By Liz Leitch

AKRON, Ohio – More than 30 Ohio University representatives, including several administrators and Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute (NQPI) faculty and students attended the third annual Ohio Nanotechnology Summit April 24 and 25 at the John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio.  The event was attended by more than 500 academics, business people, consultants, politicians and non-profit organizations who are interested in capitalizing on the nanotechnology revolution.



“Ohio ranks in the top ten states investing time and money into nanotechnology research,” said keynote speaker Jack Uldrich, president of The NanoVeritas Group.  Uldrich stressed the importance of realizing that nanotechnology will significantly change our businesses, the products we use and ultimately our lives.

The summit provided a forum for representatives from the different sectors to meet and discuss research developments in areas such as nano processing, biomedicine and nano materials.  Nanotechnology involves observing and manipulating particles ten thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair, in order to create new materials and products with unprecedented function.

“It was important to attend this event because it shows the state, as well as businesses that Ohio University is committed to nanotechnology research,” said Arthur Smith, director of NQPI and associate professor of physics and astronomy.  “It is an opportunity to meet with entrepreneurs and universities to discuss the possibility for future nanotechnology collaborations.”   

Ohio University was one among ten universities from Ohio that attended the event and presented current nano related research during the poster presentations.  There were approximately 150 posters from universities, businesses and non-profit organizations such as NASA and Battelle.

Ohio University Interim Vice President of Research James Rankin and Director of Grant Writing and Special Projects Roxanne Male-Brune attended the event and met with other university representatives in Ohio about possible joint research efforts.  Male-Brune has served as a member of the Nanotechnology Summit Steering Committee in past years.

Ohio University has received numerous nanotechnology grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Office of Naval Research.  Nanoscience is one of the university’s core research areas.

NQPIs goal is to promote research excellence in nanoscale science and engineering through on-going and steadily growing cross-campus collaborations.  The organization includes 26 faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Russ College of Engineering.  The Institute was founded in 2001.