9633674 Najafi The National Science Foundation in the 1980's made the first award in the MEMS area to 'seed' the research of this interdisciplinary technology. The Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Workshop provides opportunities for students and faculty to meet and explore the frontiers of research in this exciting field. The size of the Workshop provides and intimate forum for researchers to discuss the latest advancements in the field and expose the students to a highly imaginative field. The US currently enjoys a lead in the MEMS technology development and there is considerable potential for commercialization of MEMS devices and circuits. For example, the 'airbags' and 'seatbelts' in automotive vehicles use MEMS accelerometers and there are many applications of piezoresistive pressure sensors. The request for graduate student funding will clearly help expose students to this exciting field and benefit in their own research. ***
