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The U.S. Government sponsors a number of challenges and contents to drive innovation. These are the nanotechnology-related prizes currently available.
NIST's Federal Impact Assessment Challenge
The Federal Impact Assessment Challenge calls on participants to write an original paper describing a retrospective study of the economic or societal impacts (or both) resulting from any technology developed completely or in part by federal researchers and then transferred outside of their agency. The technology must have been transferred in a manner that can be traced back to that agency, for example through licensing, publications or collaborative research agreements.
NSF and NNI Generation Nano Competition
Congratulations to the winners of the Generation Nano Superhero competition! Eric Liu, Madeleine Chang, and Vuong Mao accepted their award from TV star Wil Wheaton at the 2016 USA Science & Engineering Festival April 16-17, 2016 in Washington, D.C.
NNI EnvisioNano Image Contest
Sponsored by Federal agencies funding research and development activities in nanotechnology under the auspices of the National Nanotechnology Initiative.
Help us demonstrate how beautiful the nanoscale can be and explain how the research behind your picture may lead to nanotechnologies that benefit society. The goal is to envision where your research is headed and explain how “seeing” at the nanoscale is important to reaching that vision. This contest is for students conducting nanotechnology research in the United States and U.S. territories. Stay tuned for the next cycle announcement.
NNI Student Video Contest
This contest is sponsored by Federal agencies funding research and development activities in nanotechnology under the auspices of the National Nanotechnology Initiative.
What do you think is cool about nanotechnology? Researchers, how do you hope your work will help the world? Students, what’s the greatest promise in nanotechnology? Technophiles, where do you hope nanotechnology will make the greatest impact? This contest is open to individuals who are at least 18 years of age or older, and who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States and U.S. territories, at the time of entry. Stay tuned for the next cycle announcement.
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
These awards promote the environmental and economic benefits of novel green chemistry. These prestigious annual awards recognize chemical technologies that incorporate green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture, and use. EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention sponsors the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards in partnership with the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute® and other members of the chemical community. The 2017 cycle is now open.
Nanotechnology Startup Challenge in Cancer
Winners have been announced in the Nanotechnology Startup Challenge in Cancer! The Center for Advancing Innovation and the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute partnered to launch the Nanotechnology Startup Challenge in Cancer. This Challenge featured inventions conceived and developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and was open to teams that bring other promising cancer nanotechnology inventions. The goal of the challenge was to accelerate and increase the volume of commercialized cancer nanotechnology by launching new startups. Stay tuned for new NIH and NCI sponsored challenges.