NER: Contours of Nano-Problems and Solutions and the Societal and Educational Challenge of Active Nanoscale Technology

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This Nanoscale Exploratory Research project in the Studies of Policy, Science, Engineering and Technology program will explore the linkage between nanotechnology (NT) as a solution and the strategic definition of problems. Political and public acceptance and support for new advances depend in large part on how solutions are linked to societal problems. What problems are being linked to this new technology and why, to whom the problems are relevant, and who is advocating the solution, are significant questions for decision makers and the public. The evolution of nanotechnology into an "active" technology suggests that it will be even more critical to understand the significance of these linkages. The proposed methodology is derived from the agenda setting framework within the social sciences which considers how problems and solutions are strategically linked by policy entrepreneurs in order to move issues forward onto the decision agenda. This, in turn, can lead to the institutionalization of ideas within the structure and culture of public policy and in the general fabric of society. The focus on nanotechnology and problem/solution definition will directly address this interaction of engineering, science, technology and society. It also addresses more specific concerns within the nanotechnology community, particularly as problems and solutions influence the processes and outcomes of public policy, the public support for science, and as factors influencing the direction of technological change. The structure and culture of the nanotechnology network will be assessed across broad stakeholder categories, such as the scientific (NT as basic science) and the business (NT as investment). Each of these stakeholder groups will have problems for which they advocate specific solutions. While stakeholder interests overlap there are often distinctions and dynamics that can be compared in regard to their societal implications. Nanotechnology as a general concept will be evaluated through the collection and coding of general and specialized articles to provide a detailed inventory of problem and solution definitions across multiple dimensions. Documentary evidence will be collected from sources such as congressional hearings, advisory committee and investment reports, and conference proceedings. Informal open-ended discussions will be conducted with a representative sample of nanotechnology stakeholders. This research will significantly advance our understanding of the linkage between scientific and technological advances and societal problems across two distinct realms of inquiry. First, this research will produce a baseline assessment of where the nanotechnology community is positioned in regard to the many factors relevant to the study of problem definition. Second, it will contribute to the advancement of theoretical and empirical approaches in the social sciences as well as to the substantive issue of nanotechnology. The broader impacts from this study will be in the public policy process. Survey work on the public and nanotechnology suggests that people will be susceptible to strategic definitions of problems and solutions. Who dominates this process influences the path of funding, legislation, and private investment decisions. The answer to this question can serve to inform decision makers and the public in the public policy process. This research will also be integrated into a graduate level course on science and technology policy at Texas A&M University.