Microelectromechanical systems
Paul B. Ruffin, Ph.D. (born March 20, 1955) is an American scientist and educator. He is active in the field of applied science during his career as a research physicist conducting exploratory and advanced research and development in Fiber-optic communication, Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and Nanotechnology at the U. S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC). In July 2003, Ruffin was promoted to the highest rank for a research scientist — Senior Research Scientist (ST) — that anyone could achieve in Government service, making him the first African American to ever attain such status in the Civilian Army workforce.