Newsletter 18, May 2007

Transcription

1 Newsletter 18, May 2007 Please visit for current information about European nanotechnology including news, organisations, events, publications, calls and programmes, and jobs. If you would like to inform the European community about interesting news from your institution, you can contact any of the Nanoforum partners (details at About Nanoforum on ). Recent activities of the Nanoforum project Highlight News Identifying Nanotechnology related Skills and Training Needs for EU Industry In association with Nanoforum, the Institute of Nanotechnology is conducting a survey of skills and training needs of Industry. This questionnaire is targeted at companies involved in the research, development, production and marketing of nanomaterials, products enabled by nano-scale innovations and those providing services, across all industry sectors. The aim is to identify skills gaps in the emerging nanotechnology market, identify professional development and training needs, and inform institutions running nanotechnology masters programmes so that they can be better focused on industry s needs. A full report will be published in July this year and widely disseminated to academic institutes, industry and government agencies including the European Commission. If you are actively involved in or support the commercialization of nanotechnology-enabled products, please take the time to complete the survey at: Please note that the last date for completing the survey is 30 th of May Nanotechnology in Europe - Ensuring the EU Competes Effectively on the World Stage Nanoforum is conducting a survey to identify barriers and offer advice to the European Commission as to the measures which could be put in place to assist Europe in commercializing nanotechnologies. Survey responses must be

2 submitted by 25th May 2007 to the European Nanotechnology Trade Alliance (preferably via to The results of the survey will be published on the Nanoforum website in June and widely distributed to key stakeholders including the European Commission. News from the European Commission Potocnik outlines balanced approach to developing nanotechnology EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik has provided further details of what is being done to keep Europe at the forefront of the fast-moving field of nanotechnology in a safe and responsible way The brochure:"nanotechnology: Innovation for tomorrow's world" is now available in Finnish, Polish and Danish Brochure of the European Commission to illustrate to the public what nanotechnology is. Open Consultation on the Strategy on communication outreach in nanotechnology This paper results from a workshop held by the European Commission it Brussels, February 6th It shapes operative recommendations for future European funding on appropriate communication and innovative approaches to engage the European civil society into a dialogue on nanotechnology. U.S. and EU propose to increase nanotechnology cooperation

3 As part of the annual U.S. EU Summit, which took place on the 30 th April, the White House Press Office released a "Framework for Advancing Transatlantic Economic Integration Between the United States of America and the European Union". The document makes several references to proposed areas of increased cooperation in nanotechnology. Public consultation on SCENIHR The European Commission has requested the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) a scientific advice on "the appropriateness of the risk assessment methodology in accordance with the Technical Guidance Documents for new and existing substances for assessing the risks of nanomaterials. Deadline for the submission of comments is 23 May htm Important news from Europe NanoforumEULA releases preliminary programme workshop and fact finding mission The EU funded NanoforumEULA specific support action just released a preliminary programme for a workshop on Priorities in Nanomaterials Research in Latin America and Europe in Cancun, in conjunction with XVI International Materials Research Congress, 23 August in Cancun and fact finding mission along major nanotechnology organisations and companies, August 2007 in Mexico. Food nanotechnology and public acceptance Swiss social psychologist Michael Siegrist has looked into the issues of trust, risk and the public acceptance of nanotechnology before. Now, he and his colleagues have taken the area of nanofoods and tried to understand what factors influence

4 the willingness to buy food that has been produced, processed or packaged with nanotechnology. New centre at York gives glimpse of sub-angstrom world The University of York has taken a significant step into new fields of sub- Angstrom level materials research with the opening of the York JEOL Nanocentre. EU funds nano packaging research UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's is part of an EU-funded project to develop biodegradable packaging using nanotechnology. NANOFORUMEULA extends deadline Call for Research Visit Grants The EU funded NanoforumEULA Specific Support Action is extending the deadline for applications for the Call for Research Visit Grants until 1 June 2007, hours GMT. IEEE Completes Standards Roadmap for Emerging Nanoelectronic Applications The IEEE has created a Nanoelectronics Standards Roadmap, which provides a framework through which the IEEE and the nanoelectronics community may collaborate to define a roadmap for nanoelectronics standards. Russia to invest $1B in nanotechnology

5 Russia will pour over $1 billion into equipment for nanotechnology research over the next three years as it uses massive oil and gas export earnings to diversify an economy now heavily dependent on raw materials. Event announcement EuroNanoForum 2007 Nanotechnology in industrial applications, June 2007, CCD Düsseldorf, Germany USNM - Utrecht Summer School in NanoMaterials USNM 2007: Science and applications August 2007, Utrecht University, Netherlands Application deadline for scholarships: 1 May Summer school course on Nanobiotechnology and Nano-Medicine Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects September 2007, Münster, Germany Deadline for abstract submission: May 20, Acta Materialia Gold Medal Workshop Perspectives of nanoscience and nanotechnology In the frame of E-MRS Fall meeting Warsaw, Sept M2007 Conference on Multi-Material Micro Manufacture 3-5 October 2007, Borovets, Bulgaria

6 Nanoparticles for European Industry II Measurement, Characterisation and Standardisation; Manufacturing Scale-up and Processing; Regulations and Potential Risks October 2007, The Olympia Conference Centre, London, UK Call for abstracts announced. Please contact or visit: 9th Workshop NANOSCIENCE & NANOTECHNOLOGY 28-30, November 2007, Sofia