Societal Impact and Ethics of Nanotechnology

Northeastern University Receives $1.4 Million NSF Grant to Study Public Interest Implications of Nanotechnology Revolution

Northeastern University announced that an interdisciplinary team of researchers representing the fields of political science, philosophy and engineering have won a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the public interest implications of the nanotechnology revolution.

The team of researchers will evaluate the existing federal and state government regulatory capacity - defined as scientific expertise, legal authority, organizational design and relevant regulatory frameworks - to address the societal and policy challenges posed by emerging nanoscale innovations and products. Where appropriate, the team will also make recommendations for building capacity to address these challenges.

"We're interested in finding the answers to a variety of pressing questions," said Chris Bosso, Lead Primary Investigator (PI), Professor of Political Science, and Associate Dean of the School of Social Science, Urban Affairs, and Public Policy at Northeastern. "Can government promote the development of nanotechnology and also be properly equipped to deal with the potential negative side effects - environmental and otherwise? Do we have the right laws, sufficient expertise, appropriate institutions? There are so many unknowns at this point, it is our hope that our research will be able to help fill in some of the blanks."

Other Northeastern University faculty members serving as co-PI's on the project are: Ahmed Busnaina, Professor of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering; Jacqueline Isaacs, Associate Professor of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering; William Kay, Associate Professor of Political Science; and Ronald Sandler, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion.

"Adequate government capacity is crucial to promoting innovation and expediting commercial production," said Ahmed Busnaina, Professor of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at Northeastern. "The government must be focused on enabling innovation to proceed while protecting public safety."

"The interdisciplinary focus of this grant is unique in terms of participation by political and social scientists and engineers, and is important for Northeastern in our emphasis of cross-disciplinary research and education," said Srinivas Sridhar, Vice Provost for Research at Northeastern University. "The team led by Professor Bosso is taking a leadership role in assessing the many policy implications of the nanotechnology revolution, and their work could have an important influence on government policy and investments in an emerging technology."

The research team will be reaching out to a variety of stakeholders including public administrators, journalists, and industry groups and leaders in an effort to gather information on current attitudes, beliefs and misconceptions with an eye on eventually education these same constituencies on what they need to know in order to adequately inform the public.

"Whatever their broader views about the 'proper' role of government, citizens expect it to protect them from the potential harmful effects of technology and its applications," said Bosso. "When regulatory capacity is not in place as technologies emerge, the public interest can be compromised. With this project, we are hoping to help government prepare itself for what is coming."