National Science Foundation Engineering Research Research Articles

Transitioning Electrochemical Technologies into Agriculture via the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center Model

One of the most difficult challenges in translating electrochemical technologies into agriculture is the lag in education about the impact of electrochemical technologies in the field. Other challenges include lack of (1) investment and resources for translational research; (2) effective mechanisms to derisk investment; (3) a workforce prepared to translate and operate such technologies; (4) policy, legal infrastructure, and holistic business growth models; and (5) diverse and inclusive leadership “agents of change” to transition the technologies into the market. Opportunities to translate research into the market require strong partnerships with industry, universities, government, and stakeholders. An effective model is the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) model. An NSF ERC Gen-4 launched in August 2022 is the Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER). Industry and other practitioner organizations are actively involved at the very early stage (articulation of the vision) and during operation in activities such as: participation in strategic planning, joint research, providing input into workforce development programs, mentoring students, and engagement in proof-of-concept testbeds. All these activities and engagement are key to accelerating technology transfer and to transitioning technologies from the lab to the market, while training an effective workforce for industry.

Special report: The Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag)

• IoT4Ag Engineering Research Center established on September 1, 2020. • IoT sense-communication-response systems to optimize practices for every plant. • Sensors, robotics, and energy and communication devices to data-driven models. • Training an educated and diverse workforce. • Addressing the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) was established on September 1, 2020 and launched its collaborative programs across the four NSF ERC pillars of convergent research , engineering workforce development , diversity and culture of inclusion , and innovation ecosystem . IoT4Ag unites an interdisciplinary cadre of faculty and students from the University of Pennsylvania, Purdue University, the University of California-Merced, and the University of Florida, with partners in education, government, industry, and the end-user farming community. The IoT4Ag mission is to create and translate to practice Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for precision agriculture and to train an educated and diverse workforce that will address the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security for decades to come .

(Keynote) Engineering Research Centers –Past, Present and Future

During the recent decades, the scientific and engineering community and the federal agencies have explored the potential of large-scale center-type research programs. It has been recognized that many of the most challenging and complex technical problems can only be addressed if researchers with diverse expertise combine their efforts and work across the boundaries between disciplines. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) program is a flagship program in this regard.The ERCs are interdisciplinary, multi-institutional centers that join academia, industry, and government in partnership to produce transformational engineered systems and educate individuals that are adept at innovation and primed for leadership in the global economy. They operate at the interface between the discovery-driven culture of science and the innovation-driven culture of engineering. Since the ERC program’s inception in 1984, NSF has funded over 70 ERCs across the United States. The NSF funding level has been at about $4 million per year for each ERC for up to 10 years, during which time the centers would develop partnerships with industry, universities, and other government entities to sustain them upon graduation from NSF support. Throughout the years, the ERCs have contributed significantly to the technical community and the nation; educated more than 12,000 engineering graduates with interdisciplinary training, produced a tremendous amount of high impact publications, patents and licenses, and spin-off companies. Studies have estimated that the total downstream market value of ERC innovations to the U.S. economy is well over tens of billions of dollars. Recently, NSF funded the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct a study to create a vision for future research centers in engineering (A New Vision for Center-Based Engineering Research, 2017, The National Academies Press). Building upon the NASEM’s recommendations, NSF developed a roadmap for the next generation of ERCs (Gen-4), which emphasizes cutting-edge research efforts that are convergent and will lead to strong societal impact. A Gen-4 ERC will have interacting foundational components that cover convergent research, workforce development, culture of diversity and inclusion, and innovation ecosystem. This presentation will provide an overview of the NSF ERC program to date, as well as new opportunities for the Gen-4 ERCs.

Developing Engineering Leaders: An Organized Innovation Approach to Engineering Education

In addition to providing technical expertise in their respective fields, engineers are increasingly assuming leadership roles in academia, industry, government, and even non-profit organizations. We draw from lessons learned in our decade-long study of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center program to provide both a theoretical framework, the Organized Innovation Model for Education, and tangible recommendations to educators, engineering managers, and anyone else interested in developing highly skilled engineers who are also excellent leaders. The model addresses a long-lamented need for systematic ways to integrate leadership development into technical curriculum and skill-building programs.

