Nanotechnology: Here and Now

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Robert Oszakiewski

Late last year, Australia held a workshop on Nanotechnology and Social Inclusion. On April 23-24 of this year, New Zealand held it's version, sponsored by government ministries. An evaluation of the "Nanotechnology-Here and Now" workshop was published in May of this year.

The Australian and New Zealand workshops had similair goals, (raising the general level of knowledge about nanotechnology, identification of key issues, discussing current and future opportunities and challenges). But the New Zealand workshops took a different approach by presenting experts on health and safety, nanomedicine, nanobusiness etc via video linkups. Participants could question and discuss ideas and issues with the experts, followed by group discussions. In the evaluations of the workshop afterwards, participants considered the use of video conferencing as effective. Generally, they found the workshops to be useful but didnot lead to any greater understanding of nanotechnology than they had prior to participating in the workshops.  Since this was one the major goals of the workshops, it would seem to indicate that New Zealand's government may need to revise their presentation strategies. Unfortunately, there has been no indication that New Zealand will present more workshops in the future.

One can only hope that revised workshops such as this will be held in the future, so that accurate information can be given out and public responses gaged, if for no other reason than getting the public to understand what nanotechnology is and what it isn't.

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Nanotechnology and the Social Inclusion Workshop

Posted on July 2, 2009 by Robert Oszakiewski

One of the frequent criticisms of government policies regarding nanotechnology, nanoindustry, or nanomaterials, is that the public is not involved in the decision making process or that the public is not informed about the risks, benefits, etc.

In December 2008, the Australian Office of Nanotechnology (AON) tried a new approach to that problem by creating a "Social Inclusion and Community  Engagement Workshop". By inviting representatives from Government, Academia, Industry, NGOs, and the general public, the AON sought to create dialog and

. . . . a positive culture between key stake holders . . . . This workshop would help create a partnership approach to discussing, developing and delivering social inclusion and engagement policies and practices for AON and the stakeholders involved or interested in nanotechnology.

The report issued by AON about the workshop describes key points raised by each stakeholder group. Two key points emerge as common to all groups, although each group expressed it differently:

1) The need for a sharing of knowledge and information with each other in language that each group could understand and

2) A need to continue and expand the workshop as a way of building trust and overcoming divisions.

All too often, Industry, Government, Academia, Activist Groups/NGOs and the general public allow walls to develop, walls that block out communication and understanding with others. To paraphrase and disagree with Robert Frost, good walls do not good neighbors make.

The report is well worth reading and one can only hope that its findings are followed up on with more workshops in Australia and similar ones in the US and Europe as well.

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