Assessing the diffusion of nanotechnology in Turkey: A social network analysis approach

This dissertation assesses the diffusion of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the scientific community in the last decade using Social Network Analysis (SNA) in Turkey. This dissertation aims to evaluate the flow of knowledge diffusion of nanotechnology among scientists by using ethnographic methods, co-words analysis and by focusing on an invisible college in the scientific community in terms of citation analysis in Turkey. A total of 10,062 articles and reviews were extracted from WoS (2664 between 2000 and 2005, and 7398 between 2006 and 2011) using a compound text query. Results compiled from co-authorship network analysis comprised a high closeness centrality indicating the small-world phenomenon which facilitates the diffusion of nano-related technology in Turkey. We discovered the scientists who are instrumental in the diffusion of nanotechnology knowledge in the network. We test the hypotheses that: (1) prolific authors stimulate the diffusion of nanotechnology in network structure; (2) dissemination of nanotechnology is more diffusive within sub-clusters than that of the whole network structure; and (3) taxonomy identified by co-word analysis in the research process matches the findings at the global level. Universities with the highest co-occurrence in terms of centralities in the network structure were studied. Then, we compared the results from each period to investigate the rate of diffusion of nano-related technology in Turkey. We found out that research on nano-related technology is done in a wide spectrum from Materials to Biomedical Sciences. Moreover, we found that TÜBİTAK and the Ministry of Development (MoD) have increased their funding support. We corroborate the findings by interviewing the key scientists or authors who are instrumental in the diffusion of nano-related technologies in Turkey. We collected and elaborated on 10 interviewees' responses using a qualitative method (Latent Semantic Analysis). Outcomes indicated that scientists' behavior who participated in interviews share similar patterns matching their co-authorship maps. It was concluded that the diffusion of nano-related technology is steadily progressing due to scientific collaboration among scientists through social network

Nanotechnology research in Turkey: A university-driven achievement

We deal with nanotechnology research activities in Turkey. Based on publication data retrieved from ISI Web of SSCI database, the main actors and the main characteristics of nanotechnology research in Turkey are identified. Following a brief introduction to nanoscience and nanotechnology research, it goes on with a discussion on nanotechnology related science and technology policy efforts in developing countries and particularly in Turkey. Then using bibliometric methods and social network analysis techniques, this paper aims to understand the main actors of the nanoscale research in Turkey and how they collaborate across institutes and disciplines. The research indicates that there has been an exponential growth in the number of research articles published by Turkish nanoscience and nanotechnology (NST) scholars for the last ten years. However, the analysis of the main characteristics of nanotechnology research carried out at Turkish universities indicates some drawbacks and barriers to the future development of nanotechnology research in Turkey. These barriers are (i) a high concentration of nanoscale research at certain universities; (ii) low level of interdisciplinarity; (iii) a large number of universities which are not well connected to other universities in the field, and finally (iv) low level of international collaborations. Finally, science and technology policy implications of this research are discussed in the conclusion.Emerging technologies nanotechnology, nanoscience, scientific publications, SSCI, bibliometric data, social network analysis, collaborations, interdisciplinarity, science and technology policies, emerging economies, Turkey.

ENMat international projects: FP7 NMP coordination action: 2BFUNTEX

Boosting collaboration between research centres and industry to enhance rapid industrial uptake of innovative functional textile structures and textile-related materials in a mondial market 2BFUNTEX will exploit the untapped potential in functional textile structures and textile related materials. It will bring together all innovation actors in the field fostering a multidisciplinary approach between universities, research institutes, SMEs and sector associations. The 2BFUNTEX team will identify technological gaps and eliminate barriers resulting in a faster industrial uptake of added value functional materials with new functionalities and improved performance and resulting in creation of new business worldwide. Technological needs will be mapped, new joint international research disciplines will be identified and multidisciplinary lab teams will be created. International cooperation will be favoured to exploit the worldwide market expansion potential. Industry will be involved at all stages of the process. The inventory will enlarge the team of important textile universities and renowned materials research centres and will identify new collaborations. Synergy will be reinforced and created which will enable to identify and develop new functional materials. Training materials regarding functional materials for research and industrial purposes will be developed and implemented to allow a common language regarding functional textile structures and text ile related materials, and will increase the number of well-trained people in this field. Further, the 2BFUNTEX partners will organise and participate in conferences, workshops and brokerage events. Along with a website with an extensive database comprising all information gained throughout the project, collaboration will be boosted and rapid industrial uptake catalysed and enhanced. The project duration will be 4 years and the consortium includes 26 partners from 16 countries. Start date : 01/01/2012 More information: Ir. Els Van der Burght Department of Textiles/Ghent University [email protected] [email protected] URL: http://www.2bfuntex.e

