Now Accepting Input: 2013 NNI Strategic Planning Workshop

Jun. 2013-  The 2013 National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Planning Stakeholder Workshop is being held June 11-12, 2013, at the USDA Patriot Plaza Conference Center in Washington, DC. The workshop will obtain input from outside the U.S. Government on the future directions of the NNI. The recommendations of this one-and-a-half day workshop will inform the development of the 2013 NNI Strategic ...

Seven Words of Advice for EPA Chief Gina McCarthy

Mar. 2013- A little wisdom to help develop a partnership between the new EPA and the nanotechnology community.Gina McCarthy's nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency probably won't have been Senate confirmed before this article goes to press, but I don't think I'm going too far out on a limb to say, "Welcome… and may I have a moment of your time?"

$25M in Research Awards to Advance Administration’s Materials Genome Initiative

Dec. 2012- Last month, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $25 million of funding for innovative materials-science research projects. The research awards are a significant milestone for the Administration’s Materials Genome Initiative (MGI)—a collaborative effort of public, private, and academic leaders to make the discovery, development, ...

NNI Launches Nanotechnology Signature Initiative on Nanosensors

Jul. 2012- Fifth NSI will accelerate the development of nano-enabled sensors and nanomaterial sensingThe Nanotechnology Signature Initiative (NSI) Nanotechnology for Sensors and Sensors for Nanotechnology: Improving and Protecting Health, Safety, and the Environment is the fifth NSI to be launched by agencies of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The NNI agencies recognize the considerable ...

New Nanotechnology Signature Initiative to Accelerate Sustainable Design: Fourth Nanotechnology Signature Initiative highlights the importance of informatics in advancing nanotechnology

May. 2012- (May 14, 2012)  Today the agencies participating in the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) announced their fourth Nanotechnology Signature Initiative. This signature initiative will stimulate the development of models, simulation tools, and databases that will enable the prediction of specific properties and characteristics of nanoscale materials. This in turn will accelerate ...

PCAST Releases Assessment of National Nanotechnology Initiative

May. 2012- Today, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released its latest assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI): Report to the President and Congress on the Fourth Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. The assessment is a Congressionally mandated biennial review of the NNI, a crosscutting Federal program designed to coordinate U.S. ...

FDA Continues Dialogue on 'Nano' Regulation

Apr. 2012- The first draft guideline, “Draft Guidance for Industry, Considering Whether an FDA-Regulated Product Involves the Application of Nanotechnology”, was published in the Federal Register in June, 2011.  The FDA is still reviewing and receiving comments on this document from the public.In April 2012 the FDA is issuing two new draft guidelines for manufacturers of food substances and ...

Delivering on Manufacturing Innovation

Apr. 2012- Last month, the President asked Congress to create a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation made up of up to 15 Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation around the United States.  He also stated his intention to launch a Pilot Institute using existing resources from the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Commerce, and the National Science Foundation (NSF).The President was speaking ...

NanoBusiness Provides Analysis on 2012-2013 NNI Budget

Mar. 2012- How time flies when you are having fun! As the son of an IRS agent and US Budget officer, I enjoy budgets. Forty Years ago in 1972 the US Budget for total expenditures was $256 Billion (btw, that was the first budget my father made me memorize). Today, our total expenditures will be $3.8 Trillion. This will be my 12th analysis of the NNI Budget. My first was 2001-2002 and here we are 12 budget ...

Advanced Manufacturing – Providing the Foundation for Sustainable Economic Growth

Feb. 2012- Following up on recent announcements regarding the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, and the Report to the President on Ensuring American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing released last June by the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), this week the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has released a new National Strategic Plan for Advanced ...

Effectively Managing the Risks of Nanomaterials: Present Status and Future Challenges

Jan. 2012- Nanomaterials represent the building blocks of nanotechnology-enabled products and applications encompassing a broad range of substances and structures having features in the 1-100 nanometer range. Nanomaterials are of significant interest as they exhibit enhanced physical, chemical and electronic properties in comparison to their bulk counterparts. They can impact a range of applications ...

Announcing the New California Nanotechnology Industry Network (CalNIN) Website

Sep. 2011- A new website has been designed to be a platform for sharing information on nanotechnology policy, legislative, and regulatory initiatives in California. The website -- www.calnin.org -- provides regular updates on areas and initiatives that could potentially impact the development or use of nanomaterials in California. It also includes information on broader nano-initiatives, recognizing that ...

