Materials and devices at the nanoscale (a nanometer is one billionth of one meter) hold vast promise for innovation in virtually every industry and public endeavor including health, electronics, transportation, the environment, and national security. Indeed, nanotechnology has been heralded as “the next industrial revolution.”

Research at the nanoscale has been conducted at Northwestern over the last several decades. In 2000, under the leadership of Professor Chad Mirkin and Director of Operations & Strategic Initiatives, Kathleen Cook the Institute for Nanotechnology was formed as an umbrella organization for all of the nanotechnology efforts on campus, and to support new initiatives and partnerships in this exciting area of research. In 2005, in an innovative and far-reaching collaborative venture, the Institute partnered with Argonne National laboratory’s Center for Nanoscale Materials and established the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN).

From its humble beginnings, the IIN has become a global hub of excellence in the field and currently represents and unites over $500 million in nanotechnology research, educational programs, and supporting infrastructure.

Collaborative partnerships exist in 30 foreign countries, and relationships have been developed with universities in Europe, Asia, and North and South America that provide opportunities for student and postdoctoral exchange programs and joint workshops. Sixteen start-up companies have been launched or are under development, and several IIN technologies in medical diagnostics and nanomaterials have been commercialized and are being used by researchers worldwide – these include versatile new tools for nanofabrication and powerful medical diagnostic systems for many debilitating diseases. Additionally, 18 corporations have aligned themselves directly with the IIN through membership in the Nanotechnology Corporate Partners (NCP) program.

The IIN is anchored by 27 major research centers. The tools necessary to support this cutting-edge research are available for measurement, manipulation, and analysis at the nanoscale. Both ex situ and in situ characterization methods allow researchers to fully understand the atomic/molecular level details of the nanostructures as well as their collective chemical, electronic, and optical properties. Significant support from the State of Illinois has enabled the IIN to augment existing facilities and create in-house multi-user facilities like the Nanoscale Imaging, Fabrication, Testing and Instrumentation (NIFTI) facility.

Finally, innovative new methods for educating students and the public in this new and diverse field are also part of the IIN effort. Some of these activities include:

• A partnership with the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago, to complete a permanent exhibit on nanoscience and nanotechnology that is scheduled to open in 2010 and reach 2 million visitors a year
• An interactive web site, www.DiscoverNano.northwestern.edu, that introduces the general public to nanotechnology and receives over 1,000,000 visitors a year
• Two new journals launched – Nanoscape: the Journal of Undergraduate Research in Nanoscience published at NU, and Small, an international professional journal on nanoscale research in collaboration with Wiley Publishing
• Development of the first Nanoscale & Nanotechnology Module for pre-college classrooms
• Hands-on summer research experiences for undergraduates from around the country
• Research and curriculum development program for high school and community college science teachers
• Nanotechnology Town Halls to introduce the fundamentals of nanotechnology to the general public
• Educational activities for children including career days, Take Our Daughters to Work Day, classroom presentations, and the annual All Scout Nano Day.

The IIN embodies an extraordinary combination of scientific capabilities, outreach programs, and partnerships that provide a unique and fertile ground from which to make substantial contributions to the field and ensure that the U.S. remains a world leader in nanotechnology.

We invite you to explore the IIN web site for an overview of some of the IIN programs and to contact us if you would like to learn more.

Sincerely,
Chad A. Mirkin, Director
International Institute for Nanotechnology