The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Supplement to the President’s 2017 Budget

This Supplement to the President’s Budget is the annual report of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a partnership of 20 Federal agencies and departments with activities in nanotechnology research and development (R&D), policy, and regulation. Since the inception of the NNI in 2001, participating agencies have invested nearly 24 billion (including the President’s 2017 Budget request) in fundamental and applied nanotechnology R&D; technology transfer; world-class characterization, testing, and fabrication facilities; education and workforce development; and efforts directed at understanding and controlling the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) aspects of nanotechnology. In 2015, Federal agencies invested a total of 1.5 billion in nanotechnology-related activities. The 2017 request calls for a total investment of over $1.4 billion, affirming the important role nanotechnology continues to play in the Administration’s innovation agenda. This report highlights accomplishments over the past year, discusses activities currently underway, and outlines plans for how agencies will work both in dividually and collectively in 2017 to build upon these accomplishments and further advance the goals of the NNI

2016 National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), established in 2001, is now a collaboration of twenty Federal agencies and Cabinet-level departments with shared interests in nanotechnology research, development, and commercialization. These agencies recognize that the ability to understand and harness the novel phenomena that occur at the nanoscale is already leading to revolutionary new materials, devices, and structures. These advances promise to improve human health and quality of life, enhance the U.S. economy, boost job creation, and strengthen our national defense. Since the inception of the NNI, these agencies have invested more than $23 billion in support of cutting-edge research; world-class user facilities for characterization, modeling, and fabrication; and the responsible transfer of nanotechnology-based products from lab to market. As a result of these investments, nanotechnology has become ubiquitous in our daily lives and can be found in a wide variety of commercial products including healthcare products, cosmetics, consumer electronics, apparel, and automobiles. Nanotechnology is poised to revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer, help us improve our fitness, and reduce our energy consumption. Under the 21st 15 Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003, NNI agencies are required to develop an updated NNI Strategic Plan every three years. This document represents a consensus among NNI agencies on the high-level goals and priorities of the initiative and on specific objectives to be pursued over at least the next three years. The plan provides the framework under which individual agencies conduct their own mission-specific nanotechnology programs, coordinate these activities with those of other NNI agencies, and collaborate

Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer

Nanoscale science, engineering, and technology—commonly referred to collectively as nanotechnology—is believed by many to offer extraordinary economic and societal benefits. Congress has demonstrated continuing support for nanotechnology and has directed its attention particularly to three topics that may affect the realization of this hoped for potential: federal research and development (R&D) in nanotechnology; U.S. competitiveness in the field; and environmental, health, and safety (EHS) concerns. This report provides an overview of these topics and two others: nanomanufacturing and public understanding of and attitudes toward nanotechnology