Tag Archives: Nanoweek Ireland

Dublin (Ireland) hosts Europe’s largest nanotechnology conference

The announcement of Dublin’s nano hosting duties is in a Mar. 14, 2013 news item on Nanowerk  (Note: A link has been removed),

The 6th biannual conference, EuroNanoForum 2013, will gather experts and decision-makers of the nanotechnology community to Dublin this June. EuroNanoForum 2013 is the largest nanotechnology conference in Europe and will focus on the impact of nanotechnology in improving people’s lives, especially in the key societal sectors such as health, energy and environment. The event coincides with Nanotech Europe exhibition and the Nanoweek Ireland.

“The conference showcases innovation as a driver of economic growth. New technologies arising from nano-science and their applications are presented and potential new end products are discussed”, describes Herbert von Bose, Director, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, Industrial Technologies.

The EuroNanoForum March 14, 2013 news release, which originated the news item, can be found here.

The forum organizers have created a Hot Topics page on the conference website (you can register for EuroNanoForum 2013 here) which provides some compelling reasons for attending,

Self-cleaning walls, lightweight airplanes and hydrogen fueled scooters drive the nano-future at EuroNanoForum 2013

We claim that by 2030, Europe will be a frontrunner in sustainable economy. The European Cleantech sector is steadily growing and it is taking a leading position in the global markets.  Companies, nations, and international consortia will capitalise on the business opportunity and what we have so far seen is just the tip of a vastly growing iceberg.

In EuroNanoForum 2013 Henning Zoz, the President of the Zoz Group, will present a concept which will revolutionize the refueling infrastructure. In the plenary, Nano in everyday life, he will elaborate on his company’s innovation – small tank cartridges containing nanostructured powder that can store an enormous amount of hydrogen virtually without pressure. With such changeable tanks it is already possible to drive a scooter, at Zoz GmbH in Wenden. The innovation ensures that surplus electricity output from renewable energy sources economically converted into hydrogen can be consumed as transportation-fuel.

Cure for cancer and improving hearing implants

Hans Hofstraat, VP of Philips Healthcare, and Patrick Boisseau, the Chairman of the ETP Nanomedicine, will lead the cadre of healthcare specialists in EuroNanoForum 2013. In Dublin we will hear what is the role of nanotechnology in answering the societal challenge of ageing populations. Moreover, will nano make vital medicine available to all people – not only in Europe but worldwide?

Over 60 million citizens in the EU suffer from hearing loss with its associated restrictions. Pascal Senn, Project Coordinator of NanoCi project from University of Bern, will present on the first conference day at the Healthcare session, how their project is developing implants to improve hearing. Using functional nano-materials, including carbon nanotubes, NanoCi aims at developing a cost-efficient and fully implantable neuro-prosthesis with substantially increased sound quality.

The Graphene Flagship will sail to EuroNanoForum 2013

The European Commission has chosen Graphene as one of Europe’s first 10-year, 1,000 million euro FET flagships. The mission of the flagship is to take graphene and related layered materials from academic laboratories to society, revolutionize multiple industries and create economic growth and new jobs in Europe. The Graphene flagship is a new form of joint, coordinated research initiative of unprecedented scale. It brings together an academic-industrial consortium aiming at a breakthrough for technological innovation. Involved are Nobel Laureates, top-notch research groups and the next generation industrial leaders.

From the start in 2013 the Graphene Flagship will coordinate 126 academic and industrial research groups in 17 European countries with an initial 30-month-budget of 54 million euro. The consortium will be extended with another 20-30 groups through an open call, issued soon after the start of the initiative, just after EuroNanoForum 2013. Will you sail with the ship or be left behind on the shore?

Wish I could be there.

ETA Apr. 22, 2013: Drat! I don’t like it when someone else does it. Well, I like it even less when I do it! I see the EuroNanoforum dates are not mentioned, they are June 18 – 20, 2013.