex Systems Simulation and Optimization in the Information Age

  Composite Sheet Forming Workshop

  Decision Analysis in Engineering Tutorial Workshop

  Decision-Based Design Electronic Workshop

  Earth Systems Engineering: A Civil, Environmental and Architectural
  Engineering Approach

  Earthquake Engineering Research Community Workshop

  ECS-EPSCoR Electronics, Photonics, and Device Technologies National
  Grantees Conference

  Electronic Forum for Design and Manufacturing Education

  Engineering the Service Sector

  Engineering the Transport Industry Grantees' Workshop

  Environmentally Benign Manufacturing in the Automotive Industries

  e-Product Realization Workshop

  First Annual Engineering Education Grantees Conference

  Gordon Research Conference: Laser Diagnostics in Combustion

  Identifying Innovative Research Needs to Foster Improved Fire Safety in
  the United States

  Integrated Manufacturing Technology Initiative Workshops

  International Symposium on Nonlinear Stochastic Dynamics

  International Workshop on Earthquake Simulation in Geotechnical
  Engineering

  International Workshop on Product Sound Quality PSQ2001

  International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring

  Joint AFOSR/ONR/NSF Grantees Workshop

  Joint Workshop: 2001 India-U.S.A. Symposium on Emerging Trends in
  Vibration and Noise Engineering

  Manufacturing of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Workshop

  Minorities in Chemical Engineering Workshop

  Mitigating the Vulnerability of Critical Infrastructures to
  Catastrophic Failures

  Multiagency Informational Meeting on Research to Aid Persons with
  Disabilities

  Multiagency Metabolic Engineering Grantees Conference

  National Workshop on Bridge Research in Progress

  NATO-NSF Workshop on Model-Based Simulation of Durability of Materials
  and Structures

  North American Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering (NASCRE 1)

  NRC: Chemical Sciences Roundtable

  NSF Workshop on Engineering Fundamentals of Low Temperature PEM Fuel
  Cells

  NSF Workshop on Sustainable Energy Systems

  NSF/DOE/EPRI Workshop on Future Research Direction for Complex
  Interactive Electric Networks

  NSF-EC Workshop on Nanomanufacturing and Processing (with CTS)

  PRISM Symposium on Integration, Networking, and the Next Decade

  Reinventing the Use of Materials

  Research Conference: Chemical Process Control VI

  Research with the NEES Tsunami Facility

  Robust Control of Dynamic Systems

  Rock Mechanics in Extreme Environments

  Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium

  Spatial Based Integrated Assessment of Emergency Preparedness, Response
  and recovery for the Kocaeli Earthquakes

  Supply Chain Management Practice and Research-Status and Future
  Directions

  Symposium on Research to Develop an Artificial Retina

  The Earthquake Research Plan: Research Needs and Opportunities for
  Earthquake Engineering

  The Future Revolution in Optical Communications and Networking

  The Harvey Mudd College Social Dimensions of Engineering Design
  Workshop

  Thermal Challenges in Next Generation Electronic Systems: THERMES 2002

  Travel Grant: AICHE Inaugural Women's Initiative Committee Session

  Tribology Issues in Biology and Medicine

  US-Turkey Workshop: Geotechnical Engineering Research, Istanbul, Turkey

  Wireless Technology Grantees' Conference

  Workshop for the Advancement and Retention of Underrepresented and
  Minority Engineering Educators

  Workshop for the World Congress on Disaster Reduction

  Workshop on Advanced Sensor Technology for Civil Engineering Systems

  Workshop on Chemical and Physical Nanotechnology, National
  Nanofabrication Users Network (NNUN)

  Workshop on Critical Infrastructure: Needs in Interdisciplinary
  Research and Graduate Training

  Workshop on Grand Challenges in Nanoscale Science and Engineering

  Workshop on Materials for Infrastructure and Development

  Workshop on Wireless Technology Applications in Manufacturing

  Workshop to Select a Fracture Toughness Test Standard for Concrete

  WTEC Workshop on Tissue Engineering Research in Europe, Japan, and the
  United States
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

##  Appendix 3 Engineering Directorate activities reflecting attention to high-risk, multidisciplinary, and innovative research, FY 2001

  ---------------------------------------------------- ------------------
  Activity                                             Descriptor

  *Solicitations*                                      

  Interagency Announcement of Opportunities in         NSF 01-19
  Metabolic Engineering                                

  Biophotonics Partnership Initiative II               NSF 01-30

  Quantitative Systems Biotechnology                   NSF 01-37

  George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake          NSF 01-56
  Engineering Simulation: Consortium Development -     
  Program Solicitation                                 

  NSF/USDOT Partnership for Exploratory Research on    NSF 01-87
  Information and Communications Systems for Surface   
  Transportation                                       

  Research for Mixed Signal Electronic Technologies: A NSF 01-23
  Joint Initiative                                     

  Ultra-High-Capacity Optical Communications and       NSF 01-65
  Networking, in partnership with NSF's Computer and   
  Information Science and Engineering directorate      

  *Selected awards*                                    

  Mapping cell-surface nanostructure and measuring     CTS-99-08864
  activities of macromolecules in semi-fluid state\*   (Banerjee)

  Utility of patterned electrical stimulation for      BES-99-04368
  controlling cell behavior                            (Langer)

  Soil solidification by magnetorheological fluids     CMS-01-29485
                                                       (Hryciw)

  Miniaturized machine tools for precision machining   DMI-00-00388
                                                       (Ehmann)

  Model predicting susceptibility of brakes and        CMS-96-19527
  clutches to thermoelastic instability                (Barber)

