ABOUT PRISM: Prism is the flagship publication of the American Society for Engineering Education, a nonprofit association of more than 12,000 engineering faculty members, U.S. colleges of engineering and engineering technology, corporations, and other organizations dedicated to promoting excellence in engineering and engineering technology education. It is the winner of 13 editorial and design awards in the last year.

On the cover: Conceptual computer artwork of a micro-syringe machine and red blood cells in the body. Microscopic machines such as these may be used in the future to inject drugs at particular sites, or to obtain samples for tests. By Coneyl Jay/Photo Science Library