The federal government has issued a national strategy for ensuring that SH&E research needs are fully identified and addressed in the fast-growing field of nanotechnology. The 2011 NNI Environmental, Health and Safety Research Strategy provides an integrated research framework to guide federal agencies participating in the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The strategy is designed to help NNI leverage federal resources and infrastructure to produce research data that can be used to protect public health and the environment, while continuing to fuel innovations and capture the value of those innovations. The strategy identifies six core categories of research that together can contribute to the responsible development of nanotechnology: 1) nanomaterial measurement infrastructure; 2) human exposure assessment; 3) human health; 4) environment; 5) risk assessment and risk management; and 6) informatics and modeling. The strategy also aims to address the ethical, legal and societal implications of the technology.
Read and download a copy of the strategy here. Register for and view a free webinar that discusses the strategy and offers additional insight here.