The Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP) was established in 1985 by Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. At that time, nearly half of the research at Clarkson was materials-related but was conducted in seven separate departments of science and engineering. To coordinate and encourage this strong materials program, CAMP was created as an interdisciplinary center dedicated to research on high-technology materials processing.

The current corporate sponsors of CAMP are Corning Incorporated, Eastman Kodak, Xerox Corporation, and IBM. These and over 30 other industrial members support individual research projects. In 1987 the New York State Science and Technology Foundation designated CAMP as the New York State Center for Advanced Materials Processing, entitling CAMP to $1 million per year in operating funds. In addition, CAMP is supported by federal and University sources.

In its role as an education and research initiative, CAMP has three goals:

1. Enhance Clarkson University's expertise and reputation as a center of excellence in materials processing research.

2. Greatly increase the mutually beneficial relationships between industrial organizations and the University; and

3. Strengthen graduate and undergraduate education in materials processing.

Innovative research by Egon Matijević, Distinguished University Professor, has contributed greatly to the development of the fundamental principles for the formation and interactions of colloidal dispersions. Using Matijević's work as a foundation, CAMP has developed four programs in high-technology materials research: electronic materials processing, fine-particle processing, particulate control in process equipment, and polymer processing.

As a follow-up to the recommendations of a 1986 National Science Board Task Committee Report on Undergraduate Science & Engineering Education, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored a series of workshops on undergraduate education in science and engineering disciplines. In October 1989, the NSF's Division of Materials Research (DMR) organized a workshop in the materials area. It was held at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Donald N. Langenberg, Chancellor, University of Illinois at Chicago, chaired the panel of 27 invited experts. They were charged to assess the needs and opportunities in the education of undergraduates with career opportunities in any of the areas of materials research or technology, and to recommend possible ways to improve undergraduate curricula in chemistry, physics, and materials science and engineering.

The panel consisted of three subpanels: Chemistry chaired by Gregory C. Farrington, Condensed Matter Physics chaired by Phillip J. Stiles, and Materials Science and Engineering chaired by Reza Abbaschian. Robert J. Reynik, DMR/NSF, was the workshop organizer and coordinator. Each subpanel held separate meetings to discuss undergraduate education in materials and develop recommendations in its respective disciplines; plenary sessions featured group discussions of views and recommendations.

Each subpanel prepared a separate report, and the chairman prepared a summary report, which organizes the findings and recommendations of the subpanel reports into five areas: curriculum development, undergraduate laboratories, computers in undergraduate education, textbooks and other teaching resources, and faculty and student development. These reports constirute the full workshop report, which is available at no cost from the NSF. The opinions and recommendations in the workshop report are those of the expert panel and do not represent NSF policy. The recommendations are currently under review by DMR.