Features Table of Contents

April 2001

feature articles

role models needed
Programs, some formal and others in the field, seek to convince more women to follow the calling of technology.

prospecting paydirt
Researchers are using nanoparticles to raise polymers to new capabilities.

the legacy of the cutaway man
Russell Porter, artist, explorer, engineer, turned his hobby into an observatory of unprecedented scale in California.

information interface
Developments in communication software promise a robust future for engineering technology.

weld domination
Factories and machine shops use automated controls, sensors, and continuous electric arcs to make faster welds better.

standard measure
There is one metric system, based on seven units and, yes, it is entirely consistent.

beating the cold
An onboard fuel-distilling system aims to curb the belch of hydrocarbons from a cool starting engine.