The economic importance of nanoscience and nanotechnology has not yet been fully realized.  Two reports recent reports (Innovate America; Council on Competitiveness, 2004 and Assessing the Capacity of the U.S. Engineering Research Enterprise; National Academy of Engineering, 2005) stress the critical importance of technological innovation in U.S. competitiveness, productivity, and economic growth. Nanotechnology is seen as one of these technologically important fields and as noted in the Innovate America Report, “nanotechnology could impact the production of virtually every human-made object.”

The NSF estimates that by the year 2015 there will be a need for two million workers worldwide in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Of these, nearly one million will be needed in the U.S. An additional 5 million workers will be needed in support areas for these fields. The need for a skilled workforce to meet this challenge has been highlighted in two above reports noted above. To develop this workforce, education outreach should be a major thrust of our universities, industries, and federal labs.  This outreach must begin in the elementary grades and expand up to professional adults in need of retraining and skill enhancement.

The Nano Education sessions will focus on two areas.  The first session will feature speakers who will provide an overview from the perspective of government, industry, and academia.  They will discuss the workforce needs and approaches being taken by these three organizations.  The second session will feature speakers representing three large national programs focused on nano education that focus on formal and informal avenues on educating all levels of the U.S. population.