Envisioning a Micro Future
Interview By Nicole Adams with Editorial Staff

University of Colorado doctoral student Tsali Cross can imagine potential uses of microtechnology.

What do scientists do when they don white lab coats and disappear into the confines of their laboratories? For Tsali Cross, Caddo/Cherokee, a doctoral student at the University of Colorado College of Engineering and Applied Science, undertaking the successes and setbacks that life in the lab presents brings new challenges on a daily basis. For the past few years, Cross has combined his knowledge of both mechanical engineering and materials science in order to pursue innovative research on micro-electrical mechanical systems (MEMS).

Along with a team of fellow graduate students and faculty advisors, Cross and his team are exploring the possible uses of ultra-high temperature ceramics in the fabrication of MEMS. To most, imagining the potential uses for such microtechnology could boggle the mind. But for Cross, who tries to balance his time between the lab, classes, and helping younger Native American students achieve academic success, envisioning a world filled with tiny machines and microscopic sensors is the cause for the inspiration that drives his research.

Winds of Change recently interviewed Cross to discuss the personal challenges of his educational pursuits as well as the potential impact of MEMS technology in Indian Country and beyond.

Does MEMS have any particular indication for use within specific issues concerning/confronting Native Americans—health related, environmental/land related, etc.?

Tsali Cross:
In general, micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) are defined as sensors and actuators which couple electrical and mechanical energy with features on the millimeter to micron scale. To give a point of reference, the diameter of a hair is approximately 70 microns. MEMS both act as sensors (such as pressure sensors in tires), or an actuator (such as microtweezers used to grab blood cells). They have a vast range of applications. The basic goal of MEMS is to make machines smarter by adding sensors that are pennies apiece to mass fabricate. The more sensors on a car, for example, the smarter it is. This allows for sophisticated control in most any application. Further, MEMS can be used for applications previously regarded as impossible.

On National Public Radio, I recall a story about a successful clinical trial in which MEMS were used to film the gastrointestinal tract of a patient from the insides by swallowing the pill-sized device. It is believed that the promise of MEMS, perhaps 20 or so years away, is a revolution in technology akin to the Internet. Indirectly, this should have a huge impact on communities everywhere.

Specifically, for Native communities, biosensors are currently well-established in the diabetes market for use in blood glucose testing, allowing for less painful point-of-care diagnostics, both physically and monetarily. In addition, MEMS for biological and chemical sensors for industrial process control, and for environmental monitoring, should find use in Native communities eager to collect data on water, air, and soil quality in a cheap, efficient, and accurate manner.

There is a long road ahead for the MEMS infrastructure to be taken outside of the lab and become fully operational, but it is believed that MEMS will have a significant economic impact in the future. Optimistically, MEMS will decrease the cost of today’s highly sophisticated machines and open up new markets. This hopefully translates into providing previously unaffordable and helpful technology to communities everywhere.

A great deal of Cross’ day involves lab work.

WOC:
What/who enables you to persevere when the funding opportunities appear to be so bleak?

Cross:
First, I need to say that plenty of funding opportunities are in fact available. Speaking only of my experience, I have found it difficult to find funding because I fail to meet some of the requirements. For example, some fellowships and scholarships are highly competitive and only a few are chosen, other fellowships and scholarships require the applicant to be either in his/her first year or beginning to apply to Ph.D. programs. Deadlines come and go, and guidelines are often so specific that weeks could be spent identifying potential funders. In any event, I feel that my funding problems are of my own making. If I work harder, I can find something. My adviser plays a tremendous role in my funding. In engineering research, a student typically works with an adviser with some money allocated to achieve a specific goal in cooperation with a funding agency such as the National Science Foundation, or the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. In this way, much of the burden is placed on the adviser to find these projects. This takes a little of the worrying out of the equation.

Sometimes, however, as was the case with me, the funding agency can stop supporting the project, which leaves both the student and the adviser to come up with new strategies of support. My student loans make up for a lot of these “in between funding times.” In the long-term, I feel that having a satisfying career is extremely important, and although it’s not easy, I have faith that I will make it through and be able to make enough money to pay it all back.

WOC:
You’ve done a lot of research in this area for quite a long time. What do you find fascinating about this field?

Cross:
I feel that the next revolution in technology will come out of this. MEMS may be an enabling technology for nanotechnology. If and when nanotechnology becomes mature, the world will look and feel much different, drastically changing the human experience. I would like to be a part of that.

WOC:
Have you always known you wanted to be a researcher?

Cross:
In a way, yes. I have always been fascinated with technology. It became apparent to me in my undergraduate years and through an internship that I wanted to become involved in the actual development of technology, which meant that I needed to become a researcher, not just a practitioner.

WOC:
What is a typical day for a researcher?

Cross:
I come to the lab and generally have an outline of what experiments I want to run that day. Sometimes I have meetings to discuss strategy and progress about certain experiments, or overall goals. As the experiments progress in the day a few things inevitably come up that are unexpected. My job then becomes one of fixing the problem or identifying ways to go around the problem (which could take a few minutes or a few months). I read published articles on my topic and/or problems and talk to other researchers about technical issues. I write as many papers as possible to publish my results. During these events, I schedule time for my course work, try to research scholarships, and help other people in the lab.

WOC:
What are some of the challenges you face in the lab and in your field?

Cross:
Right now, the biggest challenge I have is finding time to meet all of my commitments. Every commitment I have now is extremely important, but there are so many of them. It’s not really an option to let any commitment fall by the wayside. For instance, today is a day I feel I should be researching scholarships and fellowships (as I do not currently have funding), however, it has been conveyed to me by my adviser that I must have experimental results by the end of the week. This situation causes me no end of anxiety, but I realize these dilemmas are common, and know I will get through them with a little luck.

WOC:
What words of advice do you have for young students interested in this field or going into lab or research-oriented work?

Cross:
For me, having a strong interest was the key to success. I did not perform academically well during my under-graduate years, but as I immersed myself in research and involved myself with the scientific community, I gained a renewed sense of urgency and confidence because I was not only interest-ed, but passionate about what I did. It should be useful to talk to a professor and try out some research before you launch full bore into a Ph.D. or master’s program.

WOC:
Can you talk about your involvement with the Native American community?

Cross:
In past summers, I was the engineering and physics instructor for the University of Colorado (CU) Upward Bound program (in Boulder, Colorado), which is a six-week academic camp held on CU’s campus for disadvantaged, at-risk high-school students primarily from 19 different reservations. I hoped to inspire them and had a wonderful experience. I tutored Native American students last semester for the Boulder Valley School District.

More recently, I have been trying to find my way to keeping in touch with the Native community here in the Denver/Boulder area, but feel my time is limited to do so. This past month, I am excited to say, I was asked to help advise the undergraduate students in CU’s American Indian Science and Engineering Society program. I feel I can bring an experienced perspective to them in regards to being a Native student and finding success. As I advance in my career, I hope I will always find ways to help the Native community. I would hope to continue to be involved in a way that utilizes my training and experience.