Forum: The Eighth U.S.-Korea Forum on Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology for Sustainability, Pasadena, CA, April 4 - 5, 2011

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

1123627 PI Jhon The PI will organize the eighth forum on nanotechnology for sustainability between the United States and Korea, to be held on April 4-5, 2011 at Caltech. The first forum, held in Seoul in 2003 covered a broad range of topics in nanotechnology. The second forum covered topical issues including nanomanufacturing research and education. The third forum dealt with active nano-devices and systems, and covered the impact of nanotechnology on society and environment. The fourth forum addressed topics in sustainable nano-energy focusing on the design and characterization of nano-materials as well as devices and systems. The fifth forum focused on the emerging area of nano-biotechnology emphasizing novel nano-biomaterials, instrumentation, and integrated systems in biomedicine and delivery of healthcare as well as environmental, health & safety issues. The sixth forum dealt with fundamentals in nano-electronics, its fusion with bio- and energy-technology and their applications. The seventh forum oversaw discussions ranging in nanotechnology convergence in energy technologies. In the eighth forum, the PI will further empower a common platform for scientists and engineers from both countries to accommodate urgent technology issues in climate change mitigation, sustainable management of water and other natural resources. The PI will be the organizer in collaboration with Mamadou Diallo from Caltech for the U.S. participation, which will include 14 senior presenters and six additional early-career participants (underrepresented minorities will be strongly encouraged), and a roughly equal number of Korean presenters will also participate. This forum will actively encourage partnerships in nanotechnology for sustainability promising to have a huge impact in nanoscience, in addition to strengthening achievements and assessing the progress on recommendations made during the previous seven forums. The PI also aims to focus on exchanging young scientists. The forum proceedings and findings will be published on Carnegie Mellon's website and will be available to a broad audience in a special issue journal publication. This proposed forum will promote the exchange of research, education, and policy between the two countries in the emerging area of nanotechnology for sustainability. The novel contribution, in contrast to previous forums, is the focus on challenges faced in the latest applications of water reuse, green chemistry and sustainable mineral resources as well as resolving these issues to the fullest extent in the immediate future. In terms of the broader impacts, this forum will promote collaborative initiatives between industry, government, and academia in the two countries which will have a huge contribution to society and global education in a broader sense. The aim of this Forum is to promote and introduce the timely technology in sustainability research by addressing mutually beneficial needs of two countries such as water reuse, climate change, and food & natural resources. Since these important topics require a paradigm shift via introduction of nanotechnology, the PI will publish the content of the Forum in a special issue of Journal of Nanoparticle Research for extensive outreach to scientific community.