  Distributed measurements of temperature, moisture,   CMS-01-09080
  and strain for civil engineering applications in     (Pamukcu)
  subsurface using a fiber optic sensor                

  Sophisticated folded structures from metal and       DMI-99-08337
  polymer sheets                                       (Elsayed)

  Synthesis of templated and nanostructured surfactant CTS-99-09912
  gels \*                                              (John)

  Student research at National Nanofabrication Users   EEC-99-87915
  Network                                              

  *Selected workshops*                                 

  Workshop on Grand Challenges in Nanoscale Science    CTS-01-29012
  and Engineering\*                                    

  Workshop on Grand Challenges in Nanoscale Science    CTS-01-29012
  and Engineering\*                                    

  Workshop on Chemical and Physical Nanotechnology\*   NNUN

  NSF-EC Workshop on Nanomanufacturing and             
  Processing\*                                         

  *Centers, programs, and other activities*            

  Nanoscale Science and Engineering competition\*      

  Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers and        
  Engineering Research Centers\*                       

  NSF-Russia Joint Science and Technology Cooperation  
  Program                                              

  CRCD in Computational Materials Science and          EEC-00-88101
  Nanoscale Science and Engineering\*                  

  Engineering Directorate program staff oversight for  
  STC on Nanobiotechnology\*                           

  Engineering Directorate management of National       
  Nanofabrication Users Network\*                      
  ---------------------------------------------------- ------------------

\* Specifically related to nanoscale science and engineering

## Appendix 3 Engineering Directorate activities reflecting attention to high-risk, multidisciplinary, and innovative research, FY 2001 (continued)- NS&E Solicitation 

##   {#section .unnumbered}

##   {#section-1 .unnumbered}

##   {#section-2 .unnumbered}

##   {#section-3 .unnumbered}

##   {#section-4 .unnumbered}

##   {#section-5 .unnumbered}

##   {#section-6 .unnumbered}

##  

## Appendix 4 Support from Engineering Research Centers, by thematic area, FY 2001

  ------------------------------- ---------------- ------------- ------------
  Theme                           Centers/groups   Funding       
                                  fully or                       
                                  partially                      
                                  engaged in area                

                                                   (\$ millions) (percent)

  Bioengineering                  11               17.74         27

  Computation, simulation, and    8                7.67          12
  visualization                                                  

  Environment                     3                3.45          5

  Extreme events                  3                6.20          9

  Information technology          2                3.26          5

  Manufacturing and product       5                5.93          9
  development                                                    

  Microelectronics, optics,       4                7.39          11
  microelectromechanical systems,                                
  wireless                                                       

  Nanoscale science and           14               2.75          4
  engineering groups                                             

  Nanoscale science and           7                8.08          12
  engineering centers and ERCs                                   

  Sensing and imaging systems     3                2.43          4

  XYZ on-a-chip group             1                1.00          2

  Total                                            65.87         100
  ------------------------------- ---------------- ------------- ------------

## Appendix 5 Support for Combined Research and Curriculum Development programs, by thematic area, FY 2001

+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Theme               | Program                              | F      |
|                     |                                      | unding |
|                     |                                      | (\$)   |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Bioengineering and  | -   Laboratory Chip for Gene Chip    | 4      |
| biotechnology       |     Technology (EEC-00-87589)        | 00,002 |
|                     |                                      |        |
|                     | -   Curriculum in Genomic            | 4      |
|                     |     Engineering (EEC-00-88001)       | 99,997 |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Environmental       | -   VIRGE: Virtual Interactive       | 3      |
| biotechnology       |     Remediation in the Groundwater   | 94,405 |
|                     |     Environment, An Action Oriented  |        |
|                     |     Curriculum Innovation in         | 4      |
|                     |     Environmental Engineering        | 17,695 |
|                     |     (EEC-00-88137)                   |        |
|                     |                                      |        |
|                     | -   Chemicals from Biorenewables     |        |
|                     |     (EEC-00-87696)                   |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Wireless technology | -   Modules and Courses for          | 4      |
|                     |     Ubiquitous and Mobile Computing  | 80,826 |
|                     |     (EIA-00-88078)                   |        |
|                     |                                      | 4      |
|                     | -   Wireless Multimedia              | 99,891 |
|                     |     Communications for Virtual       |        |
|                     |     Environments (EIA-00-88071)      |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Information         | -   CRCD in Incorporating Recent     | 4      |
| technology          |     Developments into the Mixed      | 09,671 |
|                     |     Signal Telecommunications        |        |
|                     |     Curriculum (EEC-00-88011)        | 5      |
|                     |                                      | 00,000 |
|                     | -   Security Laboratory              |        |
|                     |     (EIA-00-88028)                   | 5      |
|                     |                                      | 00,000 |
|                     | -   Curriculum Development and       |        |
|                     |     Infrastructure for an Advanced   | 4      |
|                     |     Systems Laboratory (EIA-00879450 | 37,349 |
|                     |                                      |        |
|                     | -   A Cryptography Center for        |        |
|                     |     Research and Education           |        |
|                     |     (EIA-00-88063)                   |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| XYZ-on-a-chip       | -   Curriculum Development for the   | 4      |
|                     |     Design, Fabrication, and         | 77,609 |
|                     |     Utilization of Chip-Based        |        |
|                     |     Micro-Analytical Systems         |        |
|                     |     (EEC-00-87902)                   |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Nanoscale science   | -   CRCD in Computational Materials  | 4      |
| and engineering     |     Science and Nanoscale Science    | 86,305 |
|                     |     and Engineering (EEC-00-88101)   |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Engineering the     | -   Expansion of a Module Based      | 5      |
| service sector      |     Multimedia Courseware for        | 00,000 |
|                     |     Curriculum Enhancement in Power  |        |
|                     |     System Education (EEC-00-87969)  |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Knowledge and       | -   Curriculum in Networked and      | 5      |
| distributed         |     Distributed Systems              | 00,000 |
| intelligence        |     (EIA-00-88081)                   |        |
|                     |                                      | 5      |
|                     | -   Constructive, Inquiry-Based,     | 00,000 |
|                     |     Multimedia Learning in Computer  |        |
|                     |     Science Education (EIA-00-87977) |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Extreme events      | -   Interactive Web-Based            | 4      |
|                     |     Experimental and Computational   | 69,343 |
|                     |     Learning Environments for        |        |
|                     |     Earthquake Eng. Research and     | 3      |
|                     |     Education (EEC-00-88130)         | 99,214 |
|                     |                                      |        |
|                     | -   Geotechnical Test Simulator      |        |
|                     |     (EEC-00-87889)                   |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+
| Educating the       | -   Development of a Discrete Event  | 4      |
| workforce for the   |     Dynamic Systems Curriculum Using | 99,678 |
| future              |     a Web-Based "Real-Time"          |        |
|                     |     Simulated Factory (EEC-00-88073) |        |
+---------------------+--------------------------------------+--------+