Federal Government Policy Principles on Nanotechnology: Balancing Regulation and Oversight with Commercialization to Realize Full Potential

Jul. 2011- As the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation considers a reauthorization of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the Space and Science Subcommittee convened a hearing this month to examine the potential of nanotechnology. With Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) chairing the hearing, expert testimony was provided by a panel that included Dr. Chad Mirkin, Director, ...

President Obama Launches Advanced Manufacturing Partnership: NIST Activities

Jul. 2011- Today President Obama announced a new initiative, the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), a national effort bringing together industry, universities, and the federal government to invest in the emerging technologies that will create high quality manufacturing jobs and enhance global competitiveness.According the White House announcement, "Investing in technologies, such as ...

President Obama Launches Advanced Manufacturing Partnership

Jun. 2011- Today, at Carnegie Mellon University, President Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), a national effort bringing together industry, universities, and the federal government to invest in the emerging technologies that will create high quality manufacturing jobs and enhance our global competitiveness.  Investing in technologies, such as information technology, ...

FDA Takes ‘First Step’ Toward Greater Regulatory Certainty Around Nanotechnology

Jun. 2011- Agency outlines roadmap for discussion on nanotechnology in regulated productsThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration today released draft guidance to provide regulated industries with greater certainty about the use of nanotechnology, which generally involves materials made up of particles that are one billionth of a meter in size. The guidance outlines the agency’s view on whether regulated ...

Responsible Realization of Nanotechnology's Full Potential

Jun. 2011- The ability to image, measure, model, and manipulate matter on the nanoscale—on the order of a billionth of a meter—is leading to new materials, technologies, and applications across many fields including medicine, information technology, aerospace, energy, and transportation. Advances in nanotechnology are already driving economic growth and addressing a broad range of national ...

NanoBusiness Interview - Dr. J. Steven Rutt, Partner & Chairman, Nano Team, Foley & Lardner

May. 2011- In this month’s interview, we talk to Dr. J. Steven Rutt, Partner and Chairman of the Nanotechnology Industry Team at Foley & Lardner LLP. Dr Rutt’s practice includes patent counseling, patent prosecution, IP licensing and agreements, including technology transfer carried out under the Bayh-Dole Act, patent landscaping and clearance opinions, due diligence, patent litigation ...

NanoBusiness Alliance Interview with Mihail Roco

Feb. 2011- This month, the NanoBusiness Alliance's Steve Waite talked to Mihail (”Mike”) Roco. Dr. Roco proposed the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) on March 11, 1999, at the White House, and is a key architect of the NNI. He is Senior Advisor for Nanotechnology to the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the founding chair of the U.S. National Science and Technology ...

New Challenges Face Nanotechnology Investments to Simultaneously Stimulate Research and Innovation

Jan. 2011- At a time when both public and private stakeholders are evaluating the impact of the last decades’ investments in nanotechnology research and development, numerous indicators provide a positive outlook for both short and long term strategies for future investments. The indicators and data providing a positive outlook for increased future opportunities are predominantly derived from the ...

Nanotechnology Innovation Summit Overviews Successes of the First Decade of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, Emphasizes Challenges Remaining

Dec. 2010- The Nanotechnology Innovation Summit held December 8-10, 2010 in Washington, D.C. provided a broad view of the emergence, growth, and success of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) marking the 10th anniversary of the interagency Federal initiative. The event was preceded by a preliminary workshop held on Wednesday December 8, 2010 where attendees heard directly from program managers at ...

Nanomanufacturing 2010: A Review of Events and Milestones

Dec. 2010- As we approach the year end, the National Nanomanufacturing Network staff would like to extend our warmest wishes for a happy holiday season to our partners and affiliates, as well as the broader nanomanufacturing community and stakeholders. The past year has been very exciting as we have witnessed the establishment of several nanomanufacturing methods within industry roadmaps, along with ...

NIOSH Recommends Maximum Exposure Level of 7µg/m3 for Carbon Nanotubes

Dec. 2010- In late November, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Current Intelligence Bulletin entitled "Occupational Exposure to Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers." The document is not an official "agency determination or policy," and was released solely by NIOSH for peer-review and comment.   NIOSH's carbon nanotube recommended ...