ENMat international projects: FP7 NMP large collaborative project: 3D-LightTrans

Large scale manufacturing technology for high-performance lightweight 3D multifunctional composites The goal of the 3D-LightTrans project is to provide groundbreaking, highly flexible, efficient and adaptable low-cost technologies for the manufacturing of integral large scale 3D textile reinforced plastic composites, including innovative approaches for the individual processes and its integration in complete manufacturing chains, which will enable to shift them from its current position in cost intensive, small series niche markets, to broadly extended mass product applications, not only in transportation, but also in other key sectors, like health and leisure. To fulfil this goal, the 3DLightTrans manufacturing chains will be based on multimaterial semifinished fabrics, processed to deep draped prefixed multilayered and multifunctional 3D -textile preforms, which will be processed into composites by a thermoforming process. By integrating these new, innovative process steps with full automation in -nowadays mostly manually performed- complex handling operations, it will be possible to obtain a fully automated and highly adaptable manufacturing chain to achieve integral large scale 3D composites. 3D-LightTrans will open the way to a totally new concept for the design, manufacturing and application of composites for low-cost mass products in a wide range of sectors. The Consortium brings together multidisciplinary research teams involving European leading companies, including industrial stakeholders from machine tools and machine automation and several OEM active in the field of processing of flexible materials and composite manufacturing, as well as from the application sector, and extensive expertise from well known research specialists in the area of materials, production research and technical textiles in particular. Start date : 01/04/2011 Project duration : 4 years More information: Dr. Erich Kny Austrian Institute of Technology, [email protected] URL: http://www.3d-lighttrans.com

Vision 2023: Turkey’s National Technology Foresight Program – a contextualist description and analysis

This paper describes and analyses Vision 2023 Turkish National Technology Foresight Program. The paper is not about a mere description of the activities undertaken. It analyses the Program from a contextualist perspective, where the Program is considered in its own national and organizational contexts by discussing how the factors in these contexts led to the particular decisions taken and approaches adopted when the exercise was organized, designed and practiced. With the description and analysis of the Vision 2023 Technology Foresight Program, the paper suggests that each Foresight exercise should be considered in its own context. The exercise should be organized, designed and practiced by considering the effects of the external contexts (national, regional and/or corporate) and organizational factors stemming from these different context levels along with the nature of the issue being worked on, which constitute the content of the exercise.Foresight, contextualism, Vision 2023, Turkey, Science and Technology Policy

Research characteristics and agenda of technology management discipline in Turkey

Despite the growing importance of "Technology Management" (TM) field in advanced countries since 1990s, it is rather new for developing countries such as Turkey. Considering the diversity of needs and concerns in different countries, the evolution of TM discipline can be expected to follow different paths to include different national experiences and to consider unique national needs and concerns in relation with technology management. Therefore, to what extent this diversity is reflected in the mainstream TM research agenda is an important issue. Thus, the aim of this study is in two folds; first, to examine how the general research characteristics and agenda of TM discipline have evolved in the academic research in Turkey, and next, to what extent they have converged or diverged with the patterns of mainstream TM research in international journals, by analyzing the TM articles published by Turkish academics both in the national and international scientific journals. The findings of this research reveal that the TM discipline in Turkey indicate both divergent and convergent characteristics when compared with the results of recent studies about developed and developing countries. In addition, a significant difference is observed about how these characteristics are reflected in national and international journals.Publisher's Versio

Is it possible to define a universal technology management discipline?