## Appendix 6 Research Experience for Undergraduates sites funded by the Engineering Education and Centers division of the Engineering Directorate, by thematic area, FY 2001

+-------------+-------------------------------------+--------+--------+
| Theme       | Site                                | St     | F      |
|             |                                     | udents | unding |
|             |                                     | per    | (\$)   |
|             |                                     | year   |        |
+-------------+-------------------------------------+--------+--------+
| M           | -   Sensor Technology in the Center | 9      | 56,531 |
| icrosystems |     for Sensor Technology,          |        |        |
|             |     University of Pennsylvania      | 17     | 1      |
|             |     (EEC-99-12154)                  |        | 24,880 |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             | -   Biology on a Chip in the        |        |        |
|             |     departments of biology and      |        |        |
|             |     mechanical engineering,         |        |        |
|             |     University of Memphis           |        |        |
|             |     (EEC-9912439)                   |        |        |
+-------------+-------------------------------------+--------+--------+
| Nan         | -   Measurements in the Center for  | 6      | 35,040 |
| otechnology |     Ulltrafast Optical Science at   |        |        |
|             |     University of Michigan          | 12     | 85,050 |
|             |     (EEC-99-87992)                  |        |        |
|             |                                     | 4      | 25,900 |
|             | -   Fabrication and                 |        |        |
|             |     characterization in the         | 6      | 38,850 |
|             |     National Nanofabrication Users  |        |        |
|             |     Network and departments of      | 12     | 77,700 |
|             |     electrical engineering          |        |        |
|             |     (EEC-99-87915):                 | 8      | 51,800 |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             |    Cornell                          |        |        |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             |    Howard                           |        |        |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             |    Penn State                       |        |        |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             |    Stanford                         |        |        |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             |    UCSB                             |        |        |
+-------------+-------------------------------------+--------+--------+
| Bi          | -   Hazardous Waste and Safety, in  | 12     | 81,697 |
| ocomplexity |     the Department of Civil and     |        |        |
| and         |     Environmental Engineering at    | 10     | 64,920 |
| bio         |     University of Oklahoma          |        |        |
| remediation |     (EEC-99-12319)                  | 21     | 1      |
|             |                                     |        | 23,415 |
|             | -   Oil Spill Remediation, in the   | 10     |        |
|             |     Department of Wildlife and      |        | 81,000 |
|             |     Fisheries at Texas A&M          | 8      |        |
|             |     (EEC-99-12278)                  |        | 59,474 |
|             |                                     | 12     |        |
|             | -   Green Process Technology, in    |        | 60,415 |
|             |     the Department of Chemical      |        |        |
|             |     Engineering at NC State         |        |        |
|             |     (EEC-99-12339)                  |        |        |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             | -   Land, Water, and Food Resources |        |        |
|             |     in the Department of Biological |        |        |
|             |     Systems Engineering at VPI      |        |        |
|             |     (EEC-99-12263)                  |        |        |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             | -   Water Treatment in the          |        |        |
|             |     Department of Civil and         |        |        |
|             |     Environmental Engineering at    |        |        |
|             |     the University of Colorado,     |        |        |
|             |     Boulder (EEC-99-88062)          |        |        |
|             |                                     |        |        |
|             | -   Global Environmental Systems in |        |        |
|             |     thedepartments of chemistry and |        |        |
|             |     civil and environmental         |        |        |
|             |     engineering, University of Iowa |        |        |
|             |     (EEC-99-12191)                  |        |        |
+-------------+-------------------------------------+--------+--------+

## Appendix 7 International collaboration in Engineering Research Centers and Earthquake Engineering Research Centers, FY 2001

