The Atlantic Test Workshop occurs annually in both the US and Europe. It serves as a platform for participants representing academia, government and industry, concerned with the root causes of new and emerging technologies, to express those concerns with other problem solvers. Of particular interest are categories of problems whose solutions are impeded by:

• exponential "organic" growth of knowledge and technology,
• difficulties in integration and application,
• technology interaction and new application,
• lack of simulation models and mathematical descriptive methods (typically these are mathematically intractable issues),
• difficulties in transfer and teaching,
• the need for and means of collaboration between organizations in each of the represented domains and
• the need for communications technology to create a virtual environment for education and business.

Examples include global computer networks, personal computing, complex system management, TQM systems, and development of microelectronics systems. These and other similar categories are analyzed from the standpoint of knowledge technology transfer viewed as a process starting with technology innovation and culminating in technology dissemination.

The ATW Workshop has two distinct, but correlated segments (repeated both in the US and Europe): first, the knowledge extraction and classification stage; and second, the knowledge application and verification stage. The combination of both segments represents a knowledge technology transfer.

The formula of the ATW Workshop assumes flexibility. Each year topics are selected and driven by the interests of the participants. This year's topics emphasized testing/quality issues in system design, collaborative engineering, and small satellite technologies in the US part while efforts among government, industry, and academia in addressing education, research, and technology transfer issues were major themes in the European part.

The idea of this workshop stemmed from the recognition by professors at the University of New Hampshire, University of West Virginia, and EERIE France of the need by high tech electronic industries to consider testability of circuits and systems early in the design phase. The objective of the First ATW was to satisfy regional needs in development of design-for-test standards requiring a variety of perspectives, including technology, science application, human resources, and technology transition. The UNH ECE Department's Industrial Associates Program organized and hosted ATW '92.

Student involvement contributed greatly to the success of this year's ATW-US. Students demonstrated superb professionalism in their presentations and contributed significantly to discussions during panels and working group sessions. Furthermore, it is appropriate to recognize students' contribution to education and research as demonstrated in their presentations. ECE students participating in this year's workshop were Tariq Nazeer, Richard Harrison, Steve Kohalmi, Sheldon Haynie, Gabe Thomas, Karen Hein, Norbert Valverde, and Steve Lynch.

Guest speakers included Dr. Lee Pollock, US Air Force; Dr. Glenn Thoren, Lockheed Sanders; and Dr. Walter Ellis, National Software Council. Dr. Lee Pollock introduced a unique method, which he has developed and implemented at the US Air Force, for the accelerated testing of systems using a small quantity of samples.

Contact Dr. Andrzej Rucinski for information concerning the next ATW.