Nanotechnology Lawyer & Attorney : Porter Wright Morris & Arthur : Nanotechnology Law Report - Germanium nanobead image provided by UT-Battelle, which manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Department of Energy

According to a recent article in London's Daily Mail, Swiss police, during a routine traffic stop, prevented what the Daily Mail and The Register, another British news site, describe as an "Eco-terrorist" attack on IBM's nanotech HQ near Zurich.

During a search of a car occupied by Constantino Ragusa, Silvia Guerini, and Luca Bernasconi, Swiss police discovered a "primed explosive device", along with a "large quantity of explosives". The three are described as being members of an Italian eco-anarchist group, Il Silvestri, which is opposed to "all forms of micro-technology" , nuclear power and nuclear weapons. Members of the group have been linked to other "eco-terrorist" attacks. Il Silvestri is "considered to be one of the rising terror groups in Europe" and has been accused of having links to other violent eco-anarchist groups in Europe and is also considered to be a successor of the Red Brigades.

The Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office is continuing the investigation.

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 The Federal Register of April 27, 2010 carried the text of Executive Order 13539, issued by President Obama on April 21st. E.O. 13539 is the latest in a series of Executive Orders revoking earlier Executive Orders and establishing a new Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The first PCAST was established by Executive Order 12700, issued by President George H.W. Bush on January 19, 1990. E.O. 13539 revokes E.O. 13226, issued by President George W. Bush on September 30, 2001. With each Executive Order, the membership and duties of the PCAST have changed and E.O. 13539 continues the changes.

PCAST is now to be composed of 20 members drawn from non-governmental sectors, with the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (aka "The Science Advisor") serving as co-chair, with the President designating one of the non-governmental members as the other co-chair.

The PCAST will have a very broad mandate, giving advice to the President

on matters
                involving science, technology, and innovation policy.
                This advice shall include, but not be limited to,
                policy that affects science, technology, and
                innovation, as well as scientific and technical
                information that is needed to inform public policy
                relating to the economy, energy, environment, public
                health, national and homeland security, and other
                topics. The PCAST shall meet regularly and shall:

(i) respond to requests from the President or the Science Advisor for
information, analysis, evaluation, or advice;

(ii) solicit information and ideas from the broad range of stakeholders,
including but not limited to the research community, the private sector,
universities, national laboratories, State and local governments,
foundations, and nonprofit organizations;

(iii) serve as the advisory committee identified in subsections 101(b) and
103(b) of the High Performance Computing Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-194),
as amended (15 U.S.C. 5511(b) and 5513(b)). In performing the functions of
such advisory committee, the PCAST shall be known as the President's
Innovation and Technology Advisory Committee; and

(iv) serve as the advisory panel identified in section 4 of the 21st
Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7503) (21st
Century Act). In performing the functions of such advisory committee, the
PCAST shall be known as the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel. Nothing
in this order shall be construed to require the National Nanotechnology
Advisory Panel to comply with any requirement from which it is exempted by
section 4(f) of the 21st Century Act.

                    (b) The PCAST shall provide advice from the
                nonfederal sector to the National Science and
                Technology Council (NSTC) in response to requests from
                the NSTC.
 

Among it's other duties, and the one of interest to the readers of this blog

(iv) serve as the advisory panel identified in section 4 of the 21st
Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7503) (21st
Century Act). In performing the functions of such advisory committee, the
PCAST shall be known as the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel. Nothing
in this order shall be construed to require the National Nanotechnology
Advisory Panel to comply with any requirement from which it is exempted by
section 4(f) of the 21st Century Act.
 

Via the PCAST, the nanotechnology field will have a direct line to the President's ear. This may also be seen as further federal recognition of the growing importance of nanotechnology and nanoindusties in the US economy and society.

A list of the principal members of PCAST is available here.

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Just a quick plug for our new NanoSafety Consortium for Carbon which was recently launched to address potential EHS issues concerning its members' products.  You can learn more about the consortium at: www.nanosafetyconsortium.com.

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Since the end of the Second World War, many innovations and discoveries have been hyped - sometimes overhyped - as "the next big thing" that would revolutionize the way people lived, worked, traveled, etc. Television was envisioned as the way to spread education, culture and enlightenment throughout the world. The invention of the computer and the emergence of the internet were seen as changing forever the way businesses were supposed to be run, how commerce would be conducted, and how we would all communicate. The Segway was seen as an environmentally friendly way to deal with traffic, the cost of gas, etc.

Perhaps it's inevitable that "the next big thing" eventually becomes simply another thing in our daily lives, a part of everyday life.  According to a recent article in the Boston Globe by Robert Gavin, "What's up with nanotech?", nanotechnology may be starting to achieve that same level of everydayness.

As Gavin notes in his article, nanotechnology has begun to fade from the public's eye. Nanotech industries and businesses dealing with nanoparticles and nanotechnologies have become fairly well established. Nanoindustries are reaching a stage in the maturation process where their products have entered the commercial market and are now being incorporated into the products of other industries and businesses and helping to make the breakthroughs that will improve those products, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. To paraphrase one advertising slogan from a few years ago, "Nanotech doesn't make the products you use, it makes them better".

According to Gavin, "In many ways, a lack of sexiness has lowered nanotechnology's profile."  It's achieving everydayness, reaching maturity at a greater speed than other innovative industries, such as information technologies did. As with those industries that came before it, nanotech will still be making advancements and new discoveries that will lead to improvements in existing products and services and the emergence of newer industries and the formation of new companies that will develop those discoveries and put them to use, creating new jobs for skilled employees, as well as sparking the growth of spin off businesses, much as the mass production of automobiles lead to the development of other businesses such as dealerships, repair shops, suppliers, etc. 

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In a notice published in the Federal Register on March 24, 2010, the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST), part of the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), announced the establishment of a financial assistance program to develop and implement a post doctoral/visiting fellowship program for the purposes of "promoting research, training and practical experience in nanoscale science and technology and to advance CNST's mission to support the development of nanotechnology through research on measurement and fabrication methods, standards and technology, and by operating a state of the art nanofabrication facility, the Nanofab".

The primary objectives of the Post Doctoral and Visiting Fellows programs are:

1) Advancing, through cooperative Efforts with universities, the NIST/CNST mission

2) To provide future nanotechnologists with real experience in performing research at CNST under a mentorship with one of CNST's Project Leaders

3) To give scientists and engineers in the private sector a chance to gain advanced training and expertise via performing research at CNST in collaboration with Project Leaders

4) To give Post Doctoral Researchers and visiting fellow professional development opportunities

5) To encourage scientists in industry, government and academia to participate in research at CNST.

Applications for the Postdoc/Visiting fellows programs will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1) Technical merit

2) The overall qualifications of the applicants

3) "Quality of the plan for providing support for travel and local expenses for students and scientists to participate in research at the CNST".

4) Cost of the proposed project.

Further information on the application process may be found in the FR notice. Applications, either in hard copy form or electronic form must be received by April 30, 2010.

The establishment of this program represents a recognition by the Obama administration of a need to support Post Docs in gaining a practical knowledge that will complement the theoretical  knowledge they've gained in the classroom, a practical knowledge that can be transmitted to future generations of students and to the establishment of a trained and prepared nanotech workforce. For scientists and nanotechnologists already in the workforce, the program offers a chance to add to their skills and the body of existing research. The program should be seen as an investment in the future prosperity of the United States.

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