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Spring 2003 Gathering
 
Design for a Fine-Motion Controller for Molecular Assembly


A Tutorial on Fundamentals of Nanotechnology

Held in conjunction with
Foresight Vision Weekend
Annual Senior Associates Gathering
"Molecular Myth, Manufacturing, Money and Mania—
Will the real nanotechnology please self assemble!"

Palo Alto, California
May 2, 2003


    Fundamentals of Nanotechnology Tutorial    
    Tutorial Topics    
    Speaker Biographies    
    How to Register    
    Hotel    


Foresight Institute Offers Nanotechnology Tutorial

Industry Experts to Cover History, Basics, Ethics, and Prospects

Foresight Institute, a nonprofit educational organization focused on molecular nanotechnology, will offer a Fundamentals of Nanotechnology tutorial, May 2, 2003 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Hotel Crown Plaza Cabaña Hotel in Palo Alto, Calif. Registration for the general public is $475. Current or new Foresight Institute Senior Associates can attend for $225.

"The Fundamentals tutorial is designed for individuals who want to get a quick grasp of the basics," said Ralph Merkle, Vice President, Technology Assessment at Foresight Institute. "We are structuring the tutorial to make sense to the general public who have some technical background, including investors, managers, analysts, attorneys, technical writers and everyone curious about our future."

Fundamentals of Nanotechnology is organized into four different segments taught by technical and business nanotechnology industry professionals.

Topics that will be covered are:

  • What are the different types of nanotechnology?
  • Which are long-term, which are near term?
  • What are nanotubes, molectronics, bionanotechnology, scanning probes, quantum dots?
  • What is the role of software?
  • In what sequence will opportunities arrive?

Dr. Eric Drexler, Founder of Foresight Institute, and author of Engines of Creation and Nanosystems, will cover "Nanotechnology in Perspective: History, Status and Prospects."

"What is Nanotechnology: Health, Wealth and the Arrangement of Atoms" presented by Dr. Ralph C. Merkle, discusses how nanotechnology can change our lives. Molecular computers more powerful than any of today's, molecular machines that cruise our arteries and zap cancer -- these and other changes are coming, but how long will it take and how might it happen?

"Near-Term Commercial Opportunities in Nanotechnology" will be presented by Scott Mize, Co-founder of Angstro Vision, Inc. and Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Nanotechnology Opportunity Report. Mize will discuss nanoscale engineering, current market hype, and key findings from the Nanotechnology Opportunity Report.

Ed Niehaus, Advisor to the Foresight Institute and Advisory Board Member of the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing and Software Development Forum, will discuss "Nanotechnology Business Scenarios."

 

Tutorial Topics

Nanotechnology in Perspective: History, Status and Prospects

Eric Drexler

Making sense of nanotechnology requires a broad perspective. The term itself, which now serves as a marketing slogan for a wide range of current research and business activities, originally described an anticipated revolutionary development, since renamed molecular manufacturing. Current activities under the nanotechology label are amazingly diverse in their techniques and purposes. Some contribute directly to the technology base for implementing molecular manufacturing, while others seem irrelevant. In my tutorial talk, I will survey the evolution of the field, the many flavors of modern nanotechnology, and the prospects for molecular manufacturing. Participants will learn both how the molecular manufacturing concept is rooted in current knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering, and how statements on the subject by some senior scientists are rooted in journalistic misconceptions and an urge to wish away a set of complex and troubling future prospects. Only this combined historical, political, and technical perspective can make sense of developments in the field today.

 

What is Nanotechnology: Health, Wealth and the Arrangement of Atoms

Ralph C. Merkle

description unavailable

 

Near-Term Commercial Opportunities in Nanotechnology

Scott Mize

While the opportunities and challenges are great as molecular nanotechnology unfolds, there is a large proportion of the world that is primarily concerned with understanding how nanotechnology will affect them in the short term. What are the next small steps in real world along the road to assembler and replicators, or perhaps to less interesting destinations collectively known as "nanoscale engineering"? To understand how nanotechnology will enter the broader world, it is important to understand the technologies that will be taken out of the lab and commercialized first, as well as which applications will be the most compelling in the short term. Participants will get a high-level snapshot of where the activity is today and likely to be in the near future, including key data and conclusions that bring shape to the emerging world of nanoscale engineering.

 

Nanotechnology Business Scenarios

Ed Niehaus

Are you looking at nanotechnology as a career or business opportunity? It is a field worth exploring today, one that we all expect to be exciting tomorrow. But, how will it emerge? This session will propose several scenarios, look at the events that might bring about each one, and discuss how best to position yourself for each.

