Nanotechnology - Nanotech Regulatory Document Archive - Arizona ...

Contribution from dr. Dag Høvik, Research Council of Norway
The Norwegian Programme on "Nanotechnology and new materials - nanoscience and integration -
NANOMAT" started very slowly in 2002 and have today a programme plan covering the period until
the end of 2016:
http://www.forskningsradet.no/servlet/Satellite?cid=1088796688084&pagename=nanomat%2FPage%
2FHovedSideEng
The key documents can be found on:
http://www.forskningsradet.no/servlet/Satellite?cid=1187636539224&pageid=1187636539224&pagen
ame=nanomat%2FPage%2FHovedSideEng&site=nanomat
1. ELSA and HSA
In 2004 The Research Council of Norway initiated a study conducted by an independent working
group appointed jointly by us, the National Research Ethics Committee for Science and Technology
(NENT) and the Norwegian Board of Technology:
Nanotechnologies and new materials: Health, the environment, ethics and society
National research and competency requirements
This report is only in Norwegian,but an English summary is enclosed! After this report was issued, we
had our first call for projects i 2005. Today the ELSA and HSE related projects count for 3 % of the
total NANOMAT project budget (spent and allocated). The projects cover ethical issues related to
nanotechnology, governance of nanotechnolgy in the risk society, HSE aspects of nanocarbontubes....
In 2008 The Research Council launched a new programme for research into ethical, legal and social
aspects of new technologies. With its focus on biotechnology, nanotechnology and cognitive science,
the programme represents an exciting avenue of study, with some highly significant challenges. This
programme is a continuation of a similar previous programme, focusing on on ELSA and
biotech/functional genomics.
2. Outreach activity
NANOMAT has since the beginning in 2002 focused on outreach activities, giving balanced
information about nanotechnology to the public. Since 2003 NANOMAT has participated at the
National Science Week since September 2003, mostly aiming at children and young people.
In 2005 NANOMAT together with the other strategic programmes on ICT and functional genomics in
the Research Council financed a new mobile laboratory . This mobile lab has since then been touring
Norway, and explaining to children and youngsters about the new technologies and how they can
influence their lives. All schools got information about nanotechnology in a special newsletter and
could learn more in a computer play available on the Internet.
In 2006 the Research Council checked the public perception of the new technolgies. - A positive result
(see pdf-file forventing)!
Now in 2008 we have just launched an enquiry asking children and young people about their
knowledge and perception of natural sciences. This enquiry is done on a regular basis; - this year also
covering nanotechnology!
In addition to this we have been promoting nanotechnology in programmes on the Norwegian
television and in the radio, in newspapers and magazines, in meetings with industrial associations and
in meetings with politicians (on national and local arenas), schoolteachers, Rotary Clubs and similar
venues....
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