I&M education for the new millennium: a U.S. perspective

Instrumentation-and-measurement (I&M) education is of interest to a number of stakeholders. Measurement standards provide the foundation for commerce. Equipment companies need fresh ideas in order to innovate and produce improved instrumentation products. The myriad of industries that use measurement and instrumentation products need to apply equipment correctly to get optimal results. Academic institutions are charged with developing new knowledge and transmitting that knowledge through undergraduate and graduate education programs. In the spirit of total quality management, it is important to periodically review both our goals and how well we are meeting them. Some of the issues relevant to I&M education are discussed, focusing on the status of I&M education in the U.S., followed by observations about opportunities for improvement.