March 2004

National Science Foundation

Conference explores nanotechnology and its commercialization

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Commerce's Technology Administration invite interested media to "The National Nanotechnology Initiative: From Vision to Commercialization." The three-day conference will provide a comprehensive status report and overview of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), including priorities, budgets, research projects, outcomes, and prospects for commercialization. The first day will be devoted to nanomanufacturing, and the following two days to overviews of various agencies and large projects.

The conference will be held from Wednesday, Mar. 31, through Friday, Apr. 2, at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW, Washington, DC 20001. Details and a complete agenda are available at the conference website: http://www.infocastinc.com/NNI/nnihome.asp. Directions to the convention center are available at http://www.dcconvention.com/directions/default.asp.

Among the highlights will be a presentation by Rice University chemist Richard E. Smalley, who helped ignite the current explosion of interest in nanotechnology with his Nobel-prize winning discovery of the globular carbon structures known as "Buckyballs." NSF's Mihail C. Roco, who chairs the NNI's governing body, the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Council will also speak.

Other highlights include talks by presidential science advisor John H. Marburger III, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Phillip J. Bond, Under Secretary for Technology at the Department of Commerce; Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Chair of the House Committee on Science; and three other members of Congress: Sen. George Allen (R-VA), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Rep. Michael M. Honda (D-CA).

Qualified journalists can apply for a press pass online at http://www.infocastinc.com/NNI/nnipress.htm. Questions or comments may be directed to Nannette Mooney at (818) 783-5493.

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NSF is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of nearly $5.58 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 40,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. NSF also awards over $200 million in professional and service contracts yearly.

Receive official NSF news electronically through the e-mail delivery system, NSFnews. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to [email protected]. In the body of the message, type "subscribe nsfnews" and then type your name. (Ex.: "subscribe nsfnews John Smith")

Useful NSF Web Sites

NSF Home Page: http://www.nsf.gov/; for nanotechnology www.nsf.gov/nano
News Highlights: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa
Newsroom: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/media/start.htm
Science Statistics: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/stats.htm
Awards Searches: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a6/A6Start.htm




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