Tag Archives: wiki

Nano Wiki presentation and more jazz

The 2008 Canada Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences started yesterday at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and I’m presenting at one of the conferences. (Btw, their Congress website is not one of my faves.)

My presentation is called, The Nanotech Mysteries: an initiation into the science and the technology. It’s all about the wiki I’m developing on nanotechnology. I’m discussing some of the ideas behind the project and reviewing a prototype for the project. The presentation is for the Canadian Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (CATTW). Their conference website is here. There’s not a lot to it but they do have a programme there. I’m presenting tomorrow, June 1 in the 1:30 to 3 pm slot. I’m listed last on the speaker list, it looks like it’s going to be a nice day, and it’s the session before afternoon coffee. It just seems that I shouldn’t expect a big audience.

On a jazz note, my friend and her band are performing tonight at Bogarts, 6:30 to 9:30 pm at 1619 West Broadway, Vancouver.

Nano, wikis, and the sun

About a week or so ago, I read about a new nano wiki being proposed or developed by the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON). This wiki is  going to focus on international best practices for environmental health and safety vis a vis nanoparticles. I’d forgotten about it until this morning when I saw some comments about the wiki on an IEEE blog.  The writer also questions whether or not council truly is international. (You can go see the comments here.) It’s a bit of a puzzle trying to get representation that’s truly international.  For example, I’ve had a proposal accepted for a presentation at the Language and the Scientific Imagination  conference in Helsinki and I’ve noticed that most of the people presenting are from the UK, a few are from Australia, and then there are assorted single presenters (Belgium, Canada, Germany). I’m willing to bet the organizer worked really, really hard and that group is as diverse as she could manage.

IBM was busy announcing some sort of advance that could reduce the costs fro solar panels (more here). Don’t know why but it reminded me of IBM’s pr stunt last year where they reproduced a famous paining (17th century, I think) of the sun. I’m being a little facetious but it does seem as if IBM wants to brand the sun.

Oh, and the British Columbia Nanotechnology Alliance is putting on a golf tournament June 19, 2008. It’s a benefit for BC Technology Social Venture Partners. You can register and get more details about the golf tournament here and about the charitable society here.