Ghodssi chairs PowerMEMS 2009 Conference

Herbert Rabin Distinguished Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) is the organizing committee chair for the 9th International Workshop on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2009). The conference will be held Dec. 1–4, 2009 at the American Film Institute Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Md.

The objective of the PowerMEMS 2009 workshop is to catalyze innovation in micro and nanotechnology for power generation and energy conversion applications. The conference will provide researchers with a forum for discussing results, techniques, and devices while simultaneously promoting commercialization in the field. The scope ranges from integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for power generation, dissipation, harvesting, and management to novel nanostructures and materials for energy-related applications.

These center on portable power for consumer electronics and remote sensors, but also encompass small-scale thermal management as well as propulsion for micro air vehicles and nano-satellites. This workshop will allow attendees to network within the multidisciplinary PowerMEMS community including electrical and mechanical engineers as well as chemists, physicists, and material scientists. Additionally, it will provide a forum to address the needs for commercialization of novel Power MEMS technologies through the interaction with energy policy and entrepreneurial specialists.

Attendees also will be given a guided tour of the University of Maryland and the Maryland Nanocenter before the workshop banquet at George Washington's Mt. Vernon Estate and Gardens.

Complete details about the conference are available at the website www.powermems.org. Specific questions about the conference may be emailed to info@powermems.org. The phone number for the conference facilitators is 619-232-9499.

April 7, 2009