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October 1 Marks Second Year of CNS-ASU Operations
CNS-ASU began its second year of operations October 1. You can see the entire site visit process by viewing your own copy of our Annual Report and Briefing Book:
NSF Site Visit Pages on Our Website

New Spring Semester Courses

The Promise and Challenges of a New Technology: An Integrative Examination of Nanotechnology
An advanced Learning Community is scheduled for the spring semester, in which students will learn not only the foundations of nano-scale science and engineering from a scientific perspective, but also how policy and social factors both shape and are shaped by the intersection of these elements. Taught by David Guston, Neal Woodbury and David Conz, the 9-credit learning community is comprised of three interdisciplinary courses that will count as 6 credits towards the College of Library Arts and Sciences science and society requirement. Read more

Nanotechnology and Law Policy
Gary Marchant, Ken Abbott and Doug Sylvester will teach a new course entitled "Nanotechnology Law and Policy" at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at ASU this spring. The course will be Monday evenings from 6:30-8:30. Although the course is over-subscribed and therefore closed to new registrants, the faculty would like to include some non-law students to provide interdisciplinary mix. Non-law graduate students who are interested in taking this course should contact Gary Marchant.

2006-2007 Speaker Series - "Studying the Future of Nanotechnology: Establishing Empirical and Conceptual Foundations"

Next in Series: New Communication Strategies to Guide the Future of Nanotechnology
On November 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Biodesign Institute Auditorium, Griff Kundahl, Vice President of the Convergence Group at Feinstein Kean Healthcare, will be the next presenter in the 2006-2007 Speakers' Series. Regarding NSE communications, Kundahl notes that the great promise of nanotechnology comes with many uncertainties regarding the science’s impact on areas from international competitiveness to health and safety to regulatory reform. A new playing field characterized by social uncertainties, paradoxes and unintended consequences has emerged for corporate, government, nonprofit and academic stakeholders. To further their respective missions, these stakeholders must learn to communicate in new ways, utilizing new methodologies, and through adaptive and perhaps unorthodox channels.

Kundahl will cover how some nanotechnology stakeholders are already adopting new communications strategies. He will also look at how others might proactively anticipate and engage future issues, and how planning techniques and strategies can be customized and mobilized for the novel challenges nanotechnology will present in the future. Upcoming speaker series presenters

Speaker Series and Occasional Speakers Abstracts

Oct 6 - Rosalyn Berne. Nano-Ethics Through the Writing of Science Fiction
There is moral significance in imagined possibilities, in beliefs and visions, and especially in the mythical searches for meaning reflected in conceptualizations of nanotechnology. As such, narrative is an indispensable device for the collection of moral and social observations about nanotechnology, especially those dealing with the categories of ethics, meaning and belief. Read more

Oct 17 - Brian Rappert. Engaging with Scientists about Responsible Research: A Proposed Method
In recent years, the continuing high public profile of ethical, social, and political issues associated with scientific research has renewed attention to long-standing questions about its place in society. Post 9-11, the relationship between national security and research has received considerable attention, as questions are being raised regarding whether the knowledge and techniques generated through fundamental and applied life science research might facilitate the production of bioweapons and therefore whether controls should be placed on what gets done, how, and whether information is widely circulated. In response to this emerging discussion, this presentation elaborated a pragmatic empirical research agenda for engaging with practicing scientists regarding the governance of their work. In discussing the preparation for, planning and conducting of these workshops, it proposed a strategy of engagement and learning relevant for other areas of emerging controversy. Various dilemmas and difficulties with social and life science research were recounted, with a view to reflecting on the unavoidable choices made in efforts to promote responsive research.

Oct 17 - Goorden et al. Widening the Circle of Nano Research: A Case for Reflective Action Research in Flemish Society
Lieve Goorden and Michiel van Oudheusden (Research Center on Technology, Energy and Environment, University of Antwerp) and Johan Evers (Centre of Science, Technology and Ethics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) visited ASU and brought the work of their research team, which includes Marian Deblonde(Antwerp) and Johan De Tavernier (Leuven).

Drawing on the hard lessons learned from the public controversy over genetically modified crops in Flanders/Europe, policy makers as well as scientists and technologists have begun to recognize the need to engage wider audiences in technology innovation. While this upstreaming of public involvement is by no means a new idea, it is increasingly being called for in social democracies seeking to address the societal implications of nanotechnologies. Read more

First Science Café in Spanish Held September 27, 2006 at Friendly House

El 27 de septiembre de 2006 CNS-ASU presentó su primer Café Ciencia en Español. En el marco de este evento la Dra. Ana Moore del Instituto de Biodiseño, dependiente de la Facultad de Química y Bioquímica, disertó sobre la “Producción de Energía Renovable Inspirada en la Fotosíntesis: cambios climáticos y sus posibles soluciones.”

Guest speaker, Dr. Ana Moore from the Biodesign Institute in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, spoke on the topic, “Renewable Energy Through Photosynthesis: The Problem of Climate Change and Possible Solutions.” Read more

Technological Enhancement Conference

Continuing its commitment to reach the widest possible audience, on April 24, 2007, CNS-ASU, the Hispanic Research Center, et al., will co-sponsor “Technological Enhancement of Humans? Perspectives of Researchers From Underrepresented Populations,” a research conference for undergraduates.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) have widespread and profound interactions with the broader society, and yet STEM activities draw from a relatively narrow slice of that society. Within the United States, practicing STEM professionals and those making policies or setting agendas for STEM represent a narrow slice of American society. Likewise, STEM activities – centered in the developed world – do not represent the full diversity of the global community in their planning, practice, or outcomes. Read more

InnovationSpace

Innovation Space is a transdisciplinary laboratory where students and faculty partner with researchers and businesses to explore user-centered product concepts that improve society while minimizing impacts on the environment. CNS is sponsoring two interdisciplinary teams to look at nanotechnology and freedom, privacy and security. Read more