National Nanotechnology Strategic Plan Providing Future Roadmap for Nanotechnology Innovations

Nov. 2010- The federal government has recently posted two reports online to share with the stakeholders in the nanoscience community. The first report, titled "Nanotechnology Research Directions for Societal Needs in 2020 " or Nano2, is the international long-term view, providing a retrospective of  the last ten years (2000-2010) and vision for the next ten years (2011-2020). It was prepared ...

Requests for Public Comment on the NNI Strategic Plan

Nov. 2010- Monday's Federal Register carried a notice from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Nanoscience, Engineering and Technology Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council inviting the public to comment on the 2010 National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan. Members of the public who want to file comments on the 2010 Draft NNI Strategic ...

Challenges for Sustaining Leadership in Nanotechnology in the U.S.

Aug. 2010- The U.S. investment in nanoscience and technology since 2001 through the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) has provided a “catalytic and substantial impact” according to the recent report by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which offered an assessment of the first ten years of the NNI along with recommendations for future investments ...

Massachusetts Issues Nano-EHS Guidance Document

Aug. 2010- Massachusetts’ Office of Technical Assistance and Technology (OTA) recently released its “OTA Technology Guidance Document: Nanotechnology - Considerations for Safe Development” which has been in development for the past couple of years.  The document begins by noting the tremendous positive influence nanotechnology is predicted to have in the fields of biomedical ...

Challenges Remain for Effective Growth of Nanotechnology Enabled Products

Jul. 2010- The investment made by the federal government via the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) to spawn growth of emerging nano-enabled products and maintain global leadership by the U.S. in fundamental nanoscale science and technology has been effective in meeting specified goals and objectives over the first decade. According to conclusions from the recent report by the President’s ...

Is Global Nano-Product Labeling Right Around the Corner?

Jul. 2010- On July 9, 2010, the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) Technical Committee 229 on Nanotechnologies presented a webinar requesting general public input regarding ISO’s draft technical specification (TS) entitled “Labeling of Manufactured Nano-Objects and Products Containing Manufactured Nano-Objects.”  ...

NNI Strategic Planning Stakeholder Workshop To Take Place July 13 - 14, 2010

Jun. 2010- The National Nanotechnology Initiative will hold a Strategic Planning Stakeholder Workhop on July 13 - 14, 2010, in Arlington, VA. This event is free, open to the public, and will be webcast for the benefit of those who are unable to attend.

America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 Clears the House With Bipartisan Support

Jun. 2010- On Friday, May 28th at 3:00pm, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, by a vote of 262 to 150. Included in H.R. 5116 is the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2010. The bill, which has over 100 cosponsors and more than 750 endorsers, makes investments in science, innovation, and education to support employers today while ...

NNI Strategic Planning Stakeholder Workshop

Jun. 2010- The upcoming NNI Workshop: Providing Critical Stakeholder Input to the 2010 NNI Strategic Plan will take place on July 13 - 14, 2010, in Arlington, VA. NNI Stakeholders, representatives of the U.S. research community, industry, non-governmental organizations, and interested members of the general public are engouraged to attend.

NanoSafety Consortium for Carbon Established

May. 2010- On March 15, 2010, 12 leading companies involved in the commercialization of carbon nanomaterials and products announced the formation of the NanoSafety Consortium for Carbon (NCC) to address global legal, regulatory, environmental, health, and safety issues related to the responsible commercialization of their products.

PCAST Recommendations Set the Stage for a National Nanomanufacturing Roadmap for the Next Decade

Apr. 2010- The recent Report to the President and Congress on the Third Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) included several key recommendations that will lay the groundwork for establishing a National Nanomanufacturing Roadmap. Under the provisions of The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-153), a National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel ...

University of California, San Francisco Publishes Draft Nanotechnology Regulatory Policy Recommendations.

Apr. 2010- The Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is part of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Services located in UCSF’s School of Medicine.  PRHE recently published its draft “A Nanotechnology Policy Framework: Policy Recommendations for Addressing Potential Health Risks from ...

Manufacturing Challenges and Innovations: NNN Testimony on Capitol Hill

Mar. 2010- The federal government is presently considering approaches to bolster its role in supporting innovations in future manufacturing industries within the U.S. This month, Mark Tuominen, Director of the National Nanomanufacturing Network (NNN), along with industry colleagues, provided expert testimony to the House Science and Technology Committee at a hearing on the role of the federal government in ...

