Focus on Nanotechnology - December 8, 2006

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) will hold a  
public meeting on January 4, 2007, to receive input on research needs  
related to the environmental, health, and safety aspects of  
engineered nanoscale materials. NNCO will hold the meeting on behalf  
of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee of  
the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council.  
NIOSH is a member of the subcommittee and encourages participation in  
the public meeting.

The NNCO notice, which includes further details about the meeting and  
contact information, follows.

12/4/06

NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY COORDINATION OFFICE
Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology Subcommittee,
National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Technology

Research Needs and Priorities Related to the Environmental, Health,  
and Safety Aspects of Engineered Nanoscale Materials:
Public Meeting

ACTION: Notice of public meeting

SUMMARY: The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on  
behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET)  
Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and  
Technology Council (NSTC), will hold a public meeting on January 4,  
2007, to receive input on research needs related to the  
environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanoscale  
materials (hereafter referred to as nanomaterials). Specifically, the  
NSET Subcommittee is seeking comment on the research needs and  
prioritization criteria for the research identified in the NSET  
Subcommittee document Environmental, Health, and Safety Research  
Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials, which was released on  
September 15, 2006.

DATE AND ADDRESS: The public meeting will be held on Thursday,  
January 4, 2007, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the FDIC Training Center,  
3501 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22226. A schedule will be  
published prior to the meeting. Directions to the facility are  
available on the registration web page (see below).

REGISTRATION: Persons interested in attending the meeting may  
register at www.nano.gov/public_ehs.html prior to the meeting. Due to  
space limitations, early registration is suggested. On-site  
registration will be available on a first-come basis, space permitting.

Persons interested in presenting comments at the meeting also should  
register at http://www.nano.gov/public_ehs.html and should do so no  
later than Wednesday, December 20, 2006.
Written or electronic comments may be submitted on the same web page  
until January 31, 2007.
Information on this meeting also will be posted on http://www.nano.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: For information regarding this  
Notice, please contact Cate Alexander Brennan, National  
Nanotechnology Coordination Office. Telephone: (703) 292-4399. Email:  
calexand**At_Symbol_Here**nnco.nano.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and  
Technology (NSET) Subcommittee coordinates planning, budgeting, and  
program implementation and review to ensure a balanced and  
comprehensive National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The NSET  
Subcommittee is composed of representatives from agencies  
participating in the NNI. The NNCO provides technical and  
administrative support to the NSET Subcommittee in its work.

On September 15, 2006, the NSET Subcommittee released a document  
identifying environmental, health, and safety research and  
information needs related to understanding and management of  
potential risks of nanomaterials. The document was created by the  
Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications (NEHI) Working  
Group of the NSET Subcommittee, which is composed of scientists and  
other agency representatives. The document also reflects expert input  
from industry liaison groups and other research needs-identification  
efforts.

This foundational document will be used by the NSET Subcommittee and  
the Federal agencies participating in the NNI as they set research  
priorities for Government-funded research programs.

The meeting is an opportunity for public participation in the  
prioritization of research related to environmental, health, and  
safety aspects of nanomaterials. Specific comment on research needs  
and prioritization criteria in the Environmental, Health, and Safety  
Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials document and input  
regarding the criteria for evaluating research priorities is welcome.  
(To read the document, see http://www.nano.gov/ 
NNI_EHS_research_needs.pdf.)

The public meeting will be chaired by leadership of the NEHI Working  
Group, the NSET Subcommittee, and the NNCO.

For more information on the National Nanotechnology Initiative and  
its various working entities, please visit http://www.nano.gov.

How Can You Participate?
You can participate through oral presentation at the meeting or  
through written electronic material submitted to the NNCO at  
www.nano.gov/public_ehs.html. The meeting is open to the public, up  
to the limit set by facility fire codes. Pre-registration is required  
for participation (see above).

How Will the Meeting Day Be Structured?
Due to significant interest in and the breadth of this subject, our  
plan is to organize the public meeting around subject areas,  
including research prioritization criteria and the five research  
areas identified in the Environmental, Health, and Safety Research  
Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials document: Instrumentation,  
Metrology, and Analytical Methods; Nanomaterials and Human Health;  
Nanomaterials and the Environment; Health and Environmental  
Surveillance; and Risk Management Methods. Speakers are requested to  
indicate which research area you wish to speak to; if you will direct  
your comments to topics outside of those identified above, please  
indicate that as well, so that you can be scheduled accordingly.

In addition to indicating the topical area of your presentation,  
please also provide a short description of the content you intend to  
cover. The final organization of the meeting may change depending on  
the nature of the requests for presentations that are received. The  
speaker schedule will be distributed before the meeting.

How Will Public Input Be Used?
All comments and recommendations made at the meeting or in written  
submissions will be considered by the NEHI Working Group as it  
proceeds with prioritizing the research needs. Input from multiple  
stakeholders with various interests will be valuable to the NNI,  
especially with regard to strategic and interim goals for filling the  
EHS information needs gaps for nanomaterials. The NSET Subcommittee  
and NNI member agencies plan to make the priority-setting process a  
dynamic, open, and transparent process.


  

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