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Connecticut Establishes Leadership in Nanotechnology
Connecticut Nanotech Initiative Hosts Major Symposium During State's Newly Proclaimed Nanotechnology Week; Key National and Regional Leaders Discuss Far-Reaching Opportunities AheadStorrs, Conn. October 14th, 2003
As Governor Rowland's newly proclaimed Nanotechnology Week, October 12-18th, kicks off in Connecticut, nationally-known leaders in the nanotech field, industry elite, academic and government researchers, will meet at the University of Connecticut this Thursday, October 16th for the State's first-ever, one-day Nanotechnology Symposium. This Symposium is being hosted by the Connecticut Nanotech Initiative (CNI) and is intended to educate Connecticut's businesses, governmental leaders and educators about the impact of nanotechnology and help propel Connecticut to a position of leadership in this emerging and important field.
The Symposium will feature presentations by national and regional experts and hands-on exhibits and will provide an overview of federal and state support of nanotechnology research and commercialization. Seminars will address existing and potential applications of nanotechnology in Connecticut's industries, including pharmaceutical and medical; electronics and information technology; fuel cells and energy; and defense and aerospace. The Symposium also has a break-out session devoted to educators and will include a presentation on how to incorporate nanoscience into K-12 education and expose students to nanotechnology's advanced multidisciplinary nature. Registered attendees for the event include at least 80 high school students and teachers.
"Nanotechnology is expected to impact almost all industries within the next 10 years," says CNI's President and Co-Founder Wayne Martino, a partner at New Haven's Brenner Saltzman & Wallman. "Connecticut is well positioned to become a leader in nanotechnology. The State is strong in research, academia and finance, has an extremely well-educated workforce, and is home to many of the industries that will be most impacted by nanotechnology: biotech, pharmaceuticals, aeronautics, defense, transportation, environment and fuel cells."
The nascent field of nanotechnology - the manipulation of individual molecules or atoms to create and improve materials and devices - has been identified as the potential Industrial Revolution of the 21st Century. Nanotechnology promises to yield materials and systems with superior electrical, chemical, mechanical or optical properties with the potential for widespread uses in many industries. The National Science Foundation predicts that nanotechnology will be a $1 trillion dollar global market within 10-15 years.
Nanotechnology industries are expected to employ 2 million workers by that time. Approximately $4 billion is presently being spent on worldwide nanotechnology research, with the U.S. Federal government spending on nanotechnology research at over $600 million for FY 2002 and projected to be about $850 million for FY 2004.
Connecticut businesses as well as leading research scientists at Yale and the University of Connecticut are already exploring nanotechnology's potential and recognize its importance.
The chemical industry's Vision 2020 Technology Partnership, chaired by Jack Solomon, director of technology assessment at Praxair, Inc., is identifying priorities for developing and using nanomaterials. "While we continue to explore the potential for nanomaterials, we need to be thinking ahead to how we will build manufacturing processes that will take us from fundamentals to function," said Solomon. "Symposiums like this one help us move further down that road."
Yale University Dean Paul Fleury says that it is important to keep the pipeline of science and technology talent flowing in Connecticut and nationally, noting that the United States is currently falling behind other countries in producing the technical talent we need. "Academia and industry must marshal their resources to promote science education within our school systems in order to ensure a viable technical workforce and a properly educated general population for the 21st century. Nanoscience and technology provide the excitement that can help achieve these goals."
The symposium schedule boasts a "who's who" in nanotechnology leadership to include James Murday, Naval Research Laboratory and acting director for the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office; Mark Modzelewski, founder and executive director of the world's fastest growing technology association - the NanoBusiness Alliance; Robert Hwang, director, Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory; and Mark Reed, professor of engineering and applied science at Yale University.
For more information on the CNI symposium including a complete list of speakers and sessions, see http://www.ctnano.org/. The event is open to the public with a registration fee of $150 for adult attendees and $25 for students. Cost includes lunch and the reception immediately following at the conclusion of the symposium.
About Connecticut Nanotech Initiative (CNI)
The Connecticut Nanotechnology Initiative is collaboration between industries, universities and government representatives whose goal is to establish Connecticut as a leader in the research, development, commercialization and application of nanotechnology.
Leading organizing partners of the CNI include Brenner, Saltzman & Wallman, Genomas, Inframat, Hamilton Sunstrand, Pentron, Pfizer, Photronics, Praxair, Rogers, Rainmaking Oasis, Westport Public Schools, University of Connecticut and Yale University. Gold sponsors for the Fall Symposium include Cantor Colburn LLC and Connecticut Center of Advanced Technology.
Contact:
Jennifer Carmichael
Mason & Madison Public Relations
PH: 203-393-1101 ext. 131
Jcarmichael@masonmadison.com
Reprinted with premission.
Copyright CNI.
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