Building on the tremendous success of the inaugural 2010 meeting, the 2012 Gordon Research Conference on "Noble Metal Nanoparticles" will continue to explore frontier areas of science and technology associated with Au, Ag, and Cu nanoparticles, defined as having at least one dimension between 1 - 200 nm. The conference will bring together a mix of chemists, materials scientists, life scientists, engineers, and physicists, with presentations on topics ranging from in vivo imaging and improving solar energy conversion efficiencies to synthesis of anisotropic particle geometries and mechanisms of catalytic activity. As with all GRCs, an emphasis will be placed on presentation of new, unpublished results and on extended time for discussion and debate, both during oral sessions and poster sessions, for which we strongly encourage all prospective attendees to submit abstracts.