Purpose of this White Paper

The purpose of this white paper is to outline the scope of a proposed center for applied nanoscience at the U of M that is based on those areas where the University is best positioned to become a world-class leader and where the impact of the center on the future development of the State's industries will be optimized. In defining this scope, we have considered areas of current strength and focus, as well as emerging areas of projected growth and importance. The scope of nanoscience itself is very broad, and much of the research is still in its infancy. Thus, it is difficult to predict which areas will bear the most fruit further down the road. We believe that the scope of the center should therefore be broad enough to include a range of potential opportunities in the near-term, as well as in the more speculative long-term. Another factor that has guided us in defining the scope is that nanoscience, especially applied nanoscience, is inherently interdisciplinary, and its greatest impact is expected to come from activities at the interface between traditional fields. Thus, we have tried to identify fertile synergistic clusters of activities in different departments that, together, could lead to breakthrough technologies. We believe that the interface between the physical sciences and biological sciences is particularly fertile, both scientifically and commercially, and the proposed scope of the center reflects this as well. Finally, a central goal of the proposed center is to apply the kinds of scientific and engineering activities that the University is best able to perfrm to the development of new manufacturable nanotechnologies for Minnesota's future.