President’s Council Evaluates National Nanotechnology Initiative

Mar. 2010- Maxine Savitz[1] and Ed Penhoe[2] provided a recent presentation summarizing the highlights of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)[3] report on the status of the US National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) at a public meeting held at the National Academics on March 12, 2010.

National Nanotechnology Initiative 2011 Budget and Signature Initiatives

Feb. 2010- The National Nanotechnology Initiative has released its 2011 Supplement to the President's Budget. In his introductory letter, Presidential Science and Technology Advisor John Holdren notes that "Nanotechnology R&D constitutes a core building block of innovation that will ultimately accelerate job creation and transform many sectors of our economy through commercialization."

Australia Considers Proposal for Nano-Regulatory Reform

Dec. 2009- In November 2009, the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aging (DHA) published a public discussion paper —“Proposal for Regulatory Reform of Industrial Nanomaterials”—in relation to the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS), which provides a national system of notification and assessment of industrial chemicals.  ...

First Global Nanotech Regulation Database

Dec. 2009- A global database of government documents on nanotechnology is being launched by three law professors at Arizona State University who, with their colleagues in Australia and Belgium, have corralled and organized a massive number of regulatory documents dealing with the rapidly advancing technology.

Nanotechnology in Danger of Losing Organic Foods Industry

Nov. 2009- While no one was paying attention, the organic foods industry considered steps to ban all nanotechnology products in foods, processes and packaging. Dozens of comments were submitted prior to a recent meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) where the Materials Committee recommended a prohibition of all that is nanotechnology. The comments reflect a nearly universal sentiment among ...

Nobel Prize-Winning Scientists Support Public Access to Federally Funded Research

Nov. 2009- In an open letter submitted on November 6, 2009, 41 Nobel laureates urged Congress to act on the Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA), bi-partisan legislation introduced by Senators Lieberman and Cornyn to ensure that research funded by federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) are made available to the public via the Internet ...

Nanotechnology Legislation in the 111th Congress

Sep. 2009- Congress returned from it's August recess last week, so it seems like a good moment to review legislation affecting nanotechnology that has been introduced so far in the 111th Congress. (This overview was originally published on the PorterWright Nanotechnology Law Report.)

National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act 2009 Introduced in Senate

Jul. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network: On July 21, Senator John Kerry introduced the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Amendments Act of 2009 (S.1482) in the Senate.

EPA Increases Regulation on Carbon Nanotubes

Jul. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network: In the June 24 Federal Register notice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency put forth two significant new use rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 23 chemical substances, including single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Two Calls for Abstracts on Nanotechnology for Environmental Remediation

Jul. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network:  The Environmental Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Groundwater Resources Association of California have both issued calls for abstracts for two upcoming events on nanotechnology and the environment.

OECD Report Urges Governments and Businesses to Take the Long View

Jun. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network: An OECD report released this month examines its member countries’ policy responses to the economic crisis in an effort to develop strategic approaches to stimulate the economy in the areas of finance, competition, and governance and to restore long-term growth.

Nanomaterial Safety: Two Steps Forward

Apr. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are moving the issue of safe handling of manufactured nanomaterials forward, step by step.

Economic Impact of Nanomanufacturing Initiatives

Mar. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network: Early projections for global market growth of nano-enabled products–which have increased by about 25% per year since 2000 and predict US $1 trillion by 2015—are still relevant in 2009.

Nanomanufacturing Gets a Boost in Recent Legislation

Mar. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network: Two pieces of legislation, the National Nanotechnology Initiative Reauthorization Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, acknowledge the importance of nanomanufacturing for increased American competitiveness and economic growth.

Canada Preparing to Collect Information on Engineered Nanomaterials

Feb. 2009- National Nanomanufacturing Network: On January 28, the Woodrow Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) issued a press release stating that the Canadian government is preparing to collect information from companies on their use of engineered nanomaterials. The Canadian Press published a parallel story also on January 28.

Safety of Nanomaterials in Food Packaging

Aug. 2008- The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Grocery Manufacturers Association have released a report addressing the safety of nanomaterials in food packaging.

