Roger Highfield, the magazine editor of New Scientist, in this article, asks: Whatever happened to nanotechnology in the United Kingdom? He cites a major report, written for the Research Councils United Kingdom, and published in June 2010, which concluded that the UK had made some progress in nanotechnology, but that rival countries have moved ahead with greater vigor. These other countries \u2013 including the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea and China \u2013 are chasing billion dollar markets in the areas of healthcare, sustainability, security, clean energy generation and information technology. The report stresses that success in these areas “is vitally important for the long-term prosperity of the UK in the intensely competitive world of the 21st century,” while noting that the funding level for the UK\u2019s nano program is \u201cextraordinarily low\u201d and declining. At a national and research council level, the report stated, \u201c…the system is top heavy with a labyrinth of advisory, consultative and coordinating committees. These impede decision-taking, rather than facilitating it, and create confusion both within the research community, and at higher policy levels.\u201d Further troubling is the recent news report that Nanoco, a UK manufacturer of quantum dots, is threatening to move its manufacturing facilities to a country that is more supportive, such as Japan or Singapore. Highfield concludes: \u201cTo underline why urgent action is required, the panel calls for nanoscience and technology to be made the direct responsibility of the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor, John Beddington. For the sake of a field of key strategic importance, let’s hope that he has at least read the panel’s report.\u201d<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/blogs\/thesword\/2011\/07\/whatever-happened-to-nanotechn.html<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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