Northeastern Hosts Day Long Workshop on the Public Policy Implications of Nanotechnology

WHO/WHAT: The Nanotechnology and Society Research Group (NSRG) at Northeastern University is hosting a day long "short course" where Northeastern nanoscience researchers will join experts from around the nation to explain the basic science, emerging applications, and societal impacts of nanotechnology to an audience comprised of social science and law researchers, journalists, and public sector officials who expect to be involved in one way or another with the regulatory dimensions of nanotechnology in the future.

Guest Speakers:"¢ Patrick Larkin, Deputy Director, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) and Director of the John Adams Innovation Institute"¢ Chuck Geraci, Chief, Development Branch, Nanotechnology Research Center, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health "¢ Jennifer Kuzma, Assistant Professor and Interim Director, Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at University of Minnesota "¢ Samuel Lipson, Director of Environmental Health, City of Cambridge"¢ Lee Dillard Adams, Deputy Regional Director, Mass Department of Environmental Protection"¢ Dennis Utterback, Office of Science Policy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency"¢ Norris Alderson, Associate Commissioner for Science, U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Northeastern University speakers and the topics they will discuss are:"¢ Srinivas Sridhar, Vice Provost for Research and Dattari Nagesha, Associate Research Scientist: A primer on nanoscience"¢ Vladimir Torchilin, Professor and Chair, Director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine: Nanopharmaceuticals for diagnostic imaging and therapy "¢ Ahmed Busnaina, William Lincoln Smith Professor of Engineering and Director of the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing: the next generation of electronics "¢ Sanjeev Mukergee, Professor of Chemistry: Energy conversion and storage "¢ David Budil, Associate professor of Chemistry: Protein-based nano-motors and nano-robots

WHEN: Tuesday May 1, 20079:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: 10 Behrakis30 Leon Street, Boston, MA

WHY: Nanotechnology, a blanket term used to describe scientific research and technology development involving the manipulation of matter at the molecular level, is widely expected to be the transformative technology of the 21st Century, ushering in the "next Industrial Revolution" bringing with it an attendant array of consequences for society. This one-day workshop is directed primarily at scholars of regulation and public policy, journalists who cover science and technology issues, and public sector officials expected to be involved in one way or another with the regulatory consequences (especially environmental, human health, and safety) posed by nanotechnology, but it is also open to students and members of the general public with an interest in these issues. Four sessions will cover the basic science involved, a range of expected applications, potential environmental, health, and safety effects, and current activities by local, state, and federal regulatory agencies to begin to address those concerns.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. Additional information on registration, conference details, and local hotels (if applicable) is available at the NSRG website (http://nsrg.neu.edu). Background readings will be posted for registrants approximately one month prior to the workshop.

About Northeastern:Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university's distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit http://www.northeastern.edu.