Yb^3+-doped double-clad phosphate fiber for 976 nm single-frequency laser amplifiers

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II [NNX15CP19C]; National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Integrated Access Networks [EEC-0812072]; Technology Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) Photonics Initiative of the University of Arizona

The Pransky interview: Dr Yoky Matsuoka, Vice President Technology, Nest Labs

Purpose – This article is a “Q&A interview” conducted by Joanne Pransky of Industrial Robot Journal as a method to impart the combined technological, business and personal experience of a prominent, robotic industry engineer-turned entrepreneur regarding the evolution, commercialization and challenges of bringing a technological invention to market. Design/methodology/approach – The interviewee is Dr Yoky Matsuoka, the Vice President of Nest Labs. Matsuoka describes her career journey that led her from a semi-professional tennis player who wanted to build a robot tennis buddy, to a pioneer of neurobotics who then applied her multidisciplinary research in academia to the development of a mass-produced intelligent home automation device. Findings – Dr Matsuoka received a BS degree from the University of California, Berkeley and an MS and PhD in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was also a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT and in Mechanical Engineering at Harvard University. Dr Matsuoka was formerly the Torode Family Endowed Career Development Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington (UW), Director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering and Ana Loomis McCandless Professor of Robotics and Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2010, she joined Google X as one of its three founding members. She then joined Nest as VP of Technology. Originality/value – Dr Matsuoka built advanced robotic prosthetic devices and designed complementary rehabilitation strategies that enhanced the mobility of people with manipulation disabilities. Her novel work has made significant scientific and engineering contributions in the combined fields of mechanical engineering, neuroscience, bioengineering, robotics and computer science. Dr Matsuoka was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in which she used the Genius Award money to establish a nonprofit corporation, YokyWorks, to continue developing engineering solutions for humans with physical disabilities. Other awards include the Emerging Inventor of the Year, UW Medicine; IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Early Academic Career Award; Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers; and numerous others. She leads the development of the learning and control technology for the Nest smoke detector and Thermostat, which has saved the USA hundreds of billions of dollars in energy expenses. Nest was sold to Google in 2013 for a record $3.2 billion dollars in cash.

Training the next generation of creative, innovative and adaptive scientists and engineers: The NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC) Research Experience for Undergraduates

Integrated chemical and biological processing systems that use biorenewable resources as feedstocks are critical to addressing the world's growing demand for carbon-based consumer products, and can make significant contributions to ensuring environmental sustainability. The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC)11Engineering Research Center (ERC). for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC)22Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC). provides educational programs that attract a diverse group of students into engineering fields to address the world's need to produce globally competitive college graduates capable of designing cost-competitive biorenewable chemicals. CBiRC provides a unique fusion of innovative interdisciplinary research and undergraduate educational opportunities through the CBiRC Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The REU is an intensive ten-week summer program where students not only learn laboratory research skills, but are also immersed in the interdisciplinary academic environment of the ERC through workshops, seminars, research thrust meetings, and interactions with CBiRC professional staff. In this article, we describe a novel evaluation-supported model for an interdisciplinary undergraduate research program in the field of biorenewable chemicals engineering, which encourages undergraduates to build upon basic research skills to propose creative, innovative, and adaptable solutions to chemical engineering problems.

The CASA quantitative precipitation estimation system: a five year validation study

Abstract. Flooding is one of the most common natural hazards that produce substantial loss of life and property. The QPE products that are derived at high spatiotemporal resolution, which is enabled by the deployment of a dense radar network, have the potential to improve the prediction of flash-flooding threats when coupled with hydrological models. The US National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) is dedicated to revolutionizing our ability to observe, understand, predict, and respond to hazardous weather events, especially in the lower atmosphere. CASA's technology enables precipitation observation close to the ground and QPE is one of the important products generated by the system. This paper describes the CASA QPE system built on the various underlying technologies of networked X-band radar systems providing high-resolution (in space and time) measurements, using the rainfall products from the radar. Evaluation of the networked rainfall product using 5 yr of data from the CASA IP-1 test bed is presented. Cross validation of the product using 5 yr of data with a gauge network is also provided. The validation shows the excellent performance of the CASA QPE system with a standard error of 25% and a low bias of 3.7%. Examples of various CASA rainfall products including instantaneous and hourly rainfall accumulations are shown.