Considering the diversity of needs and concerns in developed and developing countries, the evolution of technology management (TM) discipline would be expected to follow different paths to include different national experiences and unique needs of these countries. Whether this diversity is reflected in the mainstream TM research agenda is an important issue. Thus, the aim of this study is in two folds; first, to examine how the general research agenda of TM discipline has evolved in the academic research in a developing country context, namely Turkey, and next, whether this research agenda has converged or diverged with the patterns of mainstream TM research in international journals, by analyzing the Turkish academics TM publications both in the national and international scientific journals. The findings reveal that the TM discipline in Turkey indicates both divergent and convergent characteristics when compared with the results of recent studies about developed and developing countries.Publisher's VersionAuthor Post Prin

Selected Instruments for Management of Technology Development

Polska dysponuje pewnymi możliwościami rozwijania nowoczesnych technologii, także tych, które aktualnie znajdują się w pierwszych fazach cyklu życia (np. nanotechnologii, spintroniki, fizykochemii zjawisk powierzchniowych, robotyki itd.), i mają wysoki potencjał generowania zysku przy relatywnie niskich (bo niezwiązanych z samymi kosztami produkcji) nakładach inwestycyjnych i niższych wymaganiach, jeśli chodzi o wcześniej zdobyte doświadczenie. Wykorzystanie tych możliwości wymaga rozszerzenia o nowe podejścia tradycyjnego instrumentarium zarządzania technologią, opartego głównie na dorobku teorii racjonalnych oczekiwań. Wśród tych nowych podejść na szczególną uwagę zasługuje foresight i towarzyszące mu: cykl życia technologii i mapowanie, które są przedmiotem niniejszego artykułu

Production of carbon nanotubes over Fe-FSM-16 catalytic material: effect of acetylene flow rate and CVD temperature

In this article, a high-yield synthesis of high-quality CNTs using Fe catalysts trapped within channels of Folded Sheet Mesoporous Materials, FSM-16 by Chemical Vapor Deposition CVD using acetylene as a hydrocarbon source is reported. The effect of reaction temperature and acetylene flow rate on the formation of CNTs was investigated. It was found that the yield, diameter and quality of CNTs synthesized strongly depend on reaction temperature during CVD. The resulting materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Our research found that carbon deposition, diameter and quality of the CNTs strongly depend on CVD temperature. However acetylene flow rate did not have any significant effect on diameter distribution. Raman measurement indicated that the synthesized products were MWCNTs. High-resolution transmission electron micrographs of samples reveal the multilayer sidewalls of individual MWCNTs with a diameter of 40 nm, in which hollow and tubal structures were observed

The Global Challenges of the Knowledge Economy: China and the EU

This paper addresses some of the challenges confronting the European Union and China as they build their knowledge economies, and their on-going and possible future actions to address such challenges. Fifty years after the creation of what became the European Union, we argue that there is an urgent need to develop a new European Lisbon Agenda, preparing the EU for globalization. A new and "outward-looking" Lisbon strategy would focus on three key areas: international trade in services, internationalization of research networking, and access to brains and talent. The paper shows that the success of the Chinese economy over the past three decades can be partially attributed to its ability to absorb globally advanced technology and huge flows of foreign investment, its large pool of knowledge and talent, and its enactment of a policy framework that provides incentives to domestic and foreign firms to innovate - a strategy very much reminiscent of Europe's own internal Lisbon agenda. To move further, China needs to overcome the obstacles of regional disparities, transform its industry and deepen industry-academy linkages, which are also unavoidable tasks for the sustainable development of Europe. We contend that the scope for comparative studies of the EU and China, for mutual learning from each other's experience - even for joint initiatives - is substantial.Knowledge Economy, Industry-University Partnerships, Globalization, Internationalization, Highly Skilled Migration, European Union, China