Come join us for
a
Forum on
Nanotechnology:
Risks, Benefits, and Who Decides?
Nanotechnology is
poised to be one of the most significant scientific and
industrial transformations of the 21st century. Through
nanotechnology, scientists are acquiring capacities to
understand and manipulate materials at the scale of atoms
and molecules. These advances are leading to a host of
novel manufacturing processes, new applications, and
innovative consumer products that include cheap and clean
energy, greater computing power, medical applications,
structural materials, cosmetics, surface coatings, sporting
goods, and food and food packaging. But along with all of
the promising benefits, the rapid development of
nanotechnology raises a number of concerns.
Scientists, engineers, and policy makers are engaged in
wide-ranging debates about the societal and environmental
issues raised by the rapid advance of nanotechnology. What
impacts might nanotechnology have on the environment or on
humans? What ethical issues are raised by these new
applications? Given the potential benefits and unknown
risks associated with nanotechnology, what role should the
public play in helping to shape its future development and
governmental policies concerning its use?
This forum is a new
discussion-based, minds-on program at Pacific Science
Center under our →
Portal to the Public initiative where members of the public
engage in dialogue and deliberation around the societal
and ethical implications of nanoscale science,
engineering and technology. Portal to the
Public is a
National Science Foundation funded project designed to
bring local scientists and the public together to
discuss current research. Please join us to engage in
meaningful conversations with new people and area
scientists!
Date:
Thursday, April 3
Time:
7-9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30
p.m.
Sign-up:
Pre-registration is required.
Please contact Mary Frances Davidson at
→
maryfrances_davidson@pacsci.org
or (206)269-5768 to
register.
Cost:
This event is free to the
public!
Where:
Pacific Science Center,
Discovery Labs. Pacific Science Center is located under the
arches near the Space Needle. Please enter at the main
entrance, which is located facing Seattle Center to the
north, and this is also the only evening entrance.
This forum is also a
part of NanoDays,
a week of nano public outreach events sponsored by the
Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network
(→
nisenet.org).