+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| ERC lead institution | International collaboration                   |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Arizona              | Queens University at Belfast, N. Ireland,     |
|                      | University of Leuven (Belgium)                |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Caltech              | ETH/Zurich (Switzerland), Hebrew University   |
|                      | (Israel)\*                                    |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Clemson              | McGill University (Canada), University of     |
|                      | Leeds (England)\*                             |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Carnegie Mellon,     | University of Albert (Canada)                 |
| data storage         |                                               |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Florida              | Institute for Surface Chemistry (Sweden),     |
|                      | Swiss Federal Institute of Technology,        |
|                      | University of S. Australia, University of     |
|                      | Dresden (Germany), University Maine (France), |
|                      | Wageneigen Agricultural University            |
|                      | (Netherlands)\*                               |
|                      |                                               |
|                      | CMRDI (Egypt), CUTEC, Institute GmbH          |
|                      | (Germany), Delft University of Technology     |
|                      | (Netherlands), TRDDC (India)                  |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Georgia Tech,        | Technical University of Berlin (Germany),     |
| packaging            | Technical University of Budapest (Hungary),   |
|                      | Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore\*      |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Georgia Tech, tissue | University of Limerick (Ireland), Eindhoven   |
|                      | University of Technology (The Netherlands),   |
|                      | ETHZ and University of Zurich (Switzerland);  |
|                      | University of Liverpool (United Kingdom)      |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Michigan, RmS        | Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium),      |
|                      | Technical University of Milan (Italy), Kobe   |
|                      | University (Japan), University of Stuttgart   |
|                      | (Germany), University of Palermo (Italy),     |
|                      | Washtenaw Technical Middle College, Technion  |
|                      | (Israel)                                      |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Massachusetts        | University of Toronto (Canada)\*              |
| Institute of         |                                               |
| Technology, BIO      |                                               |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Montana State,       | University of New South Wales (Australia)     |
| biomaterials         |                                               |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Virginia Polytechnic | University of Technology - Vienna (Austria);  |
| Institute and State  | Federal University of Santa Catarina          |
| University           | (Brazil); Laboratoire d'Electrotechnique de   |
|                      | Grenoble (France); Technical University of    |
|                      | Munchen (Germany); Ben Gurion University of   |
|                      | Negev (Israel); University Degli Studi di     |
|                      | Padova (Italy); Kyushu University (Japan);    |
|                      | Delft University of Technology (The           |
|                      | Netherlands); Warsaw University of Technology |
|                      | (Poland); Shanghai University of Technology   |
|                      | (China); University of Electronic Science and |
|                      | Technology of China (China); Zhejiang         |
|                      | University (China); Rand Afrikaans University |
|                      | (South Africa); Universidad Politecnica de    |
|                      | Madrid (Spain)                                |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Washington           | Swiss Center for Biomaterials                 |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| University of        | National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan),      |
| California-Berkeley  | National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan),      |
|                      | University of Tokyo (Japan), National Science |
|                      | and Technology Program for Hazard Mitigation  |
|                      | (Taiwan), National Center for Research on     |
|                      | Earthquake Engineering (Taiwan)               |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| University of        | Imperial College of London (England),         |
| Illinois-Urbana      | University of Pavia (Italy), STRESS Center at |
| Champaign            | Hanyang University (Korea), Korean Earthquake |
|                      | Engineering Research Center, Seoul National   |
|                      | University, Earthquake Disaster Mitigation    |
|                      | Center in Miki (Japan), Italian National      |
|                      | Group for Defense against Earthquakes (GNDT)  |
|                      | and the European Commission Joint Research    |
|                      | Center in Ispra, Italy                        |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| State University of  | Institute of Engineering Mechanics, China     |
| New York at Buffalo  | Seismological Bureau (China), State Key       |
|                      | Laboratory for Disaster Reduction in Civil    |
|                      | Engineering, Tongji University (China),       |
|                      | International Center for Disaster Mitigation  |
|                      | Engineering at the University of Tokyo        |
|                      | (Japan), Korean Earthquake Engineering        |
|                      | Research Center, University of Seoul (Korea), |
|                      | National Center for Research on Earthquake    |
|                      | Engineering, National Taiwan University,      |
|                      | National Information Center for Earthquake    |
|                      | Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology   |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Joint EERC           | Korea Earthquake Engineering Research Center, |
| collaboration in     | Disaster Prevention Research Institute-Kyoto  |
| Asian-Pacific        | University (Japan), Institute of Engineering  |
| Network of Centers   | Mechanics of China Seismological Bureau       |
| for Earthquake       | (China), and National Center for Research on  |
| Engineering Research | Earthquake Engineering (Taiwan)               |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+

\* Collaboration supported by ERC funds.

## Appendix 8 Participation of women and underrepresented minorities in Engineering Research Centers and Earthquake Engineering Research Centers, FY 1997--2001 (percent)

  -------------------------------------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ --
                                         1997   1998   1999   2000   2001          

  Women in ERCs                                                                    

  Undergraduates                         28     26     29     30     34            

  Graduate students                      17     19     20     21     22            

  Postdocs                               21     29     23     35     26            

  Faculty                                6      8      9      13     14            

  Underrepresented minorities in ERCs                                              

  Undergraduates                         9      17     10     17     16            

  Graduate Students                      6      6      6      11     6             

  Postdocs                               7      6      1      0      1             

  Faculty                                4      5      2      3      5             

  Women in ERC REU programs                                                        

  NSF REU site program                   33     37     NA     41     50            

  ERC program                            40     51     44     50     48            

  ERC or university                      42     34     34     39     35            

  Underrepresented minorities in ERC REU                                           
  programs                                                                         

  NSF REU Site Program                   31     23     NA     42     7             

  ERC Program                            41     40     39     75     35            

  ERC or University                      11     20     25     31     21            

  Women in EERCs (FY 2001 only)                                                    

  Undergraduates                                                            45     

  Graduate students                                                         19     

  Postdocs                                                                  25     

  Faculty                                                                   11     

  Underrepresented minorities in EERCs                                             
  (FY 2001 only)                                                                   

