Personal Observations of the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Micromanufacturing Research and Education in the United States

Abstract

Humanity has periodically faced cataclysmic events such as wars, famines, and plagues. These catastrophes caused untold suffering and loss of life. Despite the widespread optimism of modern times that advances in various technologies made these threats obsolete, today we find ourselves amidst a global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus that has led to millions of deaths worldwide and the widespread disruption of economic activity, severe limitation in travel, and even radical curtailment in normal social face-to-face contact between people. There are many facets of the impact of this pandemic on our society, but in this analysis, I would like to focus on two specific areas relevant to our micromanufacturing community—areas of research and of education.