GUEST COMMENTARY
WVNano initiative: Investigating small matter for big consequences
BY DR. DAVID LEDERMAN Nanoscale scientists and engineers study the properties of things that are extremely small. Not as small as atoms or molecules, but much smaller than anything you can see (the width of the typical human hair is about 50,000 nanometers). At these nanoscales, when things become less than 100 nanometers in size, materials possess qualities that are very different from those that one is accustomed to, giving them very unique properties. Nanoscale science and engineering is the attempt to learn about and use those special properties in the creation of novel products. What role does West Virginia play in this exciting area of study and research? The WVNano Initiative, led by WVU, is at the forefront of this effort. WVNano was organized in 2005 and, since 2006, has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the WVU Research Corp. and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s division of science and research. The main objective of WVNano is to advance the state’s research environment and diversify the economic base by cultivating a vigorous nanoscale research and engineering program. WVNano’s research focuses on potential applications in the areas of public security, health, energy and the environment. The excitement over nanotechnology lies in the many possible applications for new products once we discover how to manipulate and control various properties at the nanoscale. Nanotechnology research will allow: Doctors to diagnose and treat diseases with new drug delivery techniques that will have fewer side effects. The use of “thernostic” ( therapeutic/diagnostic) devices that will simultaneously detect and treat diseases such as cancer and early stage Alzheimer’s disease. The development of superefficient solar panels for converting sunlight to electricity. The fabrication of hydrogen fuel cell technology to be used as a clean, efficient energy source. More efficient and inexpensive ways to purify water supplies. The detection of harmful chemical or biological agents in the every day environment and on the battlefield. The development of faster, more versatile and more energyefficient electronic devices. WVNano’s 25 faculty researchers from WVU, Marshall University and West Virginia State University are deeply involved in the three aspects that define a major research effort: They discover new knowledge, disseminate that knowledge by teaching graduate and undergraduate students state-of-the-art science and engineering skills, and contribute to economic development by creating technological innovations that lead to new jobs. In doing so, they publish their findings in scientific journals, obtain grants from federal agencies, write patents for new inventions, and collaborate with private businesses to develop new products. Another important contribution to the research endeavor is the development and maintenance of the WVNano Shared Facilities located at WVU, which includes state-of-the-art “clean room” laboratories, where experiments occur in a protected environment, and equipment specifically designed to fabricate and measure the properties of nanoscale devices. Access to the shared facilities is available to all WVU faculty and students, the MU and WVSU WVNano participants, and external collaborators from industry and other academic institutions. The initiative’s work doesn’t start and end with core research. It reaches out to the community by holding middle school nanoscience camps, sponsoring undergraduate summer research opportunities and graduate student fellowships, creating activities for WVU 4-H camps, and participating in other programs that bring the wonders of nanotechnology research to the public. West Virginians can be proud of the WVNano Initiative’s efforts in this area and the hard work of its academic faculty and staff. They can rest assured that WVNano will continue making a significant impact on the economic well-being of the state by using the laws of nature at the nanoscale to develop new technologies. DR. DAVID LEDERMAN is the interim director of the WVNanoInitiative. This commentary should be considered another point of view and not necessarily the opinion or editorial policy of The Dominion Post.
