The quantity of information on nanomaterial properties and behavior continues to grow exponentially. Without a concerted effort to organize and mine disparate information coming out of current research efforts, the value and effective use of this information will be limited at best. At worst, erroneous conclusions will be drawn and data will not be translated to knowledge. Nanoinformatics inherently supports a community-based approach to filter the noise and enhance the value of global information in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Much progress has been made through grassroots efforts in nanoinformatics resulting in a multitude of resources and tools for nanoscience researchers. At this point, it is important to critically evaluate and refine nanoinformatics applications in order to best inform the science and support the future of predictive nanotechnology.
Greener Nano 2012 (held on July 30, 2012, in Portland, Oregon) will bring together informatics groups with materials scientists and active nanoscience researchers to evaluate and reflect on the tools/resources that have recently emerged in support of predictive nanotechnology. The goals of this workshop are to establish a better understanding of current applications and clearly define immediate and projected informatics infrastructure needs for the nanotechnology community. We will use the theme of nanoEHS to provide real-world, concrete examples on how informatics can be utilized to advance our knowledge and guide nanoscience.
In preparation for the workshop, we will host two preliminary webinars. Part I Webinar will provide 15 minute overviews of current nanoinformatics tools with detailed information on our current state-of-the-science. Part II Webinar will provide live interactions with the developers of those nanoinformatics tools and resources. An email line will be opened 24 hours in advance of the Part II live webinar for interested parties to submit questions, comments and feedback.
Workshop organizers will select an expert panel of materials scientists from diverse sectors of nanomaterials research and development to participate in the workshop and to serve as a formalized pool of experts on which the nanoinformatics community can draw expertise.
To nominate (self-nomination acceptable) an expert in nanoscience research and/or materials science, please send CV and a brief statement of experience and interest in nanoscience by June 8, 2012 to Stacey Harper at Stacey.Harper@oregonstate.edu.
The workshop is in direct support of the NNI Nanotechnology Knowledge Infrastructure: Enabling National Leadership in Sustainable Design signature initiative, which identifies a critical need for the development of a formal knowledge infrastructure to sustain and advance nanotechnology. The signature initiative report states that existing NNI member agency programmatic efforts that accelerate new knowledge vetting and enable effective data utilization should be coordinated. Greener Nano 2012 leverages networking groundwork laid by the Nanoinformatics community to evaluate and reflect upon predictive nanotechnology tools and resources, including ISA-TAB-Nano, the Nanomaterial-Biological Interactions Knowledgebase, InterNano, NanoHUB, NEIMiner, the Nanomaterials Registry, MendNano, caNanoLab, the Nanoparticle Information Library, and the GoodNanoGuide. Several of these resources were highlighted in the signature initiative report.
Visit nanoinformatics.org to register for the workshop. Registration is free due to generous sponsorship from SNNI, the NNN, the NCI Nanotechnology Working Group, CEINT, and Nanotech Now.
Workshop contact:
Jessica Adamick, InterNanoProject Manager
jadamick@library.umass.edu