  Undergraduates                                                            8      

  Graduate students                                                         5      

  Postdocs                                                                  6      

  Faculty                                                                   6      

  Women in EERC REUs (FY 2001 only)                                                

  NSF REU site program                                                      0      

  ERC program                                                               25     

  ERC or university                                                         50     

  Underrepresented minorities in EERC                                       0      
  REU programs (FY 2001 only)                                                      
  -------------------------------------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ --

REU = Research Experience for Undergraduates

## Appendix 9 Selected GPRA investment process and management goals for Engineering Directorate, FY 2001 (in percent, except as otherwise noted)

  -------------------------- ---------- --------------- ---------------- -----------
  Goal                       Mid-year   Third-quarter   Fourth-quarter   As of
                             status     status          interim status   

  95 percent of full         100        100             100              September
  proposals will be received                                             19, 2001
  electronically through                                                 
  FastLane.                                                              

  Show an increase over 1997 2 women    2 women and 2   3 women and 4    September
  in the total number of     and 1      minorities were minorities were  5, 2001
  hires to S&E positions     minority   hired (out of 4 hired (out of 11 
  from underrepresented      were hired hires.)         hires.)          
  groups. FY 1997 NSF        (out of 3                                   
  baseline: 16 women and 15  hires.)                                     
  members of                                                             
  underrepresented minority                                              
  groups were hired.                                                     

  At least 85 percent of     97         n.a.            n.a.             September
  basic and applied research                                             19, 2001
  funds will be allocated to                                             
  projects which undergo                                                 
  merit review.                                                          

  95 percent of program      100        100             100              September
  announcements will be                                                  17, 2001
  available to relevant                                                  
  individuals and                                                        
  organizations at least 3                                               
  months prior to the                                                    
  proposal deadline or                                                   
  target date.                                                           

  For 70 percent of          75         74              72               September
  proposals, be able to tell                                             19, 2001
  applicants whether their                                               
  proposals have been                                                    
  declined or recommended                                                
  for funding within 6                                                   
  months of receipt.                                                     

  Increase the average       \$86,588   \$85,834        \$97,601         September
  annualized award size for                                              19, 2001
  research projects to                                                   
  \$110,000.                                                             

  Increase the average       3.8 years  3.6 years       3.1 years        September
  duration of awards for                                                 19, 2001
  research projects to at                                                
  least 3.0 years.                                                       

  Award 30 percent of        47         39              31               September
  research grants to new                                                 19, 2001
  investigators.                                                         
  -------------------------- ---------- --------------- ---------------- -----------

n.a. Not available

## Appendix 10 Detailed table of contents listing all project examples cited in report

[Acronyms and abbreviations iii](#__RefHeading___Toc526665615)

[1 The Engineering Directorate has met its outcome goals
1](#__RefHeading___Toc526665616)

[The Engineering Directorate within the National Science Foundation
2](#__RefHeading___Toc526665617)

[Sources and methods used in this report
3](#__RefHeading___Toc526665618)

[The six divisions of the Engineering Directorate
3](#__RefHeading___Toc526665619)

[Selected accomplishments 5](#__RefHeading___Toc526665620)

[High-risk and innovative awards 6](#__RefHeading___Toc526665621)

[Major solicitations 8](#__RefHeading___Toc526665622)

[Selected workshops and grantee conferences
9](#__RefHeading___Toc526665623)

[Areas for improvement 10](#__RefHeading___Toc526665624)

[2 The Directorate is part of a productive web of crosscutting and
collaborative\
activities 11](#__RefHeading___Toc526665625)

[NSF priority areas and cross-directorate programs
11](#__RefHeading___Toc526665626)

[Interagency and private partnerships and activities
14](#__RefHeading___Toc526665627)

[International activities 15](#__RefHeading___Toc526665628)

[3 Independent evaluations help the Directorate plan for the future
17](#__RefHeading___Toc526665629)

[4 Two Committees of Visitors reported positive outcomes in FY 2001
20](#__RefHeading___Toc526665630)

[People---Development of "a diverse, internationally competitive and
globally\
engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared citizens"
21](#peopledevelopment-of-a-diverse-internationally-competitive-and-globally-engaged-workforce-of-scientists-engineers-and-well-prepared-citizens)

[Indicator 1--- Improved mathematics, science, and technology skills for
U.S. students at the K-12 level and for citizens of all ages
21](#indicator-1-improved-mathematics-science-and-technology-skills-for-u.s.-students-at-the-k-12-level-and-for-citizens-of-all-ages)

[Noise cancellation system (CMS-95-01470)
21](#noise-cancellation-system-cms-95-01470)

[Summer camps for particle science and technology (EEC-94-02989)
22](#summer-camps-for-particle-science-and-technology-eec-94-02989)

[Indicator 2---A science and technology and instructional workforce that
reflects America's diversity
22](#indicator-2a-science-and-technology-and-instructional-workforce-that-reflects-americas-diversity)

[Gateway Coalition for retention of African-American engineering
students\
(EEC-97-27413)
22](#gateway-coalition-for-retention-of-african-american-engineering-students-eec-97-27413)

[Earthquake planning and reconstruction symposium (CMS-98-18494,\
CMS-94-16416, CMS-90-25125, CMS-89-08032)
22](#earthquake-planning-and-reconstruction-symposium-cms-98-18494-cms-94-16416-cms-90-25125-cms-89-08032)

[Indicator 3--- Globally engaged science and engineering professionals
who are among the best in the world
23](#indicator-3-globally-engaged-science-and-engineering-professionals-who-are-among-the-best-in-the-world)

