Considering all Dimensions of the Nanotechnology - Environment Interface

This meeting will focus on determining the role that nanomaterials should play, if any, in our response to grand environmental challenges. The pressing challenges emphasized in this meeting include: sustainably supplying food, water, and energy, protecting and improving public health, curbing climate change and adapting to its impact, minimizing pollution and waste, creating efficient, healthy ,resilient cities, and fostering informed decisions and actions. This meeting will consider all dimensions of the nanotechnology-environment interface, with specific topics including: 1) innovative design, characterization, and detection of nanomaterials to better understand the systems we are employing in real-world applications, 2) advances in theoretical modeling and data analytics, and 3) public policy and engagement to evoke consideration of barriers to adoption and the potential for misuse of nanotechnologies. A broad coalition of scholars and practitioners from different disciplines and backgrounds, as well as partnerships with communities and stakeholders, is needed to understand and manage issues associated with these nanotechnologies. Thus, the aim of discussions are to foster open communication and collaboration around developing nano-enabled solutions needed to face the new pressures of the 21st century, taking into account a holistic view of the environment, human well-being, and prosperity. The circumstances under which nanotechnologies are most likely to be implemented, the economic, environmental, and social impacts of implementing these new strategies, including possible unintended consequences, and factors affecting their long-term successor failure will be discussed. Considerable time will be allocated to networking with peers and top professionals from the many converging fields that comprise environmental nanotechnology at mentoring lunches, poster sessions, social activities, and breakout sessions.