MAKING A SWITCH

摘要

Magda El-Shenawee once sought out the microwave signals of plastic land mines buried in sand. Now at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, she is seeking out the subtle electrical signals of breast tumours hidden in fat. El-Shenawee, an electrical engineer who in 2001 was moving from Boston's Northeastern University to Arkansas, knew her involvement in a United States Army-funded project on detecting anti-personnel landmines was winding down. Looking for a new research outlet, she met with the director of Northeastern's Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems. The ensuing conversation effectively launched her on a new trajectory.