Engineering Innovation Podcast and Radio Series

March Madness for the Mind
Listen	The teams playing in the NCAA basketball tournament – otherwise known as “March Madness” – are selected today…but another impressive group of collegiate competitors will also be showing their talents this month. 03/14/2010
	Randy Atkins: The National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance will soon be holding its March Madness for the Mind, a project that awards innovation and inspires entrepreneurship. Executive director Phil Weilerstein: Phil Weilerstein: We work with universities to develop programs that provide high-potential technologically advanced students with an opportunity to learn by doing. Randy Atkins: The focus is on societal impact. Student teams are developing ideas including a contact-lens that heals eye wounds and a portable respirator for disaster victims. Phil Weilerstein: Emerging innovators have a tremendous amount of energy and they have proven through our program their ability to create businesses that will grow and to create jobs. Randy Atkins: Weilerstein adds, in the long run, the market will decide the winners. With the National Academy of Engineering, Randy Atkins, 103-point-5 F-M and WTOP-dot-com.
	About National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Read more March Madness for the Mind NCAA website
Computer Keyboard Sterilizer
Listen	Whether it’s the flu, colds, or something else, consider this…a major germ spreader is likely right at your kids’ fingertips every day. That’s why a local man invented a computer keyboard sterilizer. 03/07/2010
	Randy Atkins: Jon Roberts, a patent attorney and engineer in Reston, was thinking about his son’s activities. Jon Roberts: I was never so sick in all my life as when he went to elementary school. Randy Atkins: And zeroed in on a likely culprit: school computer sharing. Jon Roberts: You can spray a keyboard, but if you spray it too much you short the keyboard out. Randy Atkins: So Roberts engineered a keyboard cover that bathes the keys in ultraviolet light…killing germs – even those antibiotic resistant ones – in seconds. Jon Roberts: By the time the next class arrives, the keyboard’s sterilized. They just pick it up and move it out of the way. Randy Atkins: And, yes teachers, a series of switches would make it horseplay resistant. With the National Academy of Engineering, Randy Atkins, 103-point-5 F-M and WTOP-dot-com. ANCHOR TAG Roberts says the sterilizer should be available in time for the start of school in fall. To find out more, go to wtopnews.com and type in keyword "Engineering Innovation" or go to N-A-E - dot - E-D-U - slash - RADIO.
	Robert's new company, VirWall Systems, Inc. About ultraviolet light This sterilization method is called...
NASA in the Middle East
Listen	Last week, NASA astronauts made a visit to the Middle East to encourage students there to pursue science, math, and engineering. The space agency’s head recently spoke about international outreach at a meeting of students and engineers in Washington. 02/28/2010
	Randy Atkins: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Jr. says, through such things as education programs, his agency is actively forging more relationships with other countries. Charles Bolden: In addition to the nations that most of you usually hear about when you think about the international space station, we now have expanded our efforts to reach out to what I call non-traditional partners. Randy Atkins: Bolden calls NASA’s work “inherently international” and wants to help countries who might not be able to do space experiments on their own. Charles Bolden: I am incredibly excited about President Obama’s giving us the opportunity to expand the level of our international cooperation, particularly the part where he’s asking us to reach out to Muslim nations. Randy Atkins: With the National Academy of Engineering, Randy Atkins, 103-point-5 F-M and WTOP-dot-com.
	Bolden's speech at the National Academy of Engineering National Meeting News reports on astronauts' visits to Dubai: Al Bawaba, The National, Khaleej Times, Gulf News, Dubai City Guide