Creation of National Forum for Synergistic Program Development in Smart Structures and Sensor Technologies

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Sensing Systems is an emerging topic of national and international interest in a variety of fields from living systems, e.g. biological, to non-living, e.g. engineered systems, to energy systems and infrastructures. Convergence of sensor technologies, communications, and computing has the potential to overcome barriers of time, scale, materials and environment. The scope of this program development in sensor technology encompasses the needs, the current and emerging technologies, and efficacious partnerships required to develop and implement future sensing systems.The main objective of this proposal is to create national forums for the development of R&D programs in smart structures and sensor technologies. Through a series of strategically crafted forum activities industry in sensors and devices and users community can be pulled together behind NSF's program aimed at advancing the emerging technologies expanding the commercial products and markets, and broadening the applications of advanced sensors and smart structures. These forums include a series of strategic programs in panel discussions, special interest topics, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, demonstrations, and projects that will be primarily held in conjunction with major conferences that address 'state-of-the-art' research, education and development projects in the areas of smart structures and sensor technologies. Such conferences include the Smart Structures and Materials with SPIE (The International Society for Optical Engineering), ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) and ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) annual meetings, AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Adaptive Structures Forum, Modal Analysis, etc. As anticipated, the state-of-the-art technology and the state of the practices in these emerging disciplines will also be rapidly advancing. Thus, this three-year effort will update the research community about these technological advances.These forums will also focus on educational needs, curriculum modifications, laboratory developments and innovative pedagogy at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the area of sensor technology and smart structures.