Teaming Up For Biobased Chemicals

To make products from renewable feedstocks and environmentally friendly processes, chemical makers have tended to rely solely on conventional chemical processing or biological processing, not both. Recently, a few companies have shown at the large-demonstration-plant scale that combining chemical and biological methods is a viable and advantageous route for converting a variety of starting materials, including biomass, to fuels and a handful of chemicals. At the laboratory scale, academic researchers have shown that the hybrid approach can produce a number of so-called platform compounds—intermediates—that in turn can be converted into a wide variety of commercially valuable chemicals. Developing commercially viable biobased substitutes for petrochemicals is an enormous challenge, says Brent H. Shanks, a chemical engineering professor at Iowa State University. Shanks is the director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC). The best way to succeed a...

Analysis of a Tornadic Mesoscale Convective Vortex Based on Ensemble Kalman Filter Assimilation of CASA X-Band and WSR-88D Radar Data

Abstract One of the goals of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) is to improve storm-scale numerical weather prediction (NWP) by collecting data with a dense X-band radar network that provides high-resolution low-level coverage, and by assimilating such data into NWP models. During the first spring storm season after the deployment of four radars in the CASA Integrated Project-1 (IP-1) network in southwest Oklahoma, a tornadic mesoscale convective system (MCS) was captured by CASA and surrounding Weather Surveillance Radars-1988 Doppler (WSR-88Ds) on 8–9 May 2007. The MCS moved across northwest Texas and western and central Oklahoma; two tornadoes rated as category 1 on the enhanced Fujita scale (EF-1) and one tornado of EF-0 intensity were reported during the event, just to the north of the IP-1 network. This was the first tornadic convective system observed by CASA. To quantify the impacts of CASA radar data in storm-scale NWP, a set of data assimilation experiments were performed using the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) system configured with full model physics and high-resolution terrain. Data from four CASA IP-1 radars and five WSR-88Ds were assimilated in some of the experiments. The ensemble contained 40 members, and radar data were assimilated every 5 min for 1 h. While the assimilation of WSR-88D data alone was able to produce a reasonably accurate analysis of the convective system, assimilating CASA data in addition to WSR-88D data is found to improve the representation of storm-scale circulations, particularly in the lowest few kilometers of the atmosphere, as evidenced by analyses of gust front position and comparison of simulated Vr with observations. Assimilating CASA data decreased RMS innovation of the resulting ensemble mean analyses of Z, particularly in early assimilation cycles, suggesting that the addition of CASA data allowed the EnKF system to more quickly achieve a good result. Use of multiple microphysics schemes in the forecast ensemble was found to alleviate underdispersion by increasing the ensemble spread. This work is the first assimilating real CASA data into an NWP model using EnKF.

Interview with Chris Kyriakakis

Chris Kyriakakis is Associate Professor of Audio Signal Processing at the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering, and he is Deputy Director of the Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC), a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. He is also Chief Technology Officer/Founder of Audyssey Laboratories, Inc. a cutting-edge audio company that delivers algorithms for improving sound in homes, theaters, portable devices, and automobiles. He is the recipient of a 2006 World Technology Award. In the video interview, you will hear his answers to the following questions: 1. You have conducted research on the impact of music on perceived emotion of film. Can you tell us what it is about? 2. You are the co-founder of the Immersive Audio Laboratory at the USC Integrated Media Systems Center. What are some of the cutting-edge research projects at your Lab? 3. You have co-founded Audyssey Laboratories to commercialize your research projects. What is the biggest challenge in transforming research ideas into commercial products? 4. You won the 2006 World Technology Award last year. Congratulations! How do you envision changing the world for the better by means of new technologies?

