White House OSTP Posts Readout of NNI Symposium Celebrating 20th Anniversary of the 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D Act

On March 5, 2024, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) held a symposium entitled “Enabling the Nanotechnology Revolution: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act.” The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) posted a readout of the symposium on March 6, 2024. According to OSTP, during the symposium, “leaders from academia, government, and industry spoke about U.S. success in nanotechnology and future directions in this field.” The discussions focused on “the proactive and responsible development of new technologies; Nobel Prize-winning fundamental scientific advances; the NNI community’s efforts around education and workforce development; the essential role of shared infrastructures; and the commercialization of nanotechnologies that provide solutions to the nation’s biggest challenges.” OSTP states that common themes were “the importance of interdisciplinary teams and training; the accessibility of user facilities by scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs from around the country; the importance of inspiring and training the next generation in nanotechnology; and the role of science communication to illustrate what nanotechnology is and its role in society to the general public.” Throughout the symposium, speakers and participants “envisioned how nanotechnology can further transform society and help address ongoing and future societal challenges, such as climate change, air and water pollution, and infectious diseases.”