Nanotechnology is already starting to deliver significant benefits in new or improved consumer products – but there is also widespread concern that it involves new risks. Public engagement and understanding is essential for nanotechnology’s acceptance, market potential and political governance.

The workshop, which took place at the Communicating European Research 2005 conference in Brussels, set out to explore the challenges of communicating nanoscience to the general public. It examined its novelty, its ethical, legal and social aspects, and the similarities and differences between the debate on nanotechnology and those surrounding other new technologies such as GMOs.

David Bennett presented NanoBio-RAISE, which is identifying lessons that can be learned from the GMO debate; Guglielmo Maglio of NanoDialogue described the project’s development of an integrated process for social debate of issues and expectations; and Nanologue’s Volker Türk outlined the ethical, legal and social questions raised by the new technology. Introductory presentations by Richard Hayhurst (4bio) and Wolfgang Heckl (Deutsches Museum) highlighted the importance of communicating nanotechnology from the perspectives of the journalist and the nanoscientist.

The presentations were followed by a lively debate moderated by Richard Hayhurst, and conference participants subsequently voted the session the event’s best forum session, winning the presenters an award presented by Director-General for Research, Achilleas Mitsos.

Source

European Commission > Research > Industrial technologies: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/industrial_technologies/articles/article_3328_en.html