[New distance-learning courses (CRCD-99-01565)
23](#new-distance-learning-courses-crcd-99-01565)

[Geotechnical reconnaissance report on Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake\
(CMS-95-20204)
23](#geotechnical-reconnaissance-report-on-hyogoken-nanbu-earthquake-cms-95-20204)

[Indictor 4---A public that is provided access to the benefits of
science and engineering research and education
24](#indictor-4a-public-that-is-provided-access-to-the-benefits-of-science-and-engineering-research-and-education)

[Museum exhibit on links among product design, manufacturing processes,
and business needs (EEC-95-29125)
24](#museum-exhibit-on-links-among-product-design-manufacturing-processes-and-business-needs-eec-95-29125)

[Second National Assessment of Research Applications on Natural Hazards
(CMS-95-41969, CMS-95-44211, and CMS-96-41063)
24](#second-national-assessment-of-research-applications-on-natural-hazards-cms-95-41969-cms-95-44211-and-cms-96-41063)

[Ideas---Enabling "discovery across the frontiers of science and
engineering,\
connected to learning, innovation, and service to society"
24](#__RefHeading___Toc526665644)

[Indicator 1---A robust and growing fundamental knowledge base that
enhances progress in all science and engineering areas
24](#indicator-1a-robust-and-growing-fundamental-knowledge-base-that-enhances-progress-in-all-science-and-engineering-areas)

[Neural networks application (CMS-00-84556)
24](#neural-networks-application-cms-00-84556)

[Packaging Research Center (EEC-98-20254)
25](#packaging-research-center-eec-98-20254)

[Indicator 2---Discoveries that advance the frontiers of science,
engineering, and technology
25](#indicator-2discoveries-that-advance-the-frontiers-of-science-engineering-and-technology)

[Actuator control systems for high-density magnetic and optical disk
drives\
(EEC-89-07068)
25](#actuator-control-systems-for-high-density-magnetic-and-optical-disk-drives-eec-89-07068)

[Detection of cardiac arrhythmia (CMS-96-25161)
25](#detection-of-cardiac-arrhythmia-cms-96-25161)

[Indicator 3---Partnerships connecting discovery to innovation,
learning, and\
societal advancement
26](#indicator-3partnerships-connecting-discovery-to-innovation-learning-and-societal-advancement)

[Greater Houston Wastewater program (CMS-95-26094)
26](#greater-houston-wastewater-program-cms-95-26094)

[Machine control using biological sensing and control systems\
(EEC- 94-02726)
26](#machine-control-using-biological-sensing-and-control-systems-eec--94-02726)

[Indicator 4---Research and education processes that are synergistic
26](#indicator-4research-and-education-processes-that-are-synergistic)

[Effects of earthquakes on urban highways (CMS-96-33386)
26](#effects-of-earthquakes-on-urban-highways-cms-96-33386)

[Green Design project (EEC-97-00568, I-4)
26](#green-design-project-eec-97-00568-i-4)

[Tools---Providing "broadly accessible, state-of-the-art information
bases and\
shared research and education tools" 26](#__RefHeading___Toc526665657)

[Indicator 1--- Shared-use platforms, facilities, instruments, and
databases that\
enable discovery and enhance the productivity and effectiveness of the
science\
and engineering workforce
26](#indicator-1-shared-use-platforms-facilities-instruments-and-databases-that-enable-discovery-and-enhance-the-productivity-and-effectiveness-of-the-science-and-engineering-workforce)

[Predicting the ground motion of large basins during strong earthquakes\
(CMS-93-18163)
26](#predicting-the-ground-motion-of-large-basins-during-strong-earthquakes-cms-93-18163)

[Indicator 2--- Networking and connectivity that take full advantage of
the\
Internet and make science, mathematics, engineering, and technology\
information available to all citizens
27](#indicator-2-networking-and-connectivity-that-take-full-advantage-of-the-internet-and-make-science-mathematics-engineering-and-technology-information-available-to-all-citizens)

[Innovative educational technology delivery systems and interactive
learning software (EEC-98-76363)
27](#innovative-educational-technology-delivery-systems-and-interactive-learning-software-eec-98-76363)

[Distributed object-based modeling environment (EEC-95-29140)
27](#distributed-object-based-modeling-environment-eec-95-29140)

[Model predicting susceptibility of brakes and clutches to
thermoelastic\
instability (CMS-96-19527)
27](#model-predicting-susceptibility-of-brakes-and-clutches-to-thermoelastic-instability-cms-96-19527)

[5 The Directorate met its outcome goals through innovative and highly
productive projects 29](#__RefHeading___Toc526665664)

[People---Development of "a diverse, internationally competitive and
globally\
engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared citizens"
29](#peopledevelopment-of-a-diverse-internationally-competitive-and-globally-engaged-workforce-of-scientists-engineers-and-well-prepared-citizens-1)

[Indicator 1---Improved mathematics, science, and technology skills for
U.S.\
students at the K-12 level and for citizens of all ages
29](#indicator-1improved-mathematics-science-and-technology-skills-for-u.s.-students-at-the-k-12-level-and-for-citizens-of-all-ages)

[Workshop on light-emitting diodes (ECS-00-93742)
29](#workshop-on-light-emitting-diodes-ecs-00-93742)

[Getting secondary school students interested in science and math
(Various\
grants)
29](#getting-secondary-school-students-interested-in-science-and-math-various-grants)

[ERC for Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology\
(EEC-97-31748)
30](#erc-for-computer-integrated-surgical-systems-and-technology-eec-97-31748)

[Summer outreach program in electrical engineering (ECS-99-06062)
30](#summer-outreach-program-in-electrical-engineering-ecs-99-06062)

