Congressman Tours Electrical Engineering Lab

Earlier this month, Congressman Steve Womack visited the lab of Magda El-Shenawee, professor of electrical engineering, to learn about terahertz imaging research at the College of Engineering.

During his visit, Womack learned about a potential medical application of terahertz imaging for breast cancer treatment. Researchers in El-Shenawee’s lab are developing a process to test tissue from lumpectomies during surgery in order to improve patient outcomes.

A second application of El-Shenawee’s system is in the field of security. Terahertz imaging is not harmful to humans, and it has the potential to identify narcotics, explosives and plastic or ceramic weapons. This makes it ideal for security screening. Researchers demonstrated this capability for Womack, concealing weapons and gun powder on a manikin, then revealing the hidden weapons with the imaging system.

“We are very pleased that Congressman Womack took the time to learn about this timely research,” said Juan Balda, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering. “Dr. El-Shenawee’s work has potential to contribute to advances in several different fields ranging from biomedical to security, and the congressman’s interest shows that he understands the importance of innovative engineering projects like this one to the economic development of our state.”

For the full article visit: http://newswire.uark.edu/articles/25171/congressman-tours-electrical-engineering-lab