CNS-ASU research, education and outreach activities are supported by the National Science Foundation under cooperative agreement #0531194.

2009 NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Grantees Conference

Overview of CNS-ASUDavid H. Guston

(presented by Jamey Wetmore)

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/QP5mZimf9aD/Winter+Storm+Dumps+Snow+Las+Vegas/Th-PkryDzv-

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The U.S. 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D Act of 2003 (PL 108-153)

Sec 2(b)(10): Establish societal

implications research program

Require NSECs address societal implications

Integrate societal concerns with nano R&D for benefit of all

Provide for public input

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NSEC/CNS-ASU Network Arizona State University University of Wisconsin-Madison Georgia Tech North Carolina State University Rutgers University University of Colorado, Boulder University of GeorgiaIn its recent reporting

year, CNS-ASU involved the substantive activities of more than 200 individuals at these and other institutions, and has hosted more than 30 international visiting scholars.

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NSEC/CNS-ASU Mission

Research the societal implications of nanotechnologies

Train a community of scholars with new insight into the societal dimensions of nanoscale science & engineering (NSE)

Engage the public, policy makers, business leaders, and NSE researchers in dialogues about the goals and implications of NSE

Partner with NSE laboratories to introduce greater reflexiveness in the R&D process

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NSEC/CNS-ASU Research Programs

Real-Time Technology Assessment Research and Innovation Systems

Analysis Public Opinion and Values Anticipation and Deliberation Integration and Reflexivity

Thematic Research Clusters Equity, Equality, and Responsibility [Human Identity, Enhancement &

Biology] Design, Materials, and the Built

Environment (Nano and the City)

• Encouraging reflexivity among NSE research establishment

• Building capacity for anticipatory governance

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Anticipatory Governance

A broad-based capacity extended through society that can act on a variety of inputs to manage emerging knowledge-based technologies while such management is still possible.

Both concepts as used here derived fromGuston & Sarewitz 2002

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More on *Anticipatory* Governance

“Competent social scientists should work hand-in-hand with natural scientists, so that problems may be solved as they arise, and so that many of them may not arise in the first instance.”

-- Detlev Bronk, testifying to Congress in 1945 on proposed National Research Foundation

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More on Anticipatory *Governance* Not government but governance Not “do” or “ban”

“Science finds, genius invents, industry applies, man adapts”

Moratoriums proposed by ETC Group and Friends of the Earth

Wide array of mechanisms Licensing, restrictions Liability, indemnification IP Testing Treaties PUS – FSE, ISE Public engagement Public action

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CNS-ASU’s Strategic Research Vision

Anticipatory Governance of Nanotechnologies:

Foresight Engagement Integration Ensemble-ization

Barben et al. 2008 Handbook

Guston 2008 Nature Karinen and Guston

2009 Yearbook of the Sociology of Science

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Foresight

Because all governance requires some disposition regarding the future

InnovationSpace

NanoFutures

Scenario Development

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Engagement

Because public engagement is crucial normatively, strategically and even pragmatically

National Citizens’ Technology Forum

NanoDays & Collaborations with NISE Net

Science Cafes & Collaborations with AZ Science Center

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Integration

Because scientists know things the rest of us don’t, and don’t know things the rest of us do

Socio-Technical Integration Research

DCSS/IPNS

Undergrad Learning Community

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TRC 1: Equity, Equality & Responsibility

Will nanotechnologies increase or decrease inequalities?

Can we do anything now to change the direction of the arrow?

The TRC1 team is tracking the

consequences of nanotechnologies for different social groups in both developed and developing countries. Later stages of their research will experiment with interventions designed to counteract various nano-divides.

The second volume of the Yearbook of Nanotechnology in Society on The Challenge Equity and Equality is forthcoming.

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TRC 2: Human Identity, Enhancement and Biology

The TRC 2 team completed the Center’s first “end-to-end” assessment of nanotechnologies and the brain, drawing on the array of the Center’s research activities – including the NCTF, a national survey, and bibliometric research – to demonstrate that there are a variety of research areas and issues active now that deserve social and ethical attention.

The third volume of the Yearbook of Nanotechnology in Society on Nano, the Brain and the Future is forthcoming.

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TRC 2 (renewal): Nano and the CityTo prepare for a new inquiry into Urban Design,

Materials, and the Built Environment, CNS is preparing the NEMUE (Nano-Enhanced Materials and the Urban Environment) Image Database, which consists of approximately 200 images.

While originally just the web addresses were collected, the database is under transition and in the future will be a publicly accessible, searchable database. 

In the finished database each image will be accompanied by a brief text description explaining what makes it 'nano', the original webpage address, and tags that will make the images easily searchable.

The images range from current-day applications of nanotechnology through to future visions of a nano-enhanced urban environment.

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Thanks

National Science Foundation cooperative agreement #0531194. Any opinions, findings and conclusions are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Regina Sanborn, CNS program manager

Michelle Iafrat, CNS administrative associate

Gretchen Gano, CNS education and outreach coordinator