Surekha Prasad, Chair of Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology Dept received the Southwest Center for Microsystems Education (SCME) sponsorship to attend “Bringing Microsystems into the Classroom” workshop and SAME-TEC Conference, July 23-26, 2007 in Dallas.

SCME is a NSF sponsored Advanced Technological Education regional center located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Microsystems also referred to as Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are dynamic devices that have components smaller than human hair. They can sense, think, act and communicate. MEMS based devices are found in everyday applications including electronic toys, appliances, safety and navigation systems, cell phones, PDAs etc.

Microsystems/MEMS is a rapidly growing global high tech industry. There is a lot of need for well educated technologists to support this growth. SCME offers “micro” workshops with its NSF partner to excite educators about making MEMS a part of their curricula, and to give students insight into this emerging field and a possible career path.