An OSSE Framework Based on the Ensemble Square Root Kalman Filter for Evaluating the Impact of Data from Radar Networks on Thunderstorm Analysis and Forecasting

Abstract A framework for Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) based on the ensemble square root Kalman filter (EnSRF) technique for assimilating data from more than one radar network is described. The system is tested by assimilating simulated radial velocity and reflectivity data from a Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) radar and a network of four low-cost radars planned for the Oklahoma test bed by the new National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA). Such networks are meant to adaptively probe the lower atmosphere that is often missed by the existing WSR-88D radar network, so as to improve the detection of low-level hazardous weather events and to provide more complete data for the initialization of numerical weather prediction models. Different from earlier OSSE work with ensemble Kalman filters, the radar data are sampled on the radar elevation levels and a more realistic forward operator based on the Gaussian power-gain function is used. A stretched vertical grid with high vertical resolution near the ground allows for a better examination of the impact of low-level data. Furthermore, the impacts of storm propagation and higher-volume scan frequencies up to one volume scan per minute on the quality of analysis are examined, using a domain of a sufficient size. The generally good analysis compared to earlier work indicates that the filter can effectively handle the non-uniform-resolution data on the radar elevation levels. The assimilation of additional data from a well-positioned (relative to the storm) CASA radar improves the analysis of a supercell storm system that uses data from one WSR-88D radar alone; and the improvement is most significant at the low levels. When data from a single CASA radar are assimilated and when the radar does not provide full coverage of the storm system, significant errors develop in the analysis that cannot be effectively corrected. The combination of three CASA radars produces analyses of similar quality as the combination of one WSR-88D radar and one well-positioned CASA radar. The most significant effect of storm propagation speed appears to be on the data coverage, which in turn affects the analysis quality. It is generally true that the more observations, the better the analysis. The results of the EnSRF assimilation are not very sensitive to the propagation speed. The quality of analysis can be improved by employing faster volume scans. The sensitivity of the EnSRF analysis to the volume scan interval is however much less than that of traditional velocity and thermodynamic retrieval schemes, suggesting the superiority of the EnSRF method compared to traditional methods. The very frequent update of the model state by the filter, even at 1-min intervals, does not show any negative effect, indicating that the analyzed fields are well balanced.

Integrating Active, Passive and EMI-Filter Functions in Power Electronics Systems: A Case Study of Some Technologies

Assemblies of power semiconductor switches and their associated drive circuits are at present available in modules. Upward into the multi-kilowatt range, mixed mode module construction is used. This incorporates monolithic, hybrid, surface mount, and wirebond technology. However, a close examination of the applications in motor drives and power supplies indicates that there has been no dramatic volume reduction of the subsystem. The power semiconductor modules have shrunk the power switching part of the converter, but the bulk of the subsystem volume still comprises the associated control, sensing, electromagnetic power passives (inductors, transformers, capacitors) and interconnects. This paper addresses the improvement of power processing technology through advanced integration of power electronics. The goal of a subsystem in a module necessitates this advanced integration, incorporating active switching stages, electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters, and electromagnetic power passives into modules by integration technology. The central philosophy of the technology development research in the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Power Electronic Systems is to advance the state of the art by providing the concept of integrated power electronics modules (IPEMs) for all these functions. The technology underpinning such an IPEM approach is discussed.

A word from the editor

A word from the editor

Establishing academic programs in integrated media systems

For four years, we have been developing a wide range of graduate and undergraduate degree programs related to integrated media systems on behalf of the Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC), for the School of Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC). The IMSC is a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center (ERC) that became operational in 1996. It is not an academic department; however, one of its important missions is education. Most of the developed degree programs have been for engineering students, but one is available to all students. These degree programs are administered either by an academic department (e.g., computer science) or by an assistant dean of the School of Engineering. The purpose of this article is to not only describe these degree programs, but to also provide some lessons that have been learned along the way, lessons that may help expedite the development of similar programs at other universities.

