EUSPEN (European Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
EU (worldwide member base)
Description:
EUSPEN was established in 1999 with funding from the EC under the Competitive and Sustainable Growth Programme. Now established as a self-supporting, not-for-profit membership organisation, EUSPEN is a body of more than 550 individual members and approximately 90 corporate members from leading industrial organisations, universities and research institutes worldwide. EUSPEN links industrialists to researchers across more than 30 countries in an influential and extended network in its mission to: Advance the arts, sciences and technology of precision engineering, micro engineering and nanotechnology; Promote its dissemination through education and training; and Facilitate its exploitation by science and industry.
Increasing demands for products delivering enhanced functionality, improved speed, reduced costs and increased reliability, drives an ever greater requirement for increased precision and miniaturization, today down to the nanoscale. Both development of commercial nanotechnology based products and research into nanoscience rely upon the provision of instruments and tools to fabricate, manipulate, measure and sense at the nanoscale. The focus of EUSPEN is on the development and exploitation of such precision, micro and nanotechnologies: product/technology research and development; tools and instruments; and associated suppliers; service providers; users and networks.
Website:
http://www.euspen.org/
Name:
FONAI (Focus Nanotechnology Africa Inc.)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
USA, Africa and the Caribbean
Description:
FONAI is a not-for-profit, non-governmental charity. It is for scientific and educational purpose in the USA, Africa and the Caribbean. FONAI comprises the President/CEO with directors who are leading authorities in nanotechnology in the world. It operates through network of collaborators in the academia, government agency and private sector in the 69 countries of USA, Africa and the Caribbean. Special attention is given to those researchers who are already involved with nanotechnology. In addition, FONAI has recruited a lot of international scientists mostly from Africa or people of Africa origin in the USA, Canada and Europe who are involved with nanotechnology or other scientific disciplines to work full-time in this initiative as employees of FONAI. Most of them are PhDs.
Website:
http://www.fonai.org/
Name:
GNN (Global Nanotechnology Network)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
Worldwide
Description:
The GNN is a global network of diverse nanotechnology stakeholders from industry, academia, and government. Based on the principles of universal participation, collective planning, and joint ownership by all its international members, the GNN is dedicated to promoting beneficial collaborations in research and education and broadening access to critical resources in the field of nanotechnology.
Website:
http://www.globalnanotechnologynetwork.org/
Name:
IANANO (The International Association of Nanotechnology)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
Worldwide
Description:
The International Association of Nanotechnology is a non-profit professional association with the goal of fostering research, business collaboration and providing advanced education and training in the emerging of nanotechnology and clean technology worldwide for benefits of society.
Website:
http://www.ianano.org/
Name:
IARIA (The International Academy, Research and Industry Association)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
Worldwide
Description:
IARIA is a non-profit non-government organization. The aim is to promote scientific and industrial interchanges between members of existing associations, standardization bodies, and fora, and to establish bridges between different scientific, academic and industrial cultures. The declared goal is to promote research results of young scientists along with those of well-known experts. IARIA is focusing on advanced technologies, tomorrow’s products and inventions, and promotes them through various events and publications. Most of the events are targeting advanced results; IARIA offers the stage for world-wide promotion via special conferences and journals on advanced topics.
Website:
http://www.iaria.org/
Name:
ICS-UNIDO (The International Centre for Science and High Technology – United Nations Industrial Development Organization)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
UN, Developing countries
Description:
ICS was established in Trieste, Italy, in 1988 as an international centre for the transfer of knowledge and high technology to Developing Countries. The Centre is complementary to the other existing UN-promoted International Centres located in Trieste, Italy dedicated to the promotion of scientific and technological growth of Developing Countries. ICS operates under the aegis of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), created in 1966 as the “industrial development arm” of the UN System, with the ultimate goal to promote the economic, social and environmentally sustainable industrial development in Developing Countries. As part of UNIDO, the Centre shares its broad goals and plays a complementary role in terms of programmes, activities, expertise and instruments used for the achievement of its objectives. To conceive, formulate and implement its programmes, ICS utilizes its own instruments as well as UNIDO’s worldwide network, Government institutions, Private sector organizations, etc.
The ICS HTNM Area is launching a €50,000 Nano Project Award for students, university graduates, scientific staff and professors as well as for entrepreneurs, inventors and developers from Developing Countries. Everybody with an innovative and high-growth nanotech-based project/business idea can participate. This is a project proposal competition related to the most original project idea, showing the capacity to create innovative products developing, using and adapting nanotechnologies to address Developing Countries needs. The main final objective of the Competition is to promote the creation of start-up/spin off in Developing Countries in any application field of nanotechnology.
Website:
http://www.ics.trieste.it/
Name:
INSN (International Nanotechnology and Society Network)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
Worldwide
Description:
INSN is a coalition of organizations and individuals involved in advancing knowledge, promoting institutional innovation, engaging policy processes, and improving decisions related to the societal impacts of nanotechnologies and other areas of innovation that nanotechnology may help to enable. INSN members share a commitment to ensuring the public value of nanotechnology in light of its potential for catalyzing rapid and profound social change. To meet this commitment, INSN fosters connections between the social sciences and natural science and engineering activities related to nanotechnology, with a particular focus on institutional innovation that can improve anticipatory governance, regulatory response, and the just distribution of potential benefits. INSN also develops educational programs and materials that can help build capacity for meeting its commitment. INSN seeks to establish a framework for equitable participation of a range of stakeholders as partners in the process of enabling the reflexive co-evolution of nanotechnology and society.
