1. Graduated Engineering Research Centers – Feedback & Analysis
Vilas Mujumdar, P.E., S.E.
Program Director and Cluster Leader
Earthquake Engineering Research Centers
National Science Foundation
ERC Annual Meeting
Bethesda, MD
Nov , 2005

2. Graduated Centers Graduated Centers to date = 16 Class of 1985 --- 3

3. Feedback Questionnaire
22 Questions on various aspects of ERCs (major areas are listed below)
Is the Center still operating?
Has the mission/focus changed since graduation?
Current sources of financial support?
Type of research the Center is engaged in currently?

4. Most long-lasting impact since graduation on research, education, and technology or industry
What do you miss the most about not having NSF - ERC program support?
Suggestions to strengthen the ERC model to truly establish integrated, interdisciplinary research centers that benefit society at large

5. Feedback Received General Observations
Out of the 16 graduated Centers, 10 Centers responded
One Center closed ~ 2 years after graduation
Eight Centers provided response to all questions (three provided detailed responses)
One directed NSF to look at their website

6. Following centers did not respond:
1.Center for Interfacial Engineering – University of Minnesota
Center for Intelligent Manufactured Systems – Purdue University
Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems – Lehigh University
Optoelectronic Computing Systems Center – University of Colorado/Colorado State Univ.
Center for Telecommunications Research – Columbia University
Center for Compound Semiconductor Microelectronics – Uinv. of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign

7. Feed back cont. Total annual funding? $26m $10.8m $0.5m
Funding for all respondents - grouped

8. Distribution of Funding Support
Annual Funding ($)
Cash & in-kind
University
Support %
Industry
State Govt. Support %
Other Funding Support %
0.5 m
1.5 m
2.02 m
4.28 m
4.50 m
10.8 m
14.6 m
26.9 m 2 13 5 7 6 15 40
100 3 21 33 23 14 92 26 60 64 55 44 67 71

9. Current Vision vs Original Vision
Most have migrated toward more industry driven/relevant research (applied research)
Extension and expansion of prior research, more broad and diverse (sometimes multidisciplinary), and expanded geographically
Two Centers did not change the vision in any significant way

10. Transfer of Technology (use in the industry)
Six Centers have specific technologies developed that are used in the industry
Two Centers developed knowledge base, led to creation of other Centers of Research

11. Two Examples Data Storage Systems Center – CMU
1. Significant advances in Hard Disk Drive (HDD)Technology. Collaborations with industrial partners led to specific advances in their products
2. Signal Processing for storage channels - Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) channels considered state of the art in analysis of this technology. Being considered for commercialization.

12. -----Since graduation -----
3. Tape Recording – Pioneered sputtered thin film tape technology. Considered for commercialization.
4. Solid State Memory – Developed ring- shaped Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM). Leading Candidate for commercialization.
-----Since graduation -----
Recognized academic leadership in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) & Probe Storage areas.

13. Engineering Research center for Computational Field Simulation – Mississippi State University
- There are five centers within the center –
Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) – small to medium size manufacturers in Mississippi are using the technologies developed in addition to automotive industry.
The GeoResources Institute (GRI) – expansion into earth systems embodying the scientific visualization element developed, spatial data fusion, ocean/atmospheric model coupling

14. Computational Simulation and Design Center (SimCenter) – advanced computational modeling, simulation, and design of physical systems to solve real world problems. Developed computational software systems for wide ranging applications from DoD missile systems to biomedical device design.
Center for Computational Sciences (CCS) – to simultaneously advance algorithmic development for computational science and engineering. Simulations involving interacting physical, chemical,biological, and engineering phenomena and information technology has led to patented Architecture for perfectly scalable parallel computing paradigm.

15. Programming Environment and Training Center (PET) –High Performance Computing Modernization Program for DoD. With industrial partners, brings expertise directly into DoD labs.

16. Engineered Systems Perspective
Eight Centers maintain and emphasize Systems Perspective
One Center does not ~ Knowledge base expansion

17. All Centers still are engaged in fundamental research

18. Education Related
New graduate/undergraduate courses based on ERC’s vision
Only Four Centers started new courses
2. Seminars, workshops, courses etc. to reach industry and professional groups
Seven Centers have such programs

19. Participation in REU, RET, pre-college students in ERC research/outreach programs
Pre-college research – 2
Pre-college outreach - 2

20. Most Long-lasting Impact
Research – 8
Education – 7
Industry - 8
Described contributions in each area: Experience varies from creating new permanent courses to attracting new industry to the State

21. Miss/Enjoy the most not having NSF – ERC program support
Do not miss heavy emphasis on diversity/minority issues, annual reporting, politics and paperwork
Miss funding, sustained focus of research
NSF - ERC Funding allowed creation of multidisciplinary interaction at research and administration level, responsive to new ideas
Funding allowed special programs research

22. Suggestions to strengthen ERC model to achieve integrated, interdisciplinary research centers to benefit society at-large
More industrially relevant research
Less emphasis on publishing for academics
Encourage more flexibility in strategic planning of research
Provide baseline support to graduated centers that are active in the field

23. 5. Fewer mandatory programs
6. Continued support from university administration is required
7. Maintaining culture of innovation is important
8. Allow REU program to support foreign students

24. Thank You for your feedback