November 2010

Emerging technologies at the World Economic Forum – rethinking integrative approaches to global risks

by Andrew Maynard November 30, 2010

In an interconnected world, global issues demand integrative solutions.  It’s a statement that many people would agree with – in systems where associations between cause and effect are complex, you ignore synergistic inter-relationships between factors at your peril. But when it comes to technology innovation, it seems that the rules don’t apply. This week I [...]

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Risk Science – A personal perspective

by Andrew Maynard November 28, 2010

As Director of the University of Michigan Risk Science Center, it’s probably not surprising that I’m constantly being asked “what on earth is risk science?”  What is surprising is how hard it is to come up with a clear and concise answer.  Which is why I decided to spend a good portion of my “installation” [...]

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Reviewing the National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan – Twitter on steroids?

by Andrew Maynard November 27, 2010

Here’s a bit of trivia: with the 4000 character limit on comments on the National Nanotechnology Initiative Draft Strategic Plan, you might as well ditch the official portal, and tweet your comments to the Office of Science and Technology Policy – 28 tweets would do it! As you can probably guess, I’ve just been compiling [...]

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Lost in the Maize

by Andrew Maynard November 26, 2010

I’m writing this at Detroit airport, en route to Dubai via Heathrow.  By rights, I should be writing the usual stuff about how traveling to exotic places isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – the mantra of the seasoned traveler.  But as it’s the day after Thanksgiving, I thought I would suck it up [...]

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Risk, uncertainty and sustainable innovation: Feedback sought on symposium blurb

by Andrew Maynard November 21, 2010

Despite the risk of receiving absolutely no comments (please don’t let me down!), I thought I’d try something new and ask for some feedback on the background blurb for a meeting I’ve been working on. The meeting is a symposium on Risk, Uncertainty and Sustainable Innovation being organized by the Risk Science center next September.  [...]

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Lost in the Maize

by Andrew Maynard November 19, 2010

Here’s something that keeps me awake at night (seriously): why, in this age of super-slick graphics and innovative multimedia resources, is it nearly impossible to give presentation that looks as good as they should? How come I can guarantee that when I give a presentation, the slides will be cropped, the color balance will be [...]

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Nanotechnology, climate and energy: over-heated promises and hot air?

by Andrew Maynard November 16, 2010

Friends of the Earth have just released a new report challenging claims that nanotechnology will lead to greener, more energy-efficient technologies, lower-impact technologies. I’ve only had the chance to skim through the report so far, and so don’t have detailed comments on it.  But on my initial skim a number of things struck me:

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Lost in the Maize

by Andrew Maynard November 12, 2010

Next week I am being “installed” here at the University of Michigan.  Not in the sense of installing a carpet – as one friend suggested – but in the sense of being installed as an endowed professor.  The Charles and Rita Gelman Risk Science Professor to be precise. To mark the occasion, I’m expected to [...]

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Basic research and personal responsibility

by Andrew Maynard November 11, 2010

Dan Sarewitz has a rather provocative commentary in Nature this morning, where he suggests that proposals to increase basic research may be good politics, but questionable policy. The headline alone is probably enough to get some science-advocates’ blood boiling, whether they go on to read the piece or not: “Double trouble? To throw cash at [...]

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Tenure track faculty positions in risk science at the University of Michigan

by Andrew Maynard November 8, 2010

Just thought I’d circulate this on the 2020 Science network – please feel free to pass on the information to anyone who might be interested. We have finally started the process of looking for two junior faculty to join the Risk Science Center at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.  This is an [...]

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Lost in the Maize

by Andrew Maynard November 5, 2010

A weekly reflection on life in academia Note to self: Try not to fall asleep before important interviews with smart journalists. It’s been a tough week.  My gift from last week’s meeting in San Francisco was a lovely ripe cold – something of an occupational hazard these days being cooped up in airplanes with gem-infested [...]

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International Handbook on Regulating Nanotechnologies – sneak peak of contents

by Andrew Maynard November 4, 2010

Back in the mists of time, I was approached with a crazy proposition – would I help co-edit a book on nanotechnologies regulation!  In a moment of weakness I said yes, and a little more than two and a half years later, the book is finally about to hit the shelves. I actually think the [...]

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Nanotechnology prominent in percieved 21st century science & engineering advancements

by Andrew Maynard November 4, 2010

This image from the first US National Science and Engineering Festival attracted my attention this morning: It’s a wordle constructed from responses to the question “What will be the greatest discoveries and advancements science and engineering will bring us in the 21st century?” What grabbed my attention was the prominence of nanotechnology in the mix [...]

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Spiders, silk and a transgenic goat – the complex art of science communication

by Andrew Maynard November 2, 2010

Last week while at the NISE Net network-wide meeting, I was fortunate enough to see a preview of part of NOVA’s forthcoming series Making Stuff. The series focuses on the wonders of modern materials science. But rather than coming away enthralled by the ingenuity of scientists, I found myself breaking out in a cold sweat [...]

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