Website:
http://www.nanoandsociety.org/
Name:
NanoAfNet (Nanosciences African Network)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
Africa, MPC
Description:
NanoAfNet is a continental initiative, instigated following the ICS-UNIDO North-South Dialogue workshop held in Trieste-Italy in 2005 and officially created subsequent to the IUPAP year of physics held in Durban-South Africa in 2005. Its mission and vision is to embark the S&T African community in the emerging multidisciplinary field of nanosciences-nanotechnology. NanoAfNet is recognized and/or financially supported by the Abdus Salam, ICTP, TWAS, ICSU-ROSSA, IUPAP, US-NSF and NRF-South Africa as well as the Department of Science & Technology of South Africa. Its headquarters is located at iThemba LABS, a national facility of the National Research Foundation-South Africa.
Website:
None
Name:
NanoBank
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
USA (includes international members, publications and patents)
Description:
Database development of N&N publications and patents available to researchers for socio-economic and RTD trend analyses. The database includes American and international members, publications and patents. Project sponsors: Center for International Science, Technology and Cultural Policy (CISTCP); California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI); National Science Foundation (NSF); University of California Industry-University Cooperative Research Program (IUCRP)
Website:
http://www.nanobank.org/
Name:
Nanoforum
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
EU (network reaches beyond the EU)
Description:
Nanoforum was originally funded by EC through FP5. Since July 2007 it has been operating as a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG), giving it legal status and the ability to enter into contracts with other parties, including tenders and new EU-funded projects. It will continue to provide news items from across the EU including information from projects and organizations, and can now offer customers a powerful advertising and dissemination service through its network of over 15,000 registered users and a website that attracts over 100,000 visits, 400,000 page impressions and 900,000 hits each month. The network reaches beyond the EU.
Website:
http://www.nanoforum.org/
Name:
NNI (The National Nanotechnology Initiative)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
USA (participate in international activities and programs)
Description:
NNI is a program established in 2001 to coordinate Federal nanotechnology research and development. NNI provides a vision of the long-term opportunities and benefits of nanotechnology. By serving as a central locus for communication, cooperation, and collaboration for all Federal agencies that wish to participate, NNI brings together the expertise needed to guide and support the advancement of this broad and complex field. NNI creates a framework for a comprehensive nanotechnology R&D program by establishing shared goals, priorities, and strategies, and it provides avenues for each individual agency to leverage the resources of all participating agencies. Today, NNI consists of the individual and cooperative nanotechnology-related activities of 25 Federal agencies with a range of research and regulatory roles and responsibilities. 13 of the participating agencies have R&D budgets that relate to nanotechnology, with the reported NNI budget representing the collective sum of these. The NNI as a program does not fund research; however, it informs and influences the Federal budget and planning processes through its member agencies. NNI agencies and representatives participate in many international activities, including bilateral and multilateral cooperative programs, monitoring of foreign nanotechnology R&D, and promotion of the trade and commercial interests of the United States.
Website:
http://www.nano.gov/
Name:
NRI (Nanotechnology Research Institute)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
Japan, Asia, Pacific
Description:
NRI is the core of diverse nanotechnology activities in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan. It is strongly committed to long-sighted and strategic advancement of methodology and concepts in nanomaterials and device technology, elucidation and utilization of novel physical, chemical and biological phenomena on the nanometer regime, and their extension to industrially relevant technologies. NRI provides a weekly report, commentary and analysis on nanotechnology activities inside the Asia-Pacific area.
Website:
http://unit.aist.go.jp/nanotech/
Name:
SANi (South African Nanotechnology Initiative)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
South Africa (SANi originates through the EC; international cooperation is encouraged)
Description:
A number of universities, science councils and industrial companies have been active in nanotechnology for some time. Focus areas have typically been membranes, synthesis of nanoparticles for medicine, solar cells and cosmetics, catalysts and surface hardening. At some universities, there are already strong links to industrial companies. With a recent call for expressions of interest by the EC, these parties have gathered to form SANi. SANi is a well organised network of academics, researchers and engineers from universities, the private sector and research councils with the common goal of involving South Africa in the emerging field of Nanotechnology and Nanoscience. The South African Department of Science and Technology encourages and supports this initiative and international cooperation.
Website:
http://www.sani.org.za/
Name:
SciDev.Net (The Science and Development Network)
Thematic areas:
All
Geographical reach:
Worldwide
Description:
SciDev.Net – the Science and Development Network – is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing reliable and authoritative information about science and technology for the developing world. Through our website www.scidev.net we give policymakers, researchers, the media and civil society information and a platform to explore how science and technology can reduce poverty, improve health and raise standards of living around the world. We also build developing countries’ capacity for communicating science and technology through our regional networks of committed individuals and organisations, practical guidance and specialist workshops. Our main office is based in London but we have a worldwide network of registered users, advisors, consultants and freelance journalists, predominantly from developing countries, who drive our activities and vision.
