Pushing the Nanotech Gas Pedal: Molding the NNI
Meetings were held recently in the Washington, DC area to discuss revising the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) strategic plan (July 13-14, www.nano.gov). President Obama’s Office of Science and Technology Policy is also seeking input on nanotechnology's future (for example, see presentation from Travis Earles at www.nano.gov).
In these important discussions, nanotech history should not be forgotten. Moreover, the business at hand must be considered. These points were driven home most forcefully by Intel’s George Thompson who, in his 30 min webcast, encouraged the NNI to push the nanotech gas pedal. Now is NOT the time to take your foot off the gas! More particularly, after ten years of fundamental nanotech research, more attention should be paid to addressing the infamous “valley of death” which engulfs many nanotechnologies. Important technology topics like reliability and reproduciblity of specific nanotechnologies cannot be ignored in the drive to just publish more science papers.
Thompson also notes the centrality and importance of intellectual property. People have to be willing to share their innovations and overcome difficult collaboration issues which IP can generate.
It was good to see government look to history before deciding how to push into the future. Consider: ...
For additional commentary on the history of nanotechnology and innovation policy, see www.scienceprogress.org and articles therein including http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/04/big-whig-history-and-nano-narratives/ Terms like "molecular engineering" and "angstronics" were used fifty years ago. Feynman's famous nanotech speech was ignored for many years. The NNI should continue to look to longer term history as advocated by Intel's Thompson, who traced back the semiconductor history to eras very different from today.
Modern nanotechnology began about ten years ago with the Clinton support of the NNI and the cutting of the first checks. Bush, perhaps surprisingly, continued the Clinton agenda with respect to nanotech. Now, Obama speaks more of clean energy than nanotech, and nanotech will need to adapt and focus on clean energy in sorting through priorities. With respect to fundamental research and cleantech, numerous exciting technologies are now here such as graphenes and organic solar cells which were in dormancy ten years ago compared to today. Researchers now below graphene can be the basis for transparent conductive electrodes which are important for solar cells, OLEDs, and other energy related electronics devices.
The vitality of nanotechnology ten years later, despite the rise and fall of hype, also can be seen by reviewing the nanowerk webpage and email alerts. They provide also an engaging 20 question nanotechnology quiz. I was able to get 18 correct - the two incorrect stemming from my lack of watching Star Trek movies and not knowing fully that mayonnaise is a nanotechnology product unlike some other edibles. Oh well, good enough for an A-.
The government hopefully will shoot for A's when it revises the NNI strategy! And grade itself appropriately in its review of the past ten years.
We will keep you posted. THOUGHTS?