Ethical, Legal, and Other Societal Issues
The impacts of new technologies, including nanotechnology, on individuals and society is a subject of inquiry for philosophers, sociologists, ethicists, and psychologists, among others. Today, the NNI activities in this area include funding research in economic, ethical, legal, and cultural implications, as well as implications for science and education, quality of life, and national security. Some examples of priority research in this area are
- Assessment of education and workforce development needs.
- Additional means of effective public engagement on technology issues.
- Barriers to adoption of nanotechnology in commerce, healthcare, or environmental protection.
- Nanotechnology impacts on economic growth, standard of living, and competitiveness.
- Ethical issues in the selection of research priorities and applications.
The NNI also supports efforts to create a variety of opportunities for a broadly inclusive interdisciplinary dialogue on nanotechnology and to assess and analyze public understanding of, and attitudes toward, nanotechnology. A component of this research is the identification of effective means to raise awareness of nanotechnology and obtain input from the general public.
In addition, the NNI plans to
- Foster and encourage forums for dialogue with the public and other stakeholders. Such forums include museums and other science centers, various programs organized by NNI-funded research centers, the USDA extension program, and other agency outreach mechanisms.
- Create and distribute new informational materials about nanoscience and nanotechnology to better communicate with the broad public. Further, periodic measurements of public perceptions of nanotechnology will provide important feedback to the NNCO and agencies, as well as to the scientific community and policy makers.