[Indicator 2---A science and technology and instructional workforce that
reflects America's diversity
30](#indicator-2a-science-and-technology-and-instructional-workforce-that-reflects-americas-diversity-1)

[Student design contest, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers\
(DMI-99-83245)
30](#student-design-contest-society-of-hispanic-professional-engineers-dmi-99-83245)

[Student research at the National Nanofabrication Users Network\
(EEC-99-87915)
30](#student-research-at-the-national-nanofabrication-users-network-eec-99-87915)

[Workshop for retention of underrepresented and minority engineering\
educators (CMS-01-29530)
31](#workshop-for-retention-of-underrepresented-and-minority-engineering-educators-cms-01-29530)

[Indicator 3---Globally engaged science and engineering professionals
who are among the best in the world
32](#indicator-3globally-engaged-science-and-engineering-professionals-who-are-among-the-best-in-the-world)

[U.S.-Japan collaborative research on earthquake mitigation (award
number to come)
32](#u.s.-japan-collaborative-research-on-earthquake-mitigation-award-number-to-come)

[Research Experiences for Undergraduates funded by NIST and NSF\
(EEC-98-20311)
32](#research-experiences-for-undergraduates-funded-by-nist-and-nsf-eec-98-20311)

[Workshop on decision theory for engineering design faculty
(DMI-01-15013)
32](#workshop-on-decision-theory-for-engineering-design-faculty-dmi-01-15013)

[New method for measuring nanoforces (CMS-99-71414)
32](#new-method-for-measuring-nanoforces-cms-99-71414)

[Indictor 4---A public that is provided access to the benefits of
science and engineering research and education
33](#indictor-4a-public-that-is-provided-access-to-the-benefits-of-science-and-engineering-research-and-education-1)

[Intelligent connector to monitor aircraft wiring (ECS-00-80559)
33](#intelligent-connector-to-monitor-aircraft-wiring-ecs-00-80559)

[Fern that hyperaccumulates arsenic from soils (BES-00-86768)
33](#fern-that-hyperaccumulates-arsenic-from-soils-bes-00-86768)

[Multiscale models for microstructure control of epitaxially grown
materials\
(CTS-97-02615)
33](#multiscale-models-for-microstructure-control-of-epitaxially-grown-materials-cts-97-02615)

[Methods to improve the delivery of medical treatment (DMI-98-00544)
34](#methods-to-improve-the-delivery-of-medical-treatment-dmi-98-00544)

[Undergraduate design project, University of Toledo (BES-00-78748)
34](#undergraduate-design-project-university-of-toledo-bes-00-78748)

[Ideas---Enabling "discovery across the frontiers of science and
engineering,\
connected to learning, innovation, and service to society"
35](#ideasenabling-discovery-across-the-frontiers-of-science-and-engineering-connected-to-learning-innovation-and-service-to-society-1)

[Indicator 1---A robust and growing fundamental knowledge base that
enhances progress in all science and engineering areas
35](#indicator-1a-robust-and-growing-fundamental-knowledge-base-that-enhances-progress-in-all-science-and-engineering-areas-1)

[Ceramic-based, multi-chip module manufacturing of novel layered tape\
casting (DMI-93-13126 and DMI-00-99360)
35](#ceramic-based-multi-chip-module-manufacturing-of-novel-layered-tape-casting-dmi-93-13126-and-dmi-00-99360)

[Outstanding contributions to operations research (DMI-98-02773 and\
DMI-00-98427)
35](#outstanding-contributions-to-operations-research-dmi-98-02773-and-dmi-00-98427)

[Synthesis of nonlinear feedback controllers for complex distributed
processes (CTS-97-33509)
35](#synthesis-of-nonlinear-feedback-controllers-for-complex-distributed-processes-cts-97-33509)

[Indicator 2---Discoveries that advance the frontiers of science,
engineering, and technology
36](#indicator-2discoveries-that-advance-the-frontiers-of-science-engineering-and-technology-1)

[Broadband channel characterization for tether-free/wireless systems\
(ECS-99-79376)
36](#broadband-channel-characterization-for-tether-freewireless-systems-ecs-99-79376)

[Synthesis of templated and nanostructured surfactant gels
(CTS-99-09912)
37](#synthesis-of-templated-and-nanostructured-surfactant-gels-cts-99-09912)

[Adsorbents with adjustable pore size for separation of small molecules\
(CTS-96-24613 and CTS-00-91406)
37](#adsorbents-with-adjustable-pore-size-for-separation-of-small-molecules-cts-96-24613-and-cts-00-91406)

[Painless microneedles and probes (ECS-97-31293 and ECS-97-31294)
38](#painless-microneedles-and-probes-ecs-97-31293-and-ecs-97-31294)

[Nonlinear Modeling and Multivariable Control of Combustion Instability
in\
Jet Engines (ECS-00-70146)
38](#nonlinear-modeling-and-multivariable-control-of-combustion-instability-in-jet-engines-ecs-00-70146)

[Mapping cell-surface nanostructure and measuring activities of\
macromolecules in semi-fluid state (CTS-99-08864)
38](#mapping-cell-surface-nanostructure-and-measuring-activities-of-macromolecules-in-semi-fluid-state-cts-99-08864)

[Use of genomic information to reconstruct cell's metabolic networks\
(BES-98-14092)
39](#use-of-genomic-information-to-reconstruct-cells-metabolic-networks-bes-98-14092)

[New polyketides (BES-98-06774) 40](#new-polyketides-bes-98-06774)