An Evaluation of the Georgia Tech Summer Undergraduate Program of Research in Electrical Engineering for Minorities

AbstractThis paper describes and evaluates the effectiveness of a summer undergraduate research program designed to attract qualified minority students into graduate school in electrical engineering. This eight‐week program recruits students of at least junior‐level undergraduate standing on a nationwide basis and pairs them with faculty members and graduate student mentors to undertake research. The research activities are conducted in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and National Science Foundation Engineering (NSF) Research Center in Low‐Cost Electronic Packaging at the Georgia Institute of Technology. From 1992–1995, a total of 47 students participated in this program. Thirty‐six of these participants were interviewed by phone to obtain qualitative and quantitative information about the program's impact. The findings indicate that 92% of the program participants are either currently enrolled in a graduate program, plan to attend graduate school in the next two years, or have completed a graduate degree. In comparison to a control group of individuals drawn from the membership of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) alumni, it is found that program participants are more likely to pursue advanced degrees and more likely than non‐participants to continue their studies in engineering. In addition, participants report higher starting salaries than non‐participants. Overall, attitudes toward the program are positive, and the data suggests that GT‐SUPREEM does have a significant impact on the student participants.

Quantification of nonlinear phenomena in laboratory-generated random sea waves

In this paper higher-order statistical signal processing and Volterra series models of nonlinear phenomena are utilized to quantify the role of nonlinear second-order effects in laboratory-generated random seas. It is indicated how higher-order moment spectra may be utilized to determine a frequency-domain Volterra model of the linear and second-order wave physics occurring between two closely spaced points at which the random wave field is sampled. It will be shown that although the amount of ‘‘energy’’ associated with second-order effects is very small, such second-order phenomena play an important role in the generation of large amplitude waves. By inverse Fourier transforming the outputs of the linear and quadratic Volterra filters, it is demonstrated that the generation of large amplitude waves is due to momentary phase locking of the first- and second-order components. All of the phenomena mentioned above will be demonstrated with the aid of experimental data collected at the Offshore Technology Research Center’s Model Basin. [This study was supported by the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers Program Grant Number CDR-8721512 through the Offshore Technology Research Center (OTRC). The Volterra modeling techniques were developed under ONR Grant N00014-92-J-1046 and the Joint Services Electronics Program AFOSR F-49620-92-C-0027.]

The biotechnology of interfaces

Journal Article The biotechnology of interfaces Get access J.D. Bryers J.D. Bryers The Center for Biofilm Engineering, A National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA The Center for Biofilm Engineering, An NSF Engineering Research Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717–0398, USA. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Applied Bacteriology, Volume 74, Issue S22, 1 June 1993, Pages 98S–109S, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.1993.tb04346.x Published: 01 June 1993

Current Concepts for Selecting the Location, Size and Shape of Defibrillation Electrodes

Pacing and Clinical ElectrophysiologyVolume 14, Issue 2 p. 227-240 Current Concepts for Selecting the Location, Size and Shape of Defibrillation Electrodes RAYMOND E. IDEKER, Corresponding Author RAYMOND E. IDEKER Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaAddress for reprints: Raymond E. Ideker, M.D., Ph.D., P.O. Box 3140, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710. Fax: (919)650–5405.Search for more papers by this authorPATRICK D. WOLF, PATRICK D. WOLF Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorCLIP ALFERNESS, CLIP ALFERNESS Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorWANDA KRASSOWSKA, WANDA KRASSOWSKA Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorWILLIAM M. SMITH, WILLIAM M. SMITH Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this author RAYMOND E. IDEKER, Corresponding Author RAYMOND E. IDEKER Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaAddress for reprints: Raymond E. Ideker, M.D., Ph.D., P.O. Box 3140, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710. Fax: (919)650–5405.Search for more papers by this authorPATRICK D. WOLF, PATRICK D. WOLF Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorCLIP ALFERNESS, CLIP ALFERNESS Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorWANDA KRASSOWSKA, WANDA KRASSOWSKA Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorWILLIAM M. SMITH, WILLIAM M. SMITH Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and the Engineering Research Center in Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this author First published: February 1991 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-8159.1991.tb05093.xCitations: 112 Supported in part by the National Institutes of Health research grants HL-42760. HL-28429, HL-44066, HL-33637, HL-40092 and HL-17670, National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center Grant CDR-8622201, and by CPI Inc. and Physio-Control Corp. AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume14, Issue2February 1991Pages 227-240 RelatedInformation