National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers: a new model for cooperative research

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has implemented an Engineering Research Center (ERC) program at universities across the country. Important contributions are being made by these 18 centers to better educate engineering students, to enhance interdisciplinary research leading toward practical applications, and to enhance beneficial interactions with industry. The vision of one of these centers, the Center for Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, is the achievement of the next generation of cardiac interventional and imaging systems.<>