 

Speaker Biographies

Dr. K. Eric Drexler

Dr. K. Eric Drexler
Founder and Chairman, Foresight Institute

Nanotechnology in Perspective: History, Status and Prospects

Bio: Science magazine called Eric Drexler "Mr. Nanotechnology" and Newsweek elected him to their Century Club -- a list of 100 people to watch in the 21st century. In the mid 1980s, Drexler introduced the term 'nanotechnology' to describe atomically precise molecular manufacturing systems and their products. He has lectured in the US, Europe, and Japan to audiences ranging from corporate research laboratories and the World Economic Forum to a satellite-linked network of elementary school classes. In support of U.S. federal policy development, he has provided presentations and briefings to (among others) the Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Dr. Ralph C. Merkle

Dr. Ralph C. Merkle
Vice President, Technology Assessment, Foresight Institute; and Nanotechnology Consultant

What Is Nanotechnology: Arranging Atoms and Creating Health and Wealth

Bio: The New York Times said "Dr. Ralph C. Merkle is...a leading theorist of molecular nanotechnology, the still unperfected art of building machines that are little bigger than atoms." Winner of the 1998 Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology for theory, the ACM Kanellakis Award, and the IEEE Kobayashi Award; Dr. Merkle has testified before Congress and given talks to audiences at the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Caltech, DARPA, IBM, Lockheed, MIT, NASA, NATO, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), RAND, the Royal Society of Medicine, and hundreds of others. He pursued research in nanotechnology at Xerox PARC and then at Zyvex. He continues his research at Foresight, and consults and speaks on nanotechnology.

Scott Mize

Scott Mize
Co-founder, AngstroVision, Inc.
Chairman of the Advisory Board, Nanotechnology Opportunity Report

Near-Term Commercial Opportunities in Nanotechnology

Bio: Scott is a co-founder (founding CEO) of AngstroVision, Inc., an early-stage company focused on creating a breakthrough nano-imaging device. He is the originator and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Nanotechnology Opportunity Report, the first comprehensive global report on the near-term commercial opportunities in nanotechnology, available from CMP Cientifica. Scott was also a hands-on advisor to Technanogy, a leading nanomaterials company. He has 15 years of experience in the information technology and new media industries, including serving as a principal in a venture catalyst firm, the CEO of Zelos!, an early publisher of CD-ROM products, Apple Computer's Multimedia Content Evangelist, and a Product Manager in the Information Services Group at Lotus Development Corporation. He has spoken at numerous industry conferences in the information technology, new media and nanotechnology fields.

Ed Niehaus

Ed Niehaus
Business Consultant and Corporate Director,
Foresight Institute advisor

Nanotechnology Business Scenarios     and Q & A...

Bio: Ed Niehaus is a business consultant and corporate director, based in San Francisco. Ed has been active in the world of nanotechnology since 1987, and currently Ed is an advisor to the Foresight Institute, a member of the advisory boards of the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing, the Software Development Forum, and the Nanotechnology Opportunity Report–which he co-founded. Ed is on the boards of directors of Avinon, Inc. and ClickAction (NASDAQ: CLAC), and on the advisory board of Chengwei, Ltd., a Shanghai-based venture capital firm. Ed is perhaps best known for his work as CEO of Niehaus Ryan Wong, Inc., where he led the public relations agency that launched Yahoo, VeriSign, the Apple iMac and over 100 other technology companies and products. Prior to NRW, Ed served in several marketing and sales capacities in the computer and software industries. Ed has a BSME degree from Duke University and is a licensed Professional Engineer.


How to Register

The Fundamentals of Nanotechnology Tutorial is open to the public. Space is limited to a first come, first served basis. Individuals can register online (see below) or over the telephone at 650.917.1122. Registration for the general public is $475. Current or new Foresight Institute Senior Associates can attend for $225.

The Fundamentals of Nanotechnology tutorial is the kick-off day for the Vision Conference, annual Senior Associates Gathering: Molecular Myth, Manufacturing, Money and Mania! Will the real nanotechnology please self assemble which will be held May 2-3-4, 2003. The gathering is open to new or current Senior Associates of the Foresight Institute. To find out more about becoming a Senior Associate. Senior Associate dues must be current for discount.

Registration payment may be made by VISA, MasterCard, check or international money order valid in the U.S (AMEX not accepted). Make checks payable to "Foresight Institute"; checks and bank drafts must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. Bank. Donations with payment by credit card may be faxed.

Tutorial Online Registration for Senior Associates Attending the Gathering

Tutorial Online Registration for those who are not Senior Associates

On site registration is also available.


Hotel

Room Rate (Single/Double): $119 per night plus tax. Mention Foresight Institute to obtain the group rate of $119. Hotel reservations should be made by Friday April 18 to obtain the special rate. The group rate may be extended after that date on a space available basis.

Hotel Crowne Plaza Cabaña
4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306
tel (800) 2CROWNE or (650) 857-0787
fax (650) 496-1939
http://www.cppaloalto.crowneplaza.com/

Local Transportation: The South & East Bay Shuttle
From San Francisco Airport: Call 800 548-4664
From San Jose Airport: Call 408-225-4444


 

Spring 2003 Gathering
 

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