@inbook{04ddc803eba94254aef901d273e63410,
title = "Retrospective view of the U.S. National nanotechnology initiative",
abstract = "The United States is noted for its leadership in nanotechnology policy development, adoption, implementation, and coordination. This chapter describes the origins and progress of the nanotechnology policies in the US, focusing on the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) to provide lessons learned by the US for use by developing countries as they proceed with policy development.",
author = "Craig Boardman and Slade, {Catherine P.} and Barry Bozeman",
note = "Funding Information: DOD NSF DOE DHHS/ NIH DOC/ NIST NASA EPA DHHS/ NIOSH USDA/ NIFA* USDA/FS DOJ DHS DOT Totalc Funding Information: The fifth theme of the NNI has to do with the societal implications of nanotechnology as well as the education and training of a nanotechnology workforce. In conjunction with the initiative{\textquoteright}s university-based research activities per themes three and four—centers and networks of excellence and instrumentation programs— this theme is designed to produce crops of skilled workers with the interdisciplinary perspective necessary for the rapid progress of nanotechnology. Moreover, the NNI roadmap mandates that the appropriate parties examine the potential ethical, legal, and social implications of nanoscale science and technology. Mostly universities and university centers like those sponsored by NSF, receiving NNI funds either directly or indirectly via a participating department or agency, fulfill NNI{\textquoteright}s societal and educational roles. Among the specific issues they consider are questions like How one should perhaps change patent office rules to facilitate innovation and its dissemination? and What measures should be taken to limit negative effects of nanotech such as nanoparticle pollution? NSF is the lead agency in this area with about $8 million in projects or project components covering education and societal implication studies. Some of the major nanotech centers with strong education and outreach activities include the following: Funding Information: Each year NSET sponsors a conference designed to provide a comprehensive yet in-depth look at the NNI. The focus of these conferences is to convey what areas are being funded and why, what the results of research efforts have been to date, and what avenues appear to hold the most commercial promise. The conference also features status reports by key representatives from the principal departments and agencies participating in the NNI, the major nanoscale sciences and engineering centers funded by NSF, several government laboratories, as well as industry. The annual conference is not the only means with which NSET incorporates industry into the NNI. For example, the CT subcommittee has co-organized a series of regional meetings with local scientific communities, industry, funding organizations, and states. The first of these occurred in September 2001 in Los Angeles, and following meetings took place in Texas and Minnesota. The idea is to create regional nanotech networks, with each “zone” having technical focus areas. In southern California, industry focuses on aeronautics, nanoelectronics, and bio-systems. Texas industry emphasizes energy conversion. The Department of Commerce plays a lead role in ensuring such connections with the private sector. In addition to regional meetings, NSET gets industry into the mix by providing money to companies for SBIRs (Small Business Innovative Research) and STTRs (Small Technology Transfer Research). To facilitate the process, NSF sponsored two “industry outreach” meetings in March 2002 called “Small Wonders”—one at the Reagan World Trade Center in Washington, DC and another at NSF headquarters. Research and training opportunities under the aegis of the NNI, but without any direct NSET guidance, also constitute a start toward the establishment of a cadre of interdisciplinary researchers. For example, all of the recently funded NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers have strong educational components. Some of the centers require that graduate students take courses in fields other than their major field of study, and many have mechanisms to ensure that they talk to their colleagues in other fields such as workshops and regularly scheduled briefings. What{\textquoteright}s more, some centers only fund projects in which investigators from two different disciplines collaborate. The overarching idea is to implement new paradigms for educating scientists and engineers to facilitate collaboration. The new breed of student, the argument goes, must have disciplinary depth but also be unafraid to traverse disciplinary boundaries to work in a team fashion. These centers include the following: Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2012, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.",
year = "2012",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1007/978-1-4614-1545-9_14",
language = "English (US)",
isbn = "9781461415442",
pages = "139--159",
booktitle = "Making It to the Forefront",
publisher = "Springer New York",
}