A Changing Environment: Are Firms Shifting Attention to Regulation of Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is a revolutionary new technology that is still in its early experimental stages of development. With little or no regulatory constraints, labeling requirements or scientific protocol, companies have inserted more than 800 products incorporating nanoscale materials onto the consumer market. At the same time, an increasing number of scientists are warning that not enough is known ...

A Mirror of Social Development: Industry decisions regarding new technologies

This study examines how organizations manage risks presented by new technologies and the impact the institutional environment has on this governance process. Micro and nanotechnology research and development (R&D) presents an important case in which to study the influence of institutional environments on organizations. Our survey addresses the perspectives and actions firms take to address the ...

A National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing - Providing the Foundation for Sustainable Economic Growth

Following up on recent announcements regarding the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, and the Report to the President on Ensuring American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing released last June by the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), this week the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has released a new National Strategic Plan for Advanced ...

Advancing Regulatory Science at FDA: A Strategic Plan

The core responsibility of FDA is to protect consumers by applying the best possible science to its regulatory activities from pre-market review of efficacy and safety to post-market product surveillance to review of product quality. FDA has developed a strategic plan for regulatory science, the science of developing new tools, standards, and approaches to assess the safety, efficacy, quality, ...

Advancing the Science of Science and Innovation Policy: Current Approach and Next Steps

The U.S. scientific enterprise is often cited as being a critical factor contributing to the creation of high wage jobs and firm competitiveness. Yet our scientific understanding of the functioning of the scientific enterprise is extremely limited, which in turns limits our understanding of the consequences of different policy interventions. The Science of Science & Innovation Policy program at ...

America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 H.R. 5116

America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 or America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010 - Title I: Office of Science and Technology Policy - (Sec. 101) Requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish a committee under the National Science and Technology Council, ...

Anticipatory Constructive Engagement at the State Level

The prospects of nanotechnology, (both bright and dark), have stimulated interest at state government levels, primarily relating to the promise of economic development opportunities, but also to potential environmental, health and safety (EHS) harms. This talk will describe the Safe Development approach in Massachusetts, which posits strong EHS protection and preventive design as good for ...

Assuring the Safety of Nanomaterials in Food Packaging: The Regulatory Process and Key Issues

A joint initiative of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, this report provides "an initial roadmap through the regulatory process and insights into industry stewardship efforts for a new generation of nano-enabled food packaging applications."

Commercialization of Emergent Nanomanufacturing Platforms: Establishing Synergies and Roadmaps

A critical dimension of nanomanufacturing is how to address the numerous technological, economic, and regulatory challenges for scaling nanoscience developments in the research laboratory into commercializable, valueadded market products. Various approaches have proven effective in fostering such transitions, including corporate and venture investments, industry consortia collaborations, ...

Constructing Frameworks for Policymaking Panel Discussion

Question and answer period for the panel "Constructing Frameworks for Policymaking" with: Terry L. Medley, Global Director of Corporate Regulatory Affairs, DuPont - "Policy Guidance: Collaborations for the Responsible Development of Nanoscale Materials"; Timothy Malloy, Professor of Law, UCLA - "Whats the Problem with Nanotechnology?"; Jordan Paradise, Associate Professor of Law, ...

Developing Oversight for Nanobiotechnology: Human Drugs and Medical Devices

The ability to utilize and control atoms and molecules at the nanoscale has catalyzed the emerging field of nanomedicine -- the application of nanotechnology to health and medicine. Nanotechnology and nanobiotechnology have the potential to provide tools for in vitro and in vivo diagnostics for much earlier detection of disease; facilitate targeted drug delivery and regenerative medical ...

EPA Needs to Manage Nanomaterial Risks More Effectively

EPA and Nanotechnology: Oversight for the 21st Century

This paper focuses on the need for an oversight system for nanotechnology that will identify any potential adverse health or environmental effects of the technology and prevent them from occurring. It analyzes the steps that must be taken to create such a system, particularly emphasizing the role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Effectively Managing the Risks of Nanomaterials: Present Status and Future Challenges

Nanomaterials represent the building blocks of nanotechnology-enabled products and applications encompassing a broad range of substances and structures having features in the 1-100 nanometer range. Nanomaterials are of significant interest as they exhibit enhanced physical, chemical and electronic properties in comparison to their bulk counterparts. They can impact a range of applications ...

