Small Wonders, Endless Frontiers A Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (2002) / Chapter Skim
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3. Evaluation of the NNI Research Portfolio
3. Evaluation of the NNI Research Portfolio
Pages 17-35
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From page 17... ...
Research and training opportunities under the aegis of the NNI have been an excellent start for developing a cadre of interdisciplinary researchers. For example, all six of the recently funded NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers have strong educational components.
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With a limited pool of research dollars available, proposal review committees favor proposals with the greatest chance of achieving their goals within the funding period of the grant. In fact, early-career researchers often say that they cannot submit proposals for funding until they have already conducted enough experiments to have all but proved the expected result of the proposed investigation which, of course, they do not have the funding to do.
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The committee agrees with DOD's desire to transition technologies into defense applications, but this should not occur at the expense of fundamental research. This is particularly true in light of the fact that DOD has been designated as the lead agency for the recently established Grand Challenge CBRE: Detection and Protection.
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Even with increased interagency communication, however, it seems unlikely that NSET agencies, either individually or collectively, can reach outside the box of agency missions to achieve the larger vision required to identify cross-cutting research opportunities with the greatest potential payoff and broadest impact. To this end, the committee strongly recommends the establishment of an ongoing nanoscience and nanotechnology advisory board (NNAB)
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Centers and Networks of Excellence, the committee found it difficult to distinguish the primary goals of these two themes from the goals of the Grand Challenges. While the two themes may be designed to help achieve the scientific and engineering goals of the Grand Challenges, it is not clear how the themes tie in to the Grand Challenges, or how the themes wit]
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Special attention should be paid in the planning of this new institute, which could provide a strong focus for equipment and infrastructure development at the interface between engineering, the physical sciences, and biology. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE PARTNERSHIPS In developing nanoscale science and technology as a competence of the national scientific and industrial SMALL WONDERS, ENDLESS FRONTIERS establishment, the federal government must promote, cooperate, seed, and leverage.
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In FY 2001, NSF spent $56 million for 43 separate NIRT awards, onethird of which included industry participation. In September of 2001, NSF announced the establishment of six large university-based nanoscale research and engineering centers, which will receive $65 million over 5 years.4 Each of the six centers is required to have industrial partners collaborating in its research.
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The HP-UCLA work is aimed at reinventing the integrated circuit at a molecular scale using chemistry to self-assemble very simple nanoscale circuits consisting of a layer one molecule thick sandwiched between two layers of perpendicular wires as in Figures 3.1.1 and 3.1.2. The complex integrated circuit design is then downloaded into the molecules through the nanowires.
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The ATP funds high-risk research having potentially high economic payoff, granting federal funds but requiring matching funds from the industrial partner. In 2000 and 2001, ATP funded six projects involving nanoscale science and engineering.
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Properly monitored, these data will also help social scientists determine the role of partnerships in advancing this technology. International Partnerships The United States, while currently leading in nanoscale science and technology, is not the only country conducting research and development.
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Rationale for /nfernationa/ Partnership International collaboration in fundamental research; long-term technical challenges; education; and understanding of potential societal implications will play an important role in the growth of nanoscaTe science and BOX 3.2 International Nano Activity Nanotechnology will drive industrial competitiveness and manufacturing prowess in the 21st century. The implementation of the U.S.
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About one-third of the individual investigator activities under the NSF Functional Nanostructures programs have international collaborations. NSF has also sponsored young researchers for group travel to Japan, Europe, and other areas to present their work and visit centers of excellence in the field.
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Netherlands Technical University of Delft, University of Twente, STT Netherlands Study Center for Technology Trends Germany Advanced Microelectronics Center, Technical University of Berlin, Franhofer Institute, Institute for New Materials, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Braunschweig, Institute for Solid State & Materials Research, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Center for Advanced European Studies and Research, Institute for Carbon Reinforced Materials, Universities of Munich, Hamburg, Tuebingen continued
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, Institute of Expenmental Physics (IPE) , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich (ETHZ)
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These activities should include programs to introduce K-12 science and math teachers to nanoscale science and technology. SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS AND THE NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE The fifth NNI funding theme deals with the social implications of nanoscaTe science and technology, including education and training issues, and provides a mechanism for using social science methods to gain a better understanding of the social processes that might affect or be affected by nanoscale science and technology.
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These solicitations mentioned all NNI themes, including societal implications, and requested proposals for nanoscale science and engineering centers (NSEC) , nanoscale interdisciplinary research teams (NIRT)
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BOX 3.3 Nanotechnology Manufacturing As one of the five nodes in NSF's national nanotechnology user network (NNUN) , Penn State University and other institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania have formed a partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to established a unique and comprehensive program in nanofabrication manufacturing technology (NMT)
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From page 34... ...
Not surprisingly, while essentially every proposal included an educational component, and many included familiar practices like testbeds, very few included a social science components Finally, NSEC review committees and site visit teams did not include social scientists. Thus, although NSF appears to have made a good faith effort to include social science proposals in its agency-wide solicitation, its internal funding strategy and the way the solicitation was framed probably undermined its attempts to support work in this area.
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From page 35... ...
NSF also appears to have taken some positive steps to increase the quantity and quality of the nano-focused social science proposals it receives by sponsoring workshops on this topic and being more proactive in soliciting proposals.~3 However, it is not clear whether NSF is addressing the root causes of the shortfallnamely, the decision to not allocate funds directly to the directorate that traditionally develops and supports these kinds of activities and shortcomings in its proposal solicitation strategy. In spite of indications of significant progress in developing educational initiatives, the information provided to this committee suggests that NSET agencies have generally not given sufficient consideration to the societal impact of developments in nanoscale science and technology.
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