PHOENIX, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Western Hemisphere's first high-temperature (1500 degrees C) continuous production microwave furnace is now fully functional at New York's NanoMaterials Innovation Center (NMIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Alfred Technology Resources, Inc.

The freshmen now settling into dorms and classrooms at some area colleges are the most academically talented those schools have seen. In addition, several schools enrolled a record number of first- year students.