[cBN-TiN coating for cutting tools (DMI-97-13660)
41](#cbn-tin-coating-for-cutting-tools-dmi-97-13660)

[Single-phase motor drive circuit topology (EEC-97-31677)
41](#single-phase-motor-drive-circuit-topology-eec-97-31677)

[Indicator 3---Partnerships connecting discovery to innovation,
learning, and\
societal advancement
42](#indicator-3partnerships-connecting-discovery-to-innovation-learning-and-societal-advancement-1)

[Computer simulation of building construction process (CMS-95-96277)
42](#computer-simulation-of-building-construction-process-cms-95-96277)

[FutureTruck competition (DMI-99-05892)
42](#futuretruck-competition-dmi-99-05892)

[Regeneration filtration system for diesel engines (CTS-96-12483)
43](#regeneration-filtration-system-for-diesel-engines-cts-96-12483)

[Indicator 4---Research and education processes that are synergistic
43](#indicator-4research-and-education-processes-that-are-synergistic-1)

[Numerical simulations of insect flight (CTS-00-93792)
43](#numerical-simulations-of-insect-flight-cts-00-93792)

[Tissue engineering for nervous system repair (BES-97-33156)
44](#tissue-engineering-for-nervous-system-repair-bes-97-33156)

[Producing aluminum using solar energy (DMI-99-00053)
45](#producing-aluminum-using-solar-energy-dmi-99-00053)

[Tools---Providing "broadly accessible, state-of-the-art information
bases and\
shared research and education tools"
45](#toolsproviding-broadly-accessible-state-of-the-art-information-bases-and-shared-research-and-education-tools-1)

[Indicator 1---Shared-use platforms, facilities, instruments, and
databases that\
enable discovery and enhance the productivity and effectiveness of the
science\
and engineering workforce
45](#indicator-1shared-use-platforms-facilities-instruments-and-databases-that-enable-discovery-and-enhance-the-productivity-and-effectiveness-of-the-science-and-engineering-workforce)

[Instrumented test bed for traffic and transportation research
(CMS-01-16099)
45](#instrumented-test-bed-for-traffic-and-transportation-research-cms-01-16099)

[Geographic information system database on lifeline seismic performance\
(award number to come)
46](#geographic-information-system-database-on-lifeline-seismic-performance-award-number-to-come)

[Indicator 2---Networking and connectivity that take full advantage of
the Internet and make science, mathematics, engineering, and technology
information\
available to all citizens
46](#indicator-2networking-and-connectivity-that-take-full-advantage-of-the-internet-and-make-science-mathematics-engineering-and-technology-information-available-to-all-citizens)

[Testbeds for new fiber and film products and processes (EEC-97-31680)
46](#testbeds-for-new-fiber-and-film-products-and-processes-eec-97-31680)

[Computational modeling of strain localization in frictional granular
materials (CMS-01-12950)
47](#computational-modeling-of-strain-localization-in-frictional-granular-materials-cms-01-12950)

[Appendixes 49](#__RefHeading___Toc526665717)

[Appendix 1 Solicitations and program announcements, FY 2001
49](#__RefHeading___Toc526665718)

[Appendix 2 Workshops and grantee conferences, FY 2001
50](#__RefHeading___Toc526665719)

[Appendix 3 Engineering Directorate activities reflecting attention to
high-risk, multidisciplinary, and innovative research, FY 2001
52](#__RefHeading___Toc526665720)

[Appendix 3 Engineering Directorate activities reflecting attention to
high-risk, multidisciplinary, and innovative research, FY 2001
(continued)
53](#appendix-3-engineering-directorate-activities-reflecting-attention-to-high-risk-multidisciplinary-and-innovative-research-fy-2001-continued--nse-solicitation)

[Appendix 3 Engineering Directorate activities reflecting attention to
high-risk, multidisciplinary, and innovative research, FY 2001
(continued) 54](#__RefHeading___Toc526665722)

[Appendix 4 Support from Engineering Research Centers, by thematic
area,\
FY 2001 55](#__RefHeading___Toc526665723)

[Appendix 5 Support for Combined Research and Curriculum Development
programs, by thematic area, FY 2001 56](#__RefHeading___Toc526665724)

[Appendix 6 Research Experience for Undergraduates sites funded by the
Engineering Education and Centers division of the Engineering
Directorate, by thematic area, FY 2001 57](#__RefHeading___Toc526665725)

[Appendix 7 International collaboration in Engineering Research Centers
and Earthquake Engineering Research Centers, FY 2001
58](#__RefHeading___Toc526665726)

[Appendix 8 Participation of women and underrepresented minorities in
Engineering Research Centers and Earthquake Engineering Research
Centers, FY 1997--2001 (percent) 59](#__RefHeading___Toc526665727)

[Appendix 9 Selected GPRA investment process and management goals for
Engineering Directorate, FY 2001 (in percent, except as otherwise noted)
60](#__RefHeading___Toc526665728)

[Appendix 10 Detailed table of contents listing all project examples
cited in report 61](#__RefHeading___Toc526665729)

[^1]: Committee of Visitors, "Review of the Division of Engineering
    Education and Centers, March 12--14, 2001.

[^2]: Committee of Visitors, "Review of the Division of Civil and
    Mechanical Systems of the Engineering Directorate," April 26--27 and
    June 18--19, 2001.

[^3]: Committee of Visitors, "Review of the Division of Engineering
    Education and Centers, March 12--14, 2001.

[^4]: Committee of Visitors, "Review of the Division of Civil and
    Mechanical Systems of the Engineering Directorate," April 26--27 and
    June 18--19, 2001.