Nanotechnology is a catch-all term used to describe activities at the atomic and molecular levels that have applications in the real world. At this scale we can see what is going on in a cancer cell or manipulate individual atoms. Nano-size particles of materials have exciting and unusual properties. For example, groups of nano-sized particles of gold can be red, or even blue!

Nanotechnology is widely seen as having huge potential to benefit areas as diverse as drug development, water decontamination, information and communication technologies, and the production of stronger, lighter materials. However, there are uncertainties about how new nanomaterials might affect human health and the environment.
(Adapted from Information Sheet for Democs© on Nanotechnology, New Economics Foundation)

• Nanotechnology: From "Wow" to "Yuck"? by Kristen Kulinowski of Rice University (PDF)
• Going Small for Big Advances: Using Nanotechnology to Advance Cancer Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment (PDF)

Forums are free and open to the public but registration is required.

Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology in Health and Healing
Wednesday, May 14, 7-9 p.m.
OMSI Auditorium, 1945 SE Water Ave.
With presentation by Dr. Jim Hutchison, professor of chemistry and the director of the University of Oregon Materials Science Institute
Click here to register

From invisible sunscreen to highly specific cancer detectors, new nanotechnology applications are everywhere, and they have the potential to dramatically transform the medical world. Should these treatments be available before we are aware of their potential risks? This Forum is a combination of speaker presentations and informal small-group discussions to consider the potential health benefits of nanomedicine, along with possible societal, ethical, environmental, and economic impacts of the nanomaterials they rely upon.

To find out about our next forums, contact Amanda Thomas, Coordinator of Adult Learning Programs, at 503.797.4517, or send an email to forums@omsi.edu.

Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy
Climate change concerns, rising energy costs, and dwindling natural resources are causing people everywhere take a closer look at the relationship between human activity and our environment. The emerging field of nanotechnology presents great promise to address these issues, but it carries a great deal of uncertainty - and perhaps its own environmental risks.
In this forum, participants become the decision makers, weighing the possible environmental benefits of nanotechnology against its potential pitfalls. Should the bulk of research funding be dedicated to the implementation of existing technologies and to conservation, or should more effort be dedicated to designing new nanotechnologies that might be of greater long-term impact?

The fifth forum dealt with using nanotechnology to treat cancer, and was a combination of speaker presentations and informal small-group discussions to consider the potential health benefits of nanomedicine, along with possible societal, ethical, environmental, and economic impacts of the nanomaterials they rely upon.

The fourth forum was a free public forum on Nanotechnology at the UO Campus in Eugene. OMSI, in collaboration with the University of Oregon, the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) and the ONAMI Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative (SNNI) presented a public forum on nanotechnology on Monday, March 12. There were a few brief presentations to give an introduction to nanotechnology, how it can benefit society as well as some of its possible risks, followed by small group discussions that allowed participants to weigh the benefits and risks of nanotechnology in the context of nanoparticle-based solar cells. The forum was held as part of the 2nd annual ONAMI Safer Nano conference .

Our third forum, also featuring Mr. Thompson from FEI, was a presentation on September 27 to ORTOP coaches about nanotechnology, and how it relates to this year's First Lego League competition. Mr. Thompson's presentation (huge file: 5 MB PDF) can be downloaded in PDF form. You can hear Mr. Thompson give his presentation, too. (60 MB mp3) Listen to OMSI educators talk about resources for further study(17 MB mp3) Here is the complete list of OMSI recommended books and articles:

• Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea, by Mark and Daniel Ratner, Prentice Hall: 2002.
  This book provides a good overview of the field of nanotech, assuming no prior knowledge and with a minimum of hype.
• The June 2006 issue of National Geographic has an excellent overview article about nanotechnology. This article has some of the best explanations there are for how nano works, and just how small it is. This article is very accessible to all ages.
• Understanding Nanotechnology by Scientific American, Warner Books: 2002.
  This collection of Scientific American articles about nanotechnology is a good clear set of starting points at a more technical level.
• An excellent introduction to nanotech was written by Kristen Kulinowski of Rice University.
• The Project on Emerging Nanotechologies is a list of products on the market incorporating nanotech, compiled by the Woodrow Wilson Center.
• Deliberative Meeting of Citizens is a board game that guides students through a discussion of the issues nanotechnology presents.
• Small Times is a magazine (online and print) that has the latest in nano news.
• For ORTOP teams, the University of Wisconsin has a very excellent site exploring the specific nanotech applications in this year's mission.
• The University of Wisconsin also has developed a great set of nano activities using Lego parts to illustrate nanoscience principles.

The second forum was a Science Pub on "Nanotechnology: What is it, and why is it important?" presented by Mike Thompson, Business Development Manager of FEI, on August 28.

The first forum on June 6 featured presentations by Dr. Ronald Sandler from Northeastern University, Dr. Carl Wamser from Portland State University, and Dr. Jim Hutchison from University of Oregon, with time for Q&A with the experts. Then participants formulated their own opinions and beliefs about the benefits and risks of this new and exciting technology through small group discussions with each other.

These forums are part of the NISE Network, an NSF funded project. Similar programs will be held across the country at five science centers, and thoughts generated by the public will be shared with the National Science Foundation and some of the leading thinkers from the nanotechnology field.

Grant Number:
ESI 0532536