| Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes The Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University integrates social impacts research with nanotechnology research to create better linkages between research agendas and desired societal outcomes. The project is developing tools and methods to map and assess the societal implications of nanoscale science and engineering; enhance awareness of societal implications among both the public and the S&T community; and developing processes that can support actual scientific and societal decision making about the direction and application of anotechnology.
Demos
NanoDialogues: four experiments in upstream public engagement: Funded by the Office of Science and Technology’s ‘ScienceWise’ programme, over the next twelve months, Demos will be facilitating a series of practical experiments in public engagement, designed to inform decision-making around nanotechnologies. One experiment will run in partnership with a regulator (Environment Agency), one with the research councils (BBSRC & EPSRC), one with an NGO (Intermediate Technology), and one with a company. A further output of the project will be a new pamphlet on science and public value, (co-authored by James Wilsdon and Brian Wynne), which will be launched at the BA Festival of Science in September 2005. Demos and Lancaster University
Nanotechnologies, risk and sustainability:Nanotechnology may be a new field, but already it is bristling with tensions and uncertainties. Will it inevitably become ‘the next GM’? Can public engagement take place at an early stage in R&D processes? How can we strengthen the reflective capacity of nanoscientists to address social, ethical and political questions? Demos, in partnership with Lancaster University, is leading an ESRC-funded study, designed to answer some of these questions. The final results of the project are due in January 2006. Georgia Institute of Technology Creativity capabilities and the promotion of highly innovative research in Europe and the United States (CREA): Researchers from the Technology Policy and Assessment Center (TPAC) at Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy are collaborating with two European partners, the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) and Sussex University’s Science and Technology Policy Research Unit (SPRU) in a new study to examine creative capabilities and the promotion of highly innovative research in Europe and the United States (CREA). One of the two major fields of focus of the study is nanotechnology (The second is human genetics). The project is sponsored by the Newly Emerging Science and Technologies (NEST) program of the European Union.
National Institute for Materials Science, Japan Strategic Promotion of Nanotechnology R&D of Japan: In the 2nd Science and Technology Basic Plan (2001 – 2005), the research area of nanotechnology and materials is designated as one of the 4 prioritized areas in funding. Following this plan, MEXT and METI, the main funding ministries, and their organizations, JSPS, JST, NIMS, RIKEN, NEDO, and AIST have been promoting their research programs. The highlights of their programs are the Leading Projects by MEXT, the Nanotechnology Virtual Laboratories by JST, the Focus 21 by METI, the Nanomaterials & Processing Sub-Program by NEDO, and so on. Besides, in order to encourage interdisciplinary, interorganizational, and international collaboration among researchers, the Nanotechnology Support Project was started by MEXT in 2002. The project has two missions: informational support and common use facility support. The Nanotechnology Researchers Network Center of Japan is responsible for informational support, and 14 universities and national research institutes are responsible for common use facility support. http://www.nanonet.go.jp/
Red Latinoamericana de Nanotechnologia y Sociedad
Red
Latinoamericana de Nanotechnologia y Sociedad La Red
Latinoamericana de Nanotecnología y Sociedad surge con el propósito
de dialogar sobre el papel de las nanotecnologías en el desarrollo.
Este tema, que está siendo ampliamente discutido en Estados Unidos,
en Europa y en muchos otros países, comienza a tener presencia en
América Latina. Varios países de América Latina cuentan con
financiamientos públicos para investigar en nanotecnologías. También
existen convenios bilaterales entre países de la región y con países
y organizaciones del extranjero.
University of Twente, Centre for Studies of Science, Technology and Society
NanoNed is a consortium of Dutch research institutes working in nanoscience and nanotechnology (see Appendix 1 for an overview). It has obtained funding from two general R&D funding programmes (at the moment, there is no dedicated government funding of nanoscience and nanotechnology). On the initiative of the consortium leadership, a Technology Asessment (TA) component was included in the bids for funding. Arie Rip (University of Twente) was invited to lead the TA program. This paper indicates the thrust of the TA program, as it is now being implemented.
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) at New Delhi, Science and Technology Area
"Capability, Governance and Nanotechnology Developments: A Focus on India." The research in this project focuses on capability and governance issues regarding nanotechnology, including: understanding and evaluating opportunities, benefits and multidimensional risks that nanotechnology presents to society, especially with a focus on developing countries; evaluating the relevance of nanotechnology to address development and social concerns; nanotechnology development issue concerning India and other developing countries; understanding what are the key determinants for building national capability in nanotechnology's R&D sphere as well as the policy sphere; examining approaches for engagement with global and national developments in the nanotechnology sphere by developed and developing countries; examining regulatory issues concerning nanotechnology, including legal and trade issues; understanding ethics and stakeholder engagement issues in nanotechnology; and other multilevel governance issues.
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