Federal Government Policy Principles on Nanotechnology: Balancing Regulation and Oversight with Commercialization to Realize Full Potential

As the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation considers a reauthorization of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the Space and Science Subcommittee convened a hearing this month to examine the potential of nanotechnology. With Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) chairing the hearing, expert testimony was provided by a panel that included Dr. Chad Mirkin, Director, ...

Global Engagement on Nano EHS: Role of the OECD in International Governance

This presentation discusses how an international venue, originating within the chemicals governance community, by addressing nanotechnology as evolved into a forward-looking forum for addressing the implications of emerging technology. The different approaches of the European Union and the United States in managing chemicals under REACH and TSCA have received considerable attention elsewhere and ...

Green Nanotechnology: It's Easier Than You Think

Green nanotechnology can proactively influence the design of nanomaterials and products by eliminating or minimizing pollution from the production of nanomaterials, taking a life cycle approach to nanoproducts to estimate and mitigate where environmental impacts might occur in the product chain, designing toxicity out of nanomaterials and using nanomaterials to treat or remediate existing ...

Interagency Public Access Coordination: A Report to Congress on the Coordination of Policies Related to the Dissemination and Long-Term Stewardship of the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research

International and Federal Policy Emergence Panel Discussion

Question and answer period for the panel, "International and Federal Policy Emergence" with: Jeff Morris, National Program Director for Nanotechnology, US Environmental Protection Agency - "Global Engagement on Nano EHS: Role of the OECD in International Governance"; Charles L. Geraci, Jr., Coordinator, Nanotechnology Research Center, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ...

Introduction to "Nanotechnology & Society: Emerging Organizations, Oversight, and Public Policy Systems"

Introduction to Nanotechnology and Society Workshop: The Organization and Policy of Innovation

Manufacturing Challenges and Innovations: NNN Testimony on Capitol Hill

The federal government is presently considering approaches to bolster its role in supportinginnovations in future manufacturing industries within the U.S. This month, Mark Tuominen, Director of the National Nanomanufacturing Network (NNN), along with industry colleagues, provided expert testimony to the House Science and Technology Committee at a hearing on the role of the federal government in ...

Manufacturing at the Nanoscale

Report of the National Nanotechnology Initiative Workshop 2002-2004

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies: Policy Principles for the U.S. Decision-Making Concerning Regulation and Oversight of Applications of Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials

NGO Perspectives on Emerging Nanotechnology Oversight and Regulation - Panel Discussion

Question and answer period among: Rick Reibstein, Environmental Analyst and Policy and Outreach Manager, Office of Technology Assistance, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs - "Anticipatory Constructive Engagement at the State Level" Richard Sclove, Founder and Senior Fellow, The Loka Institute - "Reinventing Technology Assessment in the U.S." J. Clarence Davies, ...

NNI Signature Initiative: Nanotechnology Knowledge Infrastructure - Enabling National Leadership in Sustainable Design

NNI Signature Initiative: Nanotechnology for Sensors and Sensors for Nanotechnology - Improving and Protecting Health, Safety, and the Environment

NRO/FBI Nanotechnology Initiative

Nanomanufacturing Summit 2009

We'd like to thank all of our participants and attendees for making the first Nanomanufacturing Summit a successful event! The Nanomanufacturing Summit 2009 held in Boston from May 27 to 29 brought together experts in the field of and nanomanufacturing and highlighted innovative academic, government and industry research, successful commercialization strategies, and challenges and approaches for ...

Nanomanufacturing Summit 2011 Provides Focus on Commercialization, Manufacturing Innovations, and Emerging Research

The Nanomanufacturing Summit 2011, held this past week in Boston, provided some high level discussions with focus on, amongst other topics, nanotechnology commercialization, translational research emerging from academic research centers, and manufacturing innovations. In the first event wherein the NNN has teamed with the NanoBusiness Commercialization Association, key topics also included ...

Nanomaterials Regulations: Balancing Insight with Oversight

The field of nanotechnology in generaland nanomanufacturing processes and nanomanufactured materials in particularpresent a new regulatory paradigm for commercial sectors, academics, and government oversight and funding agencies alike. In essense, how do we responsibly maintain the critical balance between the necessity of regulatory oversight and the industry of scientific innovation? ...

Nanomaterials, Informatics Included in Food and Drug Administration's Strategic Plan for Regulatory Science

Tasked with the core responsibility of protecting and promoting the health and safety of Americans through enhancing the availability of safe medical products and foods, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a document titled Advancing Regulatory Science at FDA: A Strategic Plan. Central to FDA's responsibilities is advancing the public health by expediting innovations ...

