This project includes organization of a workshop to be conducted by NSF with support from WTEC for a preliminary assessment of U.S. and international R&D activities in hybrid flexible electronics. This topic has been identified by NSF?s Engineering Directorate as the focus of a potential NSF/ENG international research study. The purpose of the workshop, to be held December 3, 2008, is to gather facts and opinions from experts from the U.S. research community on how this emerging area of research should be defined for purposes of such a study, to provide an overview of U.S. and international R&D activities that fall within this definition. This information presented at the workshop will be distilled into a report for NSF/ENG. Intellectual Merit Inorganic/organic hybrid electronic devices can provide the advantages of both materials, including flexible devices like electronic newspapers and patient-friendly implants. The field is an active area of R&D with exponentially increasing numbers of technical papers being published. There is an opportunity to plan a research agenda that could ensure that American scientists and engineers continue to lead this field, by assessing what is now being done in the U.S. and abroad. WTEC's program of assessment of international R&D uses a peer review methodology that many believe is the best single method of assessing the quality of R&D. It augments this with appropriate quantitative methods--bibliometric indicators. With the experience of over 60 such studies, WTEC is uniquely qualified to provide the public and private sector with information on the status and trends of research and technology development abroad. Broader Impacts The first large scale manufacturing plants for hybrid flexible electronics are just now being built, demonstrating that the field has commercial promise, not just research interest. Thus better knowledge of the field?s status and trends can contribute to NSF?s mission, ?To promote the progress of science, to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare?? This study will provide information on the international aspect of the science and technology in this field, which generally has proven to be useful in the education of engineers and scientists, in transfer of technologies from abroad for the benefit of American science and industry, and in linking for international networking and collaboration. WTEC studies also link Federal agencies across disciplines and offices; this study is likely to ultimately involve NIST, AFOSR, ONR, and several offices at NSF. The expert panel conducting the study will be chosen to encourage participation by all; a special effort will be made to recruit participants from under-represented groups. WTEC will disseminate panel findings broadly through electronic and paper media. The public downloads thousands of reports from the wtec.org website weekly. The WTEC series of more than a dozen international research assessment books from some of the world?s leading scientific publishers demonstrates that its findings are highly valued.
