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Nanotechnology1. The University: Experience and Qualifications Since its founding in 1855 as the first land grant university in the U.S., Michigan State University has adhered to its original mission: to “strive to discover practical uses for theoretical knowledge, and to speed the diffusion of information to residents of the state, the nation, and the world.” In operational terms, MSU has concentrated on building its strengths in educating and training succeeding generations of researchers both from the U.S. and the world at large. It has sought to establish collaborative links with people and institutions worldwide, broadening its research, academic and service outreach. MSU is recognized as a center of excellence in international development. The academic and professional community at Michigan State is highly diverse and responsive and augments the University’s international goals with a broad array of globally relevant skills and expertise. People from every county in Michigan, every state in the U.S. and 134 countries around the world contribute to the University’s success. Annually, more than 3500 international students and scholars enroll in MSU’s graduate and undergraduate and certificate programs. MSU plays host to hundreds of international visitors every year who come to view campus research facilities, participate in campus life as visiting scholars and specialists, or to meet with MSU colleagues. Hundreds of MSU faculty members are engaged in critical outreach programs in many countries throughout the world, teaching, conducting research or providing technical assistance. For more than 50 years, Michigan State University has been a leader among U.S. universities in international development programs. MSU has had a broad and deepening involvement in conducting technical assistance and research in developing countries, assisting the development of new institutions, and providing training for development tasks. MSU, through its Departments and Institutes and Centers, has also managed projects throughout the world, providing short- and long-term in-country technical assistance, degree and non-degree training programs, and extensive backstopping support from the main campus. The Office of the Dean of International Studies and Programs has overall responsibility for the university’s international initiatives. While historically a majority of MSU’s international development and technical assistance projects have been conducted by faculty in various departments of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, international expertise is increasingly incorporated into all aspects of university life marking MSU as a global university. The Office of Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) holds fiscal audit authority and responsibility for the MSU contractual portfolio with both domestic and international external donors. In fiscal 2006-2007 awards for sponsored projects reached $308 million. To ensure that MSU is aware of, and can comply with the various agency regulations, CGA is organized by funding agency. CGA has a separate group dedicated to administration of international projects. Nanotechnology Nanotech is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers: a nanometer is one billionith of a meter. By way of comparison, a typical human hair is roughly 100,000 nanometers in diameter. Some scientists and technologists suggest that nanotech, with its potential to produce inventions ranging from self-organizing machines to smart food and drugs, may eventually prove a socially transformative technology. MSU faculty are reaching beyond the usual science and engineering aspects of discovery to reflect on the potentially wide-ranging constituencies who might be affected by nanotech. A multi-disciplinary team at MSU is working on nanotech’s societal dimensions to address issues such as access to benefits arising from agri-food nanotechnology, effects on the labor pool, changes in the way medicine is practiced, impacts upon manufacturing, possible health or environmental effects and even privacy concerns arising from distributed nanotechnology-based sensors. Institute for Food and Agricultural Standards MSU-Conference on Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture – April 2007 |
