Congratulations to RTNN principal faculty member Joe DeSimone on receiving the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. DeSimone was awarded his medal at a White House Ceremony with President Obama last week. He was recognized for his innovative work in materials science that has found applications in a variety of disciplines. See this news item from NC State and one from the Department of Commerce for more information about the award.
WarpSpec Wins Grand Prize in International Business Competition
Congratulations to WarpSpec and co-founders Jordan Moering and Rafael Estevez! In April, the start-up won grand prize in the Licensing Executives Society (LES) Foundation International Business Competition, which focuses on the intellectual property side of business strategy. WarpSpec is developing a technology that enables more efficient and effective detection of food-borne pathogens. The company also receives support from RTNN’s free-use facility access fund, which they are using to design a prototype. More about the award and WarpSpec’s technology can be found here.
Nanofibers, Applications and Related Technologies Conference coming to Raleigh this Fall!
The 2nd International Nanofibers, Applications, and Related Technologies (NART) Conference, will be hosted in Raleigh, NC, USA September 13-15, 2016.
This conference, co-sponsored by The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University and the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation at Technical University of Liberec, brings together leading researchers from industrial, government and academic labs to accelerate the adoption of micro and nanofibers and related nanotechnologies in a wide range of innovative functional fibrous products.
More information can be found on the conference website.
RTNN to host a workshop for community college educators
On May 10-11, 2016 RTNN will host community college educators at NC State for a free nanotechnology workshop. The two-day event is open to educators from all backgrounds with a focus on the incorporation of nanotechnology and nanoscience into basic science curricula such as chemistry and physics. Attendees will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience and use techniques like scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. For more information and to register for the workshop, visit the event website.
National Nanotechnology Agencies Announce Initiative for Water Sustainability
Yesterday, during the White House Water Summit, the federal agencies that comprise the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) announced the launch of a new Nanotechnology Signature Initiative (NSI): “Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology: Nanoscale Solutions for a Global-Scale Challenge.” This NSI will focus on research and development of nanoengineered materials that reduce stress on the national water supply and support sustainable water usage. The goal of NSIs is to speed innovation through interagency cooperation. The properties of nanomaterials are advantageous for the development of more efficient purification systems and more durable infrastructure. More information can be found on the NNI website, White House blog, and White House fact sheet.