Workshop Proposal: 2D Nanomaterials for Human Health and the Environment

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Two-dimensional nanomaterials are a new class of atomically thin, sheet-like materials with enormous potential to create next-generation technologies that protect the environment or promote human health. They also bear structural and chemical similarity to some natural sheet- like minerals known to pose human health risks, and a coordinated scientific effort is urgently needed ensure their safe design and use. A workshop will be designed and held in November 2019 to address the need for systematic planning and collaboration in the environmental health subfield of 2D nanomaterial research. It will be co-located with the national conference of the Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization (SNO) to create synergies for both functions through sharing of facilities, advertising, and participants. The Workshop goals are to catalyze research at the nexus of 2D nanomaterials and environmental health through interactions and facilitated discussions among world-leading experts in different facets of the field, and to produce a set of high-quality recommendations and research priorities for dissemination to the SNO conference and the research and stakeholder communities. The Workshop will be organized by a team from the Brown University Superfund Research Program, including R. Hurt (SRP Director and Workshop Chair) and M. Bilderback (SRP and Workshop Administrator). The Workshop features a diverse set of four committed keynote speakers, and will ensure an equally diverse set of participants with respect to career stage (senior researchers, young researchers, trainees), career path (academia, industry, agency, non- profit), gender, race, and topical expertise area. This will be achieved through a series of measures that include targeted advertising, application-based registration, personal invitations from the Chair and Steering Committee, and travel awards focusing on young investigators and trainees. The Workshop format will feature a single session of the whole with 30-40 attendees; four morning keynote presentations each with extended facilitated discussion, and afternoon trainee poster session and working groups. A closing session is planned for Discussion Leaders? reports on the recommendations and research priorities. The results will be disseminated through website postings, an oral report to the main SNO conference, social media tools, and follow-up publications in ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering.