Describes a Delphi Study of 70 small and medium-sized companies that had diverse specializations and needs. Presents the results as a set of cooperative research goals and objectives thought most desirable and feasible. Analyzes the top four potential goals indicating the policy areas and programs for cooperative research. (CW)

Discusses some of the federal and state engineering research initiatives that have been launched in recent years, including the National Science Foundation's Engineering Research Centers. Proposes that the status of the United States' competitiveness may depend on how well we manage this process as much as on the resulting technologies themselves.…

Describes the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), a non-profit research cooperative designed to conduct research in the field of integrated circuits, principally in U.S. universities, with membership restricted to U.S.-owned companies. Analyzes SRC's impact on the U.S. educational system. (TW)

Questions the differences between computer science and computer engineering. Reviews the body of knowledge pertaining to both fields. Asserts that they are essentially the same, and that computer science is a genuine intellectual discipline. (TW)

Addresses the recent shifts in the United States research system. Discusses the Congressional activities of the 1980s that have encouraged the restructuring of the traditional research sectors, and the breaking down of old barriers. Poses several unresolved questions regarding federal policies in research and technology development. (TW)

Reports on a study by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) into various relationships in engineering that the United States has with countries that have comparable or superior levels of technology. Discusses competition, cooperation, information flow, symmetry, language and cultural barriers, research opportunities, and professional…

Contains the text of an interview with the director of the Engineering Research Center (ERC) at the University of Delaware. Discusses interdisciplinary engineering research and its effects on traditional academic engineering. Describes the development and progress of the Delaware ERC, including eight recommendations for developing and operating…

Discusses the National Science Foundation's program to establish Engineering Research Centers (ERCs). States that this effort has provided a new impetus to interdisciplinary research efforts on university campuses. Claims that the concept of bringing together industry, academia, and government is necessary in addressing engineering research and…