American Science and Engineering, Inc. --AS&E-- Invited to Present at the Symposium of the Americas.

Business/Technology Editors

BILLERICA, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2002

American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AMEX: ASE), leader in X-ray detection technology, announced today that CEO and President, Ralph Sheridan, will present at the eighth annual Symposium of the Americas in Miami on Thursday, May 16, 2002 at 2:30 p.m. EST.

Sheridan will discuss cargo inspection security as part of a panel presentation "Anti-Terrorism Imperatives and Cargo Facilitation: Customs/Trade Perspective." The presentation will also include officials and executives from U.S. Customs Service, Motorola, Pinkerton Logistics Security, Symposium of the Americas, and Bureau Veritas - Europe.

Organized under the leadership of U.S. Customs, the World Customs Organization, ASAPRA and the Greater Miami International Business Community, the Symposium of the Americas is the only international trade conference dedicated to pursuing the issues critical to trade integration and efficiencies in the Americas. The 2002 event takes place May 15-17 at the Hotel Inter-Continental in Miami. For more information about the Symposium of the Americas, please visit www.customs-symposium.com.

About AS&E

AS&E(R) develops and manufactures sophisticated X-ray inspection products for critical detection and security applications. These systems are solving an expanding range of inspection problems including detecting car and truck bombs, combating weapons smuggling, and imaging cargo to expose trade fraud and illegal immigration. AS&E's patented Z(R) Backscatter technology detects plastic explosives, illegal drugs, and other contraband, even when artfully concealed in complex backgrounds by terrorists and smugglers. AS&E's Shaped Energy(TM) X-ray inspection systems combine material discrimination features of Z(R) Backscatter imaging with the penetration capability of high-energy X-rays for dense cargoes. AS&E's High Energy Systems Division manufactures linear accelerators for a variety of applications including medical, scientific, security, electron beam curing and non-destructive testing. For more information on AS&E products and technologies, please visit http://www.as-e.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

The foregoing press release contains statements concerning AS&E's financial performance, markets and business operations that may be considered "forward-looking" under applicable securities laws. AS&E wishes to caution readers of this press release that actual results might differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements contained herein include the following: significant reductions or delays in procurements of the Company's systems by the United States and other governments; disruption in the supply of any sole-source component incorporated into the AS&E's products (of which there are several); litigation seeking to restrict the use of intellectual property used by the Company; potential product liability claims against the Company; global political trends and events which affect public perception of the threat presented by drugs, explosives and other contraband; global economic developments and the ability of governments and private organizations to fund purchases of the Company's products to address such threats; and the potential insufficiency of Company resources, including human resources, capital, plant and equipment and management systems, to accommodate any future growth. These and certain other factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected are more fully set forth under the caption "Forward-Looking Information and Factors Affecting Future Performance" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ending March 31, 2001.