Category: Media Mentions

from the mass-media-mush dept.
An article on the Washington Post ("Big Potential From Small Things", by Ariana Eunjung Cha, 21 March 2002) presents a superficial but reasonably well-written survey of "current events" in nanotechnolgy, focusing on increases in federal funding for nanotech research and the increasing interest from the venture capital community. As the article notes, "The debate has shifted from 'Will it happen?' to 'When will it happen?' " said Christine Peterson, president of the Foresight Institute.

The article was also reposted on the Small Times website.

from the World-Watch dept.
While thereís little said in it about nanotech per se, an article in the London-based Financial Times ("'Valley' in the Alps", by Jo Johnson, 26 February 2002) provides some interesting background on the history and current climate of the region around Grenoble, France as a long-standing technology center and incubator. Previous coverage of French high-tech center appeared here on Nanodot on 28 January 2002.

Gina Miller flagged a lengthy interview in the March 2002 issue of Red Herring Magazine ("Nano-Newt!", by Stephan Herrera, 18 March 2002) presents the views of New Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, on nanotechnology, science education, ìhomeland securityî, and a number of other issues. Gingrich became honorary chairman of the NanoBusiness Alliance, a trade organization dedicated to nanotechnology, in December 2001 (see Nanodot post from 14 December 2001), and his influence on the direction of U.S. nanotechnology policy, already significant, is likely to grow.

An brief article on the Small Times website ("Nanotechnologyís potential needs decades of work before itís realized, expert panel says", by Candace Stuart, 19 March 2002) reports that a panel of "nanotechnology leaders", speaking at a conference in Washington, D.C. on "Small Wonders: Exploring the Vast Potential of Nanoscience" sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), said not to expect much from nanotechnology in the short term. The report says the experts opined that "Nanotechnology probably has decades to go before promise becomes product; but if and when it does, the impact could be staggering."

Similar sentiments were expressed in an article in the Dallas Morning News ("Nanotech may need a little time", by Alan Goldstein, 13 March 2002), focusing on venture capitalists and investors at the Nanoventures 2002 conference held in Dallas, Texas, 6-8 March 2002 (see Nanodot post from 8 March 2002).

from the World-Watch dept.
An brief article in The Times of India ("Need to develop nanotechnology", 5 March 2002) reports that Rajeev Ratan Shah, Secretary, Department of Information, speaking at a seminar in Kanpur on 3 March 2002, admitted that "India was lagging behind in the development of nanotechnology", and called upon nano-scientists "to come out with concrete recommendations for quick growth of nanotechnology in the country. He also stressed that the government would provide funds for research in this field." According to the report, "Shah said there was an urgent need for an integrated approach for the growth of nanotechnology in India, adding that scientists from various institutes should come on a joint forum to share their experiences and knowledge in this field. He lamented that India was lagging behind in nanotechnology and it was high time that Indian scientists took initiatives for advanced research in the field."

An article in the New York Times ("Tiny Technologies Slip Unseen Into Daily Life", by Barnaby J. Feder, 11 March 2002) takes a decidedly short-term view of nanotechnology, focusing on the many companies attempting to commercialize nano-structured materials. The article makes only a few passing references to the potential for advanced nanoscale devices, but does note the increasing level of interest from venture capitalists and investors: "The things I said a few years ago would be prototypes in 2005 are here now," James C. Ellenbogen, who heads the nanotechnology division at the Mitre Corporation, which specializes in government-supported technical research. "There has been a sharp upsurge in the number of venture capitalists at science meetings."

[Note: Access to the NYT site is free, but requires registration.]

from the World-Watch dept.
According to a brief report in the Taipei Times ("British science minister seeks closer cooperation", by Chiu Yu-Tzu, 8 March 2002), the highest ranking British official ever to visit Taiwan, the UK's parliamentary under-secretary of state for science and innovation is pushing stronger research ties in a number of fields, including nanotechnology. According to the report, during a visit to Taiwan on 7 March 2002, the UK's Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation, Lord Sainsbury, said both Taiwan and the UK would benefit from deeper scientific collaboration on a variety of scientific topics, including nanotechnology, bio-technology, and information technology.

from the World-Watch dept.
According to a pair of articles from the New Zealand Herald on 6 March and 7 March 2002, competition among New Zealandís academic institutions has been keen to win a role as host institutions in the Government's funding of five university research programmes from its $60 million Centres of Research Excellence (Core) fund. The NZ Government pledged to invest almost $61 million in five research centres, based across three of the country's eight universities. One of the centers selected will be devoted to nanoscale science and technology.

An article in the Houston Business Journal ("Nanotechnology beginning to take center stage in Houston", by Jennifer Darwin, 1 March 2002) provides a brief look at NT-related activity in and around Houston, particularly at Rice University. The article notes that Nobel-laureate and fullerene nanotube researcher Richard Smalley has stepped down as head of the director of Rice's Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, reported to focus on research and the commercial ventures in which he is a partner. The article also has an interesting quote from Smalleyís replacement as director of the CNST — Wade Adams, who was the chief scientist of the U.S. Air Force's materials laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio before joining Rice. According to the article:

Adams' goal is to find situations to which Rice's nanotechnology can be applied. He will look for opportunities for funding, partnering, collaborating, and ultimately, spinning off new companies focused on nanotechnology. "We think nanotechnology is going to have a huge payoff, tying to the medical profession and biology," Adams says. "It is extremely obvious that we need to be doing more to bring the nano expertise we have at Rice to the (Texas) Medical Center."