NSF PR 03-150 - December 22, 2003
Media contact: M. Mitchell Waldrop (703) 292-7752 [email protected] Program contact: Lawrence S. Goldberg (703) 292-8339 [email protected] National Science Board Approves Award for a National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
ARLINGTON, Va.—The National Science Board, the 24-member policy advisory body of the National Science Foundation (NSF), has authorized the Foundation to fund a National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN): 13 university sites that will form an integrated, nationwide system of user facilities to support research and education in nanoscale science, engineering and technology. Led by Cornell University, the NNIN is expected to begin operation in January 2004 for a five-year period. "The network will be an investment of at least $70 million under NSF’s nanoscale science and engineering priority area," says Lawrence Goldberg, NSF senior engineering advisor. "NNIN expands significantly beyond the current capabilities of the five university National Nanofabrication Users Network (NNUN) that is concluding its ten-year life span this year." Joining Cornell in NNIN will be the Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Howard University, North Carolina State University, Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, the University of California at Santa Barbara, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, the University of New Mexico, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington. "By assembling and offering to share our specialized resources with any and all qualified users," says Cornell's Sandip Tiwari, the electrical engineer who will be director of the NNIN, "we have created the world's largest, most comprehensive and accessible nanotechnology laboratory." Indeed, says Goldberg, the NNIN will not only provide users across the nation with access to leading-edge tools and instruments, but will contribute to a new workforce skilled in nanotechnology and the latest laboratory techniques. "NNIN will implement, on a national scale, innovation in education that will impact all levels from professional through K 12, include outreach efforts to non-traditional users, reach underrepresented groups, and disseminate knowledge to the wider technical community and public," Goldberg added. "It will also develop the intellectual and institutional capacity needed to examine and address societal and ethical implications of nanotechnology." NSF anticipates holding future open competitions to expand the scope of the NNIN by adding new sites and capabilities as the need arises, providing flexibility within the program. The National Science Foundation (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 $5.3 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 30,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 10,000 new funding awards. The 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 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 National Science Foundation Office of Legislative and Public Affairs 4201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, Virginia 22230, USA Tel: 703-292-8070 FIRS: 800-877-8339 | TDD: 703-292-5090
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