Nanomedicine and NanoDiagnostics: Innovation, Regulation, and Investment

Nanosafety Consortium for Carbon

Nanotechnology Innovation--Two Aspects

In this talk, Dr. Kesan will discuss the challenges and issues posed by nanotechnology innovation for patent policy and for granting patent rights commensurate with innovation. Second, he will discuss how the insights from value-sensitive design can be applied to vindicate societal choices and preferences in emerging nanotechnologies.

Nanotechnology and Life Cycle Assessment: A Systems Approach

[Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)] can be used to evaluate how a product or materialfrom the start of production through end-of-lifeaffects ecosystems and human health. LCA is already widely used internationally by scientists, engineers, and product designers in universities and businesses. If applied in the nanotechnology realm, the tool has the potential to guide researchers, policymakers, and ...

Nanotechnology and Regulatory Science in FDA

Nanotechnology and Worker Risk: Whos At the Controls?

Nanotechnology is predicted to improve many aspects of human life. By 2015, it is estimated to represent $3.1 trillion in manufactured goods. Data is emerging that exposure to nanomaterials may pose a health risk to workers. If the economic promise of nanotechnology is to be achieved, ways need to be found to protect nanotechnology workers now. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 gave ...

Nanotechnology and the Future of Federal Environmental Regulation

The problems of regulatory oversight for nanotechnology are primarily problems with the U.S. regulatory system as a whole, not problems unique to nano. Also, nanotechnology is a harbinger of the environmental agenda of the future. The existing federal environmental regulatory system has become so weak as to be almost irrelevant. The four major regulatory agencies (EPA, FDA, OSHA, and CPSC) are ...

Nanotechnology, Development and Public Policy

In this talk, Dr. Armstrong will discuss five points to think about in regards to Nanotechnology when dealing with development and public policy issues. Dr. Armstrong focuses on the vagueness of the term nanotechnology, the abstract nature in which it is conceptualized and what level of abstraction would be appropriate when conceptualizing it.

Nanotechnology: The Social and Ethical Issues

Recent action in Congress to reauthorize the U.S. federal nanotechnology research program offers the chance to address the social and ethical issues concerning the emerging scientific field, experts say. It is crucial to address social and ethical issues now as we consider both the substantial potential risks of nanotechnology and its possible significant contributions to our well-being and ...

National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan

National Nanotechnology Initiative: Positioning the NNI for Its Second Decade

New Challenges Face Nanotechnology Investments to Simultaneously Stimulate Research and Innovation

At a time when both public and private stakeholders are evaluating the impact of the last decades' investments in nanotechnology research and development, numerous indicators provide a positive outlook for both short and long term strategies for future investments. The indicators and data providing a positive outlook for increased future opportunities are predominantly derived from the recent ...

Next Generation Nanotechnology Infrastructure Looking to Broaden Base

As the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) approaches the end of its initial 10 year term, it has clearly supported and catalyzed the growth of nanotechnology-enabled products. The NNIN user facilities have provided a key national resource where academic and industry researchers are able to access a wide range of state of the art fabrication processes and equipment to ...

PCAST Recommendations Set the Stage for a National Nanomanufacturing Roadmap for the Next Decade

The recent Report to the President and Congress on the Third Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) included several key recommendations that will lay the groundwork for establishing a National Nanomanufacturing Roadmap. Also: University of California, San Francisco Publishes Draft Nanotechnology Regulatory Policy Recommendations; New England Nanomanufacturing ...

Policy Guidance: Collaborations for the Responsible Development of Nanoscale Materials

Meeting the challenges of an emerging technology requires collaboration among government, public/private sector and other stakeholders. This applies to both technology innovation as well as regulatory oversight/governance. This presentation will focus on the relative roles of public, private and non-profit actors in the provision of policy guidance. In this regard, I will discuss an example of ...

Public and Private Partnerships Play a Critical Role in Nanotech Commercialization

A discussion of the varous federal efforts to establish an infrastructure for the commercialization of advanced products.

Re-thinking scientific teams: competition, conflict and collaboration

In this talk, Dr. Gadlin will discuss the organizational barriers and breakdown of collaboration in the scientific community while focusing on recurring themes in collaborative disputes. He then presents means for resolving and responding to conflict confidentially through dispute resolution programs and pre-nuptial agreements between collaborators.

