Panel Paper:
Examining the Results of Nanotechnology Investments: The Policy View
*Names in bold indicate Presenter
nanotechnology development in the United States. The Federal effort in nanotechnology
coordinates U.S. investment in research and development (R&D) in nanoscale science,
engineering, technology, and related activities across the U.S. Government. In FY2014, even
though five agencies garnered 93 percent of the Federal spending in nanotechnology R&D, 27
agency units from 20 top‐level Federal entities participated in nanotechnology activities. The
21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 calls for a National
Nanotechnology Advisory Panel to review the NNI periodically
Given budget pressures and potentially competing priorities
for Federal investment, the NNI needs to have a clear, executable vision for how to maximize
the return on the substantial investments that have been made. A recent report issued by PCAST identified the need to assess Federal nanotechnology research and
commercialization funding and recommend that need be met through a more formal system of metrics.
This discusses the recent PCAST report in more detail and describes the assessment gaps and recommendations identified by the committee.
REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS ON THE FIFTH ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/PCAST/pcast_fifth_nni_review_oct2014_final.pdf
