"Nanoscale science and engineering
promise to be as important as the steam engine, the transistor, and the
Internet, and have the potential to revolutionize all other technologies,"
according to Neal Lane, former science advisor to U.S. President Bill
Clinton. "But that outcome is not guaranteed."
Dr. Lane made his remarks today at a Project on Emerging
Nanotechnologies event at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars. The program marked the release of a new article in the December
2006 issue of the journal Nature Nanotechnology, "What drives public
acceptance of nanotechnology?"
"A recent poll by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies shows that
while public awareness of nanotechnology is increasing, fully 69 percent of
Americans have heard little or nothing about nanotechnology," said Lane.
"More young people are seeing nanotechnology in advertisements for MP3
players than are learning about nanotechnology in schools."
"In my view, given what's at stake, this situation is unacceptable. I
fear that nanotechnology may be heading for a fall. A major environmental,
medical or safety problem -- real or bogus -- with a product or application
that's labeled 'nanotechnology' -- whether it actually is nanotechnology or
not -- could dampen public confidence and financial investment in
nanotechnology's future, and could even lead to unwise regulation. We
should not let this happen," stated Dr. Lane.
He called on government, corporations and the science and engineering
community to take urgently three steps to avert this possible occurrence.
"First is a major effort to set aside the resources necessary to
investigate nanotechnology's possible environmental, health, and safety
risks."
A "second step critical to the success of nanotechnology is to infuse
nanotechnology education into the curriculum in every school and teacher
education program." Dr. Lane highlighted the huge investment the U.S. made
to science and engineering education almost fifty years ago when Russia
launched Sputnik -- the world's first artificial satellite. He stressed
that America's "children and workforce need that same level of national
commitment to lead and keep them competitive in the Nano Age."
Finally, Lane called for "a deliberate effort to provide the public
with balanced and easily understood information about nanotechnology's
potential benefits and its possible risks and for more public engagement"
-- led by government, industry and the science and engineering community
working together.
"From the beginning, an explicit aim of the U.S. National
Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) -- a $6.5 billion federal investment in
nanotechnology research launched in January 2000 under President Bill
Clinton -- was to excite young girls and boys about science, particularly
the physical sciences and engineering. The intent was to reach millions of
children using the wonders of nanotechnology to encourage them to study
science and to equip them to compete successfully at the cutting-edge of a
globalized economy." Another stated NNI goal was "to establish channels of
communication, providing information to, and seeking input from, the public
at large regarding the federal nanotechnology program. But so far,
government-supported children's education programs and public outreach
efforts have been long on rhetoric and short on the strategy and resources
necessary to achieve significant results," Lane said.
Lane is one of four co-authors of "What drives public acceptance of
nanotechnology?" -- a paper which presents the results of the first large-
scale empirical study of how consumers consider risks and benefits when
deciding whether to purchase or use specific nanotechnology products. The
article's lead author is Steven C. Currall, University of College London
and London Business School. (For information on the article, U.S.
journalists should contact Jade Boyd, News & Media Relations, Rice
University, by phone at 713/348-6778 or by e-mail jadeboyd@rice.edu.)
Dr. Lane is senior fellow in Science and Technology at Rice
University's Baker Institute and the Malcolm Gillis University Professor at
Rice. While director of the National Science Foundation (1993-1998) and
assistant to the president for Science & Technology and director of the
White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (1998-2001), Lane played
a major role in establishing the NNI. He also is a well-known proponent of
greater citizen- scientist dialogue and science education.
http://www.nanotechproject.org/