Regulating Tiny Technology: Preparing for Big Impacts on Innovation and Commercialization

Regulating the Products of Nanotechnology

An examination of the FDA's ability to regulate products containing nanotechnology

Report to the President and Congress on the Fourth Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative

Report to the President and Congress on the Third Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative

In this report, PCAST, serving in its role as the NNAP, assessed the effectiveness of the NNI over the past two years and since its inception. PCASTs observations, conclusions, and recommendations presented here are based on the analysis of its 2010 NNI Working Group, consisting of 3 PCAST members and 12 additional nongovernmental experts in nanotechnology. The Working Groups deliberations were ...

Research and Development Leading to a Revolution in Technology and Industry

Supplement to the President's FY2008 Budget (2007).

Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related EHS Research

This report describes the NNI strategy for prioritizing research on the environmental health and safety aspects of nanomaterials that have been identified in previous NNI reports.

The National Nanotechnology Initative: Research and Development Leading to a Revolution in Technology and Industry, Supplement to the President's 2010 Budget

Under Construction: What are the Roads to Policy?

The very existence of this workshop suggests that the hazards of nanotechnology are a social problem in need of resolution. The definition of this problem, its scope and the right solution are all matters of social construction. Various participants in business, government, non-governmental organizations and academia are engaged in competitive claims-making in an effort to frame the problem and ...

What! EPA is Regulating Me? Approaches to Managing Industrial Nanoscale Materials

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulates the manufacture and use of industrial chemicals to control potential unreasonable risks to human health and the environment from the workplace to the consumer. Identifying the implications and avoiding additional unintended consequences of nanoscale materials (NMs) is challenging, ...

Where Does The Nano Go

An analysis of two key EPA laws regulating the end-of-life management of nanotechnology

Why Managing Research is not Managing Science

These are presentation slides for Dr. Rejeski's talk at the Nano and Society Workshop. In his talk, Dr. Rejeski discusses the increase and penetration of new nano products into the market and how this is a measure of its success. He then addresses the need for responsibility and education to address the publics desire for full-disclosure, pre-market testing, and third-party testing and ...

Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems

University of Illinois
Research in the Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems (Nano-CEMMS) at the University of Illinois addresses a central problem in the development of nanotechnology: how to assemble structures at sizes smaller than can be seen (or transduced) and manipulated (or transcribed). The Center's goal is to develop a reliable, robust and ...

Colorado Nanotechnology Alliance

The Colorado Nanotechnology Alliance is not-for-profit economic development organization governed by a strong board of directors whose core represents nanotechnology companies in the state. The Alliance provides a common, cohesive and unified voice on behalf of nanotechnology. It serves as the catalyst organization to connect, coordinate, facilitate, promote, educate, and unify industry, ...

Nano/Bio Interface Center

University of Pennsylvania
The Nanoprobe Network a free, non-profit, web-based community for scanning probe microscopy scientists, researchers, educators, and students in industry, academia, and research labs around the world. Our goal is to provide an interactive web space for the exchange of information, ideas, techniques, protocols, images, software, and discussions.

NanoBusiness Commercialization Association

NanoBCA mission: 1. Promote the Commercialization of products designed and developed through the Science of Nanotechnology. 2. Advocate continued US spending through the National Nanotechnology Initiative. America must continue the funding of NNI from R&D to commercialization. 3. Inform membership with regard EHS regulation from Federal (EPA and FDA) and State Governments. Monitor ...

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) provides technical and administrative support to the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee, which mananges the National Nanotechnology Initiative--the program established in fiscal year 2001 to coordinate Federal nanotechnology research and development. The NNI provides a vision of the long-term ...

SAFENANO

Institute of Occupational Medicine
SAFENANO exists to help industrial and academic communities identify, assess and control the risks to their workforce, consumers, the general population and the environment, through both information provision and scientific services.

Ammar Jangbarwala

Catalyx Nanotech Inc

Alex G. Fassbender

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Maurice Brennan

University of Birmingham

Kelly H. Carnes

TechVision21

Sally Tinkle

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office
National Nanotechnology Initiative

Stacey Frederick

Center on Globalization, Governance, & Competitiveness (CGGC)
Duke University