About the NNI - Home
The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is the program established in fiscal year 2001 to coordinate Federal nanotechnology research and development.
The NNI provides a vision of the long-term opportunities and benefits of nanotechnology. By serving as a central locus for communication, cooperation, and collaboration for all Federal agencies that wish to participate, the NNI brings together the expertise needed to guide and support the advancement of this broad and complex field.
The NNI creates a framework for a comprehensive nanotechnology R&D program by establishing shared goals, priorities, and strategies, and it provides avenues for each individual agency to leverage the resources of all participating agencies.
Today the NNI consists of the individual and cooperative nanotechnology-related activities of 25 Federal agencies with a range of research and regulatory roles and responsibilities. Thirteen of the participating agencies have R&D budgets that relate to nanotechnology, with the reported NNI budget representing the collective sum of these. The NNI as a program does not fund research; however, it informs and influences the Federal budget and planning processes through its member agencies.
What Others Are Saying About the NNI
Historically, revolutionary and transformative technological breakthroughs, such as the Internet, have been born from broad-based collaboration. With nanotechnology—whose potential spans everything from aerospace to national defense and from environmental improvement to treating disease—the potential for collaboration seems unmatched. The nation's coordinated federal program charged with organizing nanotechnology efforts across all agencies—the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)—and one of its largest biomedical components—the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer—have made collaboration a central tenet, reaching out to a broad spectrum of experts and stakeholders to define opportunities, map strategy and implement programs through a series of meetings, symposia and funded studies.
Intergovernmental Collaboration Key to Nano Success, NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer, Monthly Feature, July 2006
Goals of the NNI
- Advance a world-class nanotechnology research and development program.
- Foster the transfer of new technologies into products for commercial and public benefit.
- Develop and sustain educational resources, a skilled workforce, and the supporting infrastructure and tools to advance nanotechnology.
- Support responsible development of nanotechnology.
The NNI
The ability to image, measure, model, and manipulate matter on the nanoscale is leading to new technologies that will impact virtually every sector of our economy and our daily lives. Nanoscale science, engineering, and technology are enabling promising new materials and applications across many fields. Realizing these possibilities requires continued research and accelerated innovation. The United States has been and is now the recognized leader in nanotechnology R&D, but this lead cannot be assumed to be permanent. Thus, the NNI is as important as ever to ensuring U.S. leadership in nanotechnology R&D.
The NNI has created a thriving nanoscale science and engineering R&D environment within the United States. As a result, scientific understanding of nanometer-scale phenomena has expanded enormously. An extensive network of R&D centers is already established. Commercialization resulting from the NNI-supported research is growing. Yet exploiting the full value that nanotechnology offers depends on sustained R&D. Barriers to innovation and technology transfer need to be lowered. Researchers, educators, and technicians with new skills are required. Furthermore, nanotechnology must be developed responsibly.
Dr. Carim presents The NNI and Industrial Nanotechnology Impact at NSTI
At the Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) May 2007 conference, NSET Subcommittee Co-Chair Dr. Altaf Carim, gave a talk The NNI and Industrial Nanotechnology Impact. (PDF-1.65MB) Those wishing to obtain individual slides from his presentation should contact Dr. Carim by email.
The NNI is managed within the framework of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the Cabinet-level council by which the President coordinates science, space, and technology policies across the Federal Government. The Nanoscale Science Engineering and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the NSTC coordinates planning, budgeting, program implementation and review to ensure a balanced and comprehensive initiative. The NSET Subcommittee is composed of representatives from agencies participating in the NNI.
To support the interagency coordination activities of NSET Subcommittee, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office was established in 2001.
For more information on research conducted under NNI funding, see the NNI FY 2009 Budget Highlights (PDF) and the 2007 NNI Strategic Plan (PDF)
.