Societal Impact
Nanotechnology holds much promise for addressing many of the problems the world is facing today. The late Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley predicted that nanoscale scientific research will hold the key to solving the energy crisis. Many advances are expected in medical fields, including more precise and efficient drug delivery systems; new diagnostic tools such as sensors and imaging devices; and improved methods for tissue regeneration. Implications for sustainable development include new methods for filtering water and new materials engineered to be more environmentally-friendly. In addition, nanotechnology is predicted to create millions of jobs around the world in the coming years. Governments worldwide are investing billions of dollars in nanoscale research and engineering with the hope of reaping many of these benefits.
However, responsible development requires that we examine the ethical, legal, and social implications of these new technologies as well as their potential risks and benefits. How far does government regulation need to go to ensure that people and the environment are not unduly harmed by new materials or manufacturing processes? What privacy issues are raised by sensors that are too small to see? Will technological advances help bring people out of poverty or merely provide conveniences to those who are already comfortable? The U.S. Department of Defense is a significant funder of research in nanoscale science and engineering – how will military nanotechnologies affect the safety and security of soldiers, civilians, and infrastructure? Because much of the research is publicly funded, it is particularly important that the everyone - not just scientists and lawmakers - is engaged in this debate.
All NSECs are expected to consider these and other societal implications, and some centers are devoted to studying them. The links below provide more information.
NSF Nanotechnology in Society Network
Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University (NSEC)
Center for Nanotechnology in Society at UC Santa Barbara (NSEC)
NanoConnection to Society project, Harvard University
South Carolina Citizens’ School of Nanotechnology, University of South Carolina
NSEC Activities and Related Centers
International Nanotechnology & Society Network, Arizona State University
Nanotechnology & Society Research Group, Northeastern University
Societal & Ethical Dimensions of Nanotechnology project, Northwestern University
Societal & Ethical Dimensions links, Council of Nanoscience Graduate Students at Ohio State University
Highlights from the Nanotechnology Socio-economic Impact study, RPI
International Council on Nanotechnology, Rice University
Research in the Societal Implications of Template Synthesis and Assembly at the Nanoscale, University of Wisconsin
Federal Government Information
National Nanotechnology Initiative Societal Impacts page