The Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) is a multidisciplinary group of researchers and students at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Our activities focus on the development of sensing technologies: the chemistries, methods, systems and devices used in measuring various substances of interest to biotechnology, medicine, the environment, and homeland security.
CAST Mission and History
Advanced Sensor Technology in the Service of Mankind
Our mission is to use innovative sensor technology to solve societal problems. Historically, innovation is an activity not associated with a university environment and is typically recognized as a business paradigm. Indeed, most people confuse innovation with invention. Innovation is what transforms an invention (usually just an idea or device) into a useful form of generally broad utility. Simply stated, inventions typically have narrow scope; innovation results in a paradigm shift.
The core group of CAST started as a motley crew of faculty researchers and students from the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and the Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy. In 2001, our group moved to the Technology Research Center (TRC) at the UMBC campus. CAST as a Center started out within the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering in 2006. In 2007, we expanded into a UMBC campus center and now have faculty from several other departments and centers affiliated with us.
CAST Goals
Basic Research
Our main mission is to convert findings from our basic research into low-cost sensor technology and applications
Applied Sensor Development
We are actively involved with academic partners, industrial collaborators, and government agencies in a diverse array of projects
Education
We provide opportunities for our students and members of the public to learn more about sensors and their uses
We never forget that we exist because of the support of ordinary citizen taxpayers.
Our goal is to use our skills to produce disruptive innovations that will empower people and provide low-cost healthcare solutions that benefit mankind.
We welcome ideas from anyone, anywhere and anytime.
Working here are innovators from many disciplines and at many levels, all committed to the same goal.