Dialogue

The social process of opinion formation about nanotechnology is just at the beginning. A broad public discussion about nanotechnology and risks, such as the discussion about the use of nuclear energy or the use of genetic engineering has not taken place yet. Experience from this areas of science suggest that new findings and their applications take account of the risk perception of the general public.

Other information platforms:

Germany:

The nanoTruck, a touring exhibition and communication centre, which presents nanotechnology live: http://www.nanotruck.de/en/

The nanotruck of the BMBF. Pictures: Flad and Flad Communication GmbH

Cluster Nanotechnology, to strengthen the interaction between industry and research in Bavaria:
http://www.nanoinitiative-bayern.de

Information platform Nano-Safety (in German only): http://www.nano-sicherheit.de

NanoNetzwerkHessen (in German only): the initiative aims to pool existing expertise at Hessian universities, to initiate collaborations and to extend nanotechnology in Hessen further. Coordinator of the NanoNetzwerkHessen is the University of Kassel: http://www.nanonetzwerkhessen.de/

nanodaten.de offers information about existing products, methods and demands: http://www.nanodaten.de

NanoBioNet e.V. is a network of universities, research institutes, hospitals, and private companies from the fields of technology transfer, business, and finance: www.nanobionet.de/

CeNIDE, Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen: http://www.uni-due.de/cenide/

nanovalley.eu, an Initiative for SME (at the moment in German only): http://www.nanovalley.eu/en/

nanoproducts.de - the nanotechnology product database is an extensive product database for innovative nanotechnology products, materials, appliances and technologies from the fields of nanotechnology and surface technology: http://www.nanoproducts.de/

Austria:

nano trust is a research project for the integrative analysis of the state of knowledge on the health and environmental risks of nanotechnology, the NanoTrust Team offers on an irregular basis “Dossiers”, approximately three to six page summaries of the state of knowledge on current issues in the developing nano debate in an accessible language, but on a firm scientific base: http://nanotrust.ac.at/

Austrian Network BioNanoNet: http://www.bionanonet.at/www.bionanonet.at/index.php

Switzerland:

Risk Dialogue Foundation St. Gallen, the Foundation brings different stakeholder groups together in order to discuss risks of today's society. The aim is to increase societal competence in the judgement and handling of risks. Read more about the Foundation: http://www.risiko-dialog.ch/

TA-SWISS – Centre for Technology Assessment. With its projects, TA-SWISS supports the formation of opinion, especially with regard to advising politicians, but also for the general public. Expert studies provide specialist information and arguments. The discussion forum determines the attitudes of the citizens. Read more about TA-Swiss: http://www.ta-swiss.ch/e/index.html

UK:

SAFENANO is a venture by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM). The initiative was designed to help industrial and academic communities to quantify and control the risks to their workforce, as well as to consumers, the general population collage and the environment, through both information provision and consultancy services. Read more about SAFENANO: http://www.safenano.org

EU:

NANOfutures: European Technology Integration and Innovation Platform (ETIP) in Nanotechnology: http://www.nanofutures.eu/

NanoImpactNet is a multidisciplinary European network on the health and environmental impact of nanomaterials: http://www.nanoimpactnet.eu

The EU NanoSafety Cluster is an initiative to maximise the synergies between the existing FP6 and FP7 projects addressing all aspects of nanosafety including toxicology, ecotoxicology, exposure assessment, mechanisms of interaction, risk assessment and standardisation: http://www.nanosafetycluster.eu