Nils Petersen

Biography:
PhD in Physical Chemistry with expertise in microscopy and spectroscopy of biological systems.
Director General at NRC for the National Institute for Nanotechnology
Professor of Chemistry at University of Alberta
Formerly Vice-President of Research at University of Western Ontario
Member of several Boards, including the Canadian Light Source, California NanoSystems Institute, ArboraNano, Pacific Institute of Mathematical Sciences and the BioPsys NSERC Strategic Network.

Abstract:
The case of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology has come to the fore in the last two decades because of new tools for manipulation and control of matter at a small scale, but in reality it has been emerging for about a century through our understanding of the molecular nature of matter. Most importantly, the novel technologies emerging as a consequence of our new-found knowledge and understanding, in whatever name we choose to use, will be with us forever and we must act accordingly. The potential for nanotechnology is pervasive and transformative and is rooted in our ability to develop new materials, to integrate concepts drawn from multiple disciplines, and to create new systems with better or unique performance.
Governance of nanotechnology must be done with care. On the one hand, we must recognize that we are developing new materials with new properties and therefore we must try to anticipate unintended consequences. On the other hand, there is probably no single regulatory or governance principle that can encompass the breadth of activities within this emerging technology. Moreover, there are likely to be a significant body of regulatory frameworks within existing disciplines that can be brought to bear.
In this presentation, the focus will be on the scope of nanotechnology and the areas in which we need to focus the attention of scientists and engineers as develop this exciting new frontier.