ABOUT CAST
Advanced Sensor Technology in the Service of Society
The Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) is a multidisciplinary group of researchers and students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. We develop new sensing chemistries, methods, systems and devices to measure substances of interest in biotechnology, medicine, the environment and homeland security.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to use innovative sensor technology to solve societal problems.
Innovation has long been seen as a business concept, not a university activity. Indeed, most people confuse innovation with invention.
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INVENTION A new idea or deviceInventions tend to be narrow in scope. |
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INNOVATION Making it broadly usefulInnovation turns an invention into something broadly useful and brings a paradigm shift. |
Our focus is turning our inventions into innovations.
OUR HISTORY
From a core group to a campus center
THE START
A core group of researchers
CAST began as a core group of faculty and students from the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, the Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy and UMBC’s Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering.
2001
A home in the TRC
Our group moved to the Technology Research Center (TRC) on the UMBC campus.
2006
CAST becomes a center
CAST started out as a center within the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering.
2007
A UMBC campus center
CAST expanded into a UMBC campus center.
TODAY
Across departments
Our faculty now come from several other affiliated departments and centers.
OUR COMMITMENT
We never forget that we exist because of the support of ordinary citizen taxpayers.
Our aim is to use our skills to create groundbreaking, low-cost sensor-based health solutions that benefit society. Working here are innovators from many disciplines and at many levels, all committed to the same goal.