April/May 1999
Volume 5, Number 2

Features

Parallel supercomputers move into industry
Commercially available parallel computers link up tens, hundreds, or in some cases, even thousands of individual microprocessors to provide an edge in applications as diverse as petroleum geology, automobile crash simulation, and computational fluid dynamics--Eric Lerner

Federal programs link industry and academia
The U.S. government has been fueling collaborations between industry and academia through various programs since the 1970s. How successful are these programs?--Nancy Forbes

News

Lasers open up the life sciences
Laser technology has revolutionized medical technology, in eye surgery and for the treatment of kidney stones and certain forms of cancer. Now scientists are starting to use laser scissors and optical tweezers for artificial insemination, and to cut and paste chromosomes and sequence genes.

Briefs - David Pope
Funds increase for R&D hidden in the workforce aerogel stardust collector violet laser diode

Departments

Letters

Forum
Good science makes good business--Patrick Young

Corporate Associates
Physics helps redesign Dow Chemical--Angela Putney

Industry/Academia
Photonics researchers cooperate--Mark Sceats

New Products