DHS, CDC, Private Sector Pandemic Influenza Planning
Open Source Models of Collaborative Innovation in the Life Sciences
2004 Bellagio Meeting on Plant Genetic Resources in East and Central Africa
Everglades Adaptive Management Strategy
Joint Ocean Commission Initiative
Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture [PIPRA]
Yale Climate Change Conference
International Workshop on Nanotechnology, Commodities, and Development
Quick Reference Guide to Meridian Institute and Our Nanotechnology Experience
Nanotechnology and Development News Information Flyer
Global Dialogue on Nanotechnology and the Poor: Opportunities and Risks
Meridian Institute, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, International Development Research Centre, and UK Department for International Development, has convened the Global Dialogue on Nanotechnology and the Poor: Opportunities and Risks (GNDP). Goals of the GDNP include: raising awareness about the implications of nanotechnology for the poor; closing the gaps within and between sectors of society to catalyze actions that address specific opportunities and risks; and, identifying ways that science and technology can play an appropriate role in the development process. [More]
International Dialogue on Responsible Research and Development of Nanotechnology
Meridian Institute facilitated the 2004 (USA) and 2006 (Japan) meetings of the International Dialogue on Responsible Research and Development. These meetings, each involving representatives from more than 25 countries and the European Union, focused on how to best ensure nanotechnology research and development programs are carried out in a responsible manner. Summaries of the meetings are available. The 2004 meeting summary includes the results of a questionnaire submitted by participants that describe the goals and status of more than 20 national nanotechnology initiatives. [More]
Dialogue Series on Nanotechnology and Federal Regulation
As nanotechnology moves from the research lab into commercial production and markets, potential regulatory issues may emerge, ranging from worker protection to environmental exposure and risks. To address these issues, Meridian Institute and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWICS) co-convened a series of three dialogue sessions focused on the relationship between nanotechnology and federal regulation in the United States. [More]
International Council on Nanotechnology Inaugural Meeting
Meridian Institute facilitated the first meeting of the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) at Rice University in Houston, Texas. ICON’s mission is to assess, communicate, and reduce the environmental and health risks of nanotechnology. It is a multi-stakeholder group dedicated to research, policy, and communication regarding nanotechnology’s impacts on human health and the environment. [More]
US EPA Interim Ad Hoc Work Group on Nanoscale Materials
Meridian staff facilitated an Interim Ad Hoc Work Group on Nanoscale Materials, which was convened by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).The Work Group discussed potential elements for a voluntary program regarding engineered nanoscale materials, began consideration of regulatory actions US EPA could undertake, and identified issues that needed further consideration. The Work Group submitted it for EPA's consideration in November 2005. [More]
IRGC Workshop on Risk Governance for Nanotechnology
On January 30-31, 2006 Meridian Institute assisted the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) with the design of workshop objectives and agenda and served as facilitator for a Workshop on Risk Governance for Nanotechnology at the SwissRe Global Dialogue Centre in Zurich, Switzerland. The workshop was attended by 30 thought leaders with diverse perspectives from different parts of the world and organizational settings. [More]
Pew Charitable Trusts and Woodrow Wilson Center Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies NanoFrontiers Workshop
The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies is a partnership between the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Pew Charitable Trusts, dedicated to helping ensure that as nanotechnologies advance, possible risks are minimized, public and consumer engagement remains strong, and the potential benefits of these new technologies are realized [More]
Rockefeller Foundation Meetings on Nanotechnology
Meridian Institute organized and facilitated two meetings at the request of The Rockefeller Foundation. These were small informational meetings about nanotechnology for the senior leadership of the Foundation, including former President Gordon Conway and the Directors of the Global Inclusion, Food Security, and Health Equity Programs. [More]
Presentations & Conferences
To contribute to the goals of our nanotechnology projects, Meridian Institute has participated in and presented at the following events:
The Rockefeller Foundation, Senior Leadership Meetings (October 2003, USA)
SwissRe, Conference on Nanotechnology (January 2005, Switzerland)
ICS-UNIDO, North-South Dialogue on Nanotechnology (February 2005, Italy)
Foresight Institute, 13th Annual Conference (October 2005, USA)
Canadian Federal Nanotechnology Network (October 2005, Canada)
International Risk Governance Council, Nanotechnology Project Meeting (July 2006, Switzerland)
Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, GreenNano Series (various events in 2005 and 2006, USA)
Information & Resources
Meridian Institute offers the following resources to help people make informed decisions:
Nanotechnology and Development News
Paper on Nanotechnology, Water, and Development
Nanotechnology and Development News Water Compilation
Online Consultation for the Global Dialogue on Nanotechnology and the Poor: Opportunities and Risks
Wood County Fighting Copper Thefts With Nanotechnology -- KLTV (7/2/2008)To prevent incidents of copper thefts, the Wood County Electric Cooperative in the U.S. is demonstrating nanotechnology-based Data-Dots, a product which is sprayed onto items to mark and identify ownership. [More]
World's Smallest, High-Performance and Low-Power Sensor in Silicon -- AZoNano.com (7/2/2008)Researchers from the University of Southampton School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) in the U.K. [More]
Quantum Dot Nanoparticles Penetrate Skin Through Abrasion -- AZoNano.com (7/2/2008)Researchers from North Carolina State University (NCSU) in the U.S. report finding that quantum dots can penetrate abraded skin, indicating a potential source of risk for workers working with or involved in the manufacture of quantum dots. [More]
Diabetes Sufferers May Soon Draw Breath To Take New Treatment -- The Age (7/1/2008)Researchers from Monash University and Nanotechnology Victoria, both in Australia, are developing a new diabetes treatment method that could enable patients to inhale insulin nanoparticles using a handheld device. [More]
Trade Unions Call For REACH Amendment To Cover Nanomaterials -- Nanotechnology Now (7/1/2008)The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is calling on the European Commission to change the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation to provide workers with more protections against nanomaterials throughout their full lifecycle. [More]
Nanoselenium Cloth Capturing Mercury Vapor from Broken CFLs -- AZoNano.com (6/29/2008)Researchers from Brown University in the U.S. have developed a mercury absorbing material made with nanoselenium that can potentially be used to clean up mercury vapor emitted from broken compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). [More]
Using Nanotechnology to Boost Boiling Efficiency -- AZoNano.com (6/29/2008)Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the U.S. have found that by lining the bottom of a metal vessel with a layer of copper nanoparticles called nanorods, they can reduce the energy required to boil water by an order of magnitude, a finding that could potentially have implications for cooling computer chips, improving heat transfer systems, and reducing costs for industrial boiling applications. [More]
In 'Novel Playground,' Metals Are Formed Into Porous Nanostructures -- Nanotechnology Now (6/29/2008)Researchers from Cornell University in the U.S. have developed a technique for self-assembling metal nanoparticles into complex nanostructures that could potentially lead to more efficient and low cost catalysts for use in fuel cells and industrial applications. [More]
Nanotechnology Institute To Undertake R&D -- The Sunday Times (6/26/2008)The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology have entered an agreement to research and develop nanotechnology for “value addition and [to] provide for export oriented manufacturing”. [More]