Over 200 participants gathered from three continents at the First General Conference on Nanotechnology, held by the Foresight Institute in Palo Alto on November 11-14. Only a brief overview can be given here of this event; work is now underway to produce a conference proceedings volume and possibly a set of conference videotapes. (Foresight members will be informed when these are available.)

This was the first international conference designed to educate a broader community about the development status and potential of molecular nanotechnology. Entrepreneurs, policymakers, students, and investors heard lectures ranging from the scientific substructure of the emerging technology, to thoughts on problems it might cause, to the nuts-and-bolts of getting a new venture funded. Demonstrations were given by molecular modeling software vendors, and evenings were devoted to group discussion and action plans.

Presentations on the first day focused on getting everyone up to speed technically. Friday saw a transition to coverage of applications and funding, while Saturday’s programming stimulated the imagination: what will the transition to nanotechnology mean, and when?

During one of the brainstorming sessions, a prize in molecular nanotechnology was proposed and initial funds were pledged by Foresight members Marc Arnold and Ted Kaehler. Work on establishing the prize is in progress by members Vic Kley and Ted Kaehler and will be reported in a later issue.

Foresight was joined by a number of corporate sponsors whose financial support made the meeting possible: Apple Computer provided support at the primary level, while Global Business Network, Beckman Instruments, BIOSYM Technologies, nanothinc, and Niehaus Ryan Haller Public Relations joined as supporting sponsors. (Apple, GBN, Beckman, BIOSYM, and Niehaus Ryan Haller have sponsored or assisted at earlier meetings as well; special thanks for their ongoing support.)

We thank the speakers, in order of their presentations:

• Dr. Eric Drexler giving an overview of the subject;
• Dr. Ralph Merkle on computational approaches;
• Dr. Bruce Schardt on proximal probes (STM, AFM);
• Prof. Marvin Minsky on computation;
• Ted Kaehler on designing molecular components;
• Dr. Martin Edelstein on biotechnology;
• Howard Landman on the different fields that can contribute;
• Neil Jacobstein on R&D programs;
• Dr. Jamie Dinkelacker on the transition;
• Michael Pique on molecular modeling;
• Dr. Michael Pinneo on diamond synthesis;
• Dr. Michael Kelly on new materials;
• Duncan Forbes on environmental applications;
• Stewart Brand on the slow scenario;
• Dr. Eric Drexler on space applications;
• Dr. Charles Sweet on work in Japan;
• Dr. Gregory Fahy on medical applications;
• John Doerr on venture capital;
• Chris Peterson on history of the field;
• Mark Miller on hypertext;
• Marc Stiegler on decision duels;
• Jim Bennett on the politics of technology;
• Gayle Pergamit on envisioning the future;
• Dave Lindbergh on starting study groups;
• Kathleen Shatter on IMM;
• Paul Saffo on culture and technology;
• Ed Niehaus and panel on the next decade.

Foresight’s current plan is to alternate this meeting series with our research conference series–the former in even-numbered years, the latter in odd-numbered years–until annual meetings of both types can be supported.

Thanks are also extended to conference volunteers; see the Thanks column in this issue.

[Editor’s note: The proceedings of this conference have been published in book form.]