March 12, 2002–BALTIMORE, MD–CleanRooms East 2002 kicked off yesterday with a host of conference programs that had many signing up just minutes before the sessions began.

As of this show, the conference sessions, which cover the basics to the very intricacies of contamination control, are now approved by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

That means conference attendees can now earn credits towards CleanRoom’s CEUs.

Conferences continued Tuesday, as did registration, but there was a great deal of anticipation for the CleanRooms East show floor to open.

Many waited at the gate, to hear more about the launch CleanRooms China, sneak a peek at the some 160 booths and the 2002 Jeep Wrangler SE that some lucky winner will drive away in.

The winning ticket will be drawn in just a few short hours of this report.

Later this evening, attendees of CleanRooms East 2002 will get to rub elbows at a networking reception at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Additionally, at the net working reception, CleanRooms will host a volunteer fund-raiser for a very important cause.

One of our other PennWell Corp. publications, Fire Engineering, lost 11 of its contributing editors from the fire service in the attacks of September 11.

Conferences as well as the exhibition will continue through Wednesday afternoon.

Mark A. DeSorbo