The most fundamental properties of materials
and object undergo profound changes as their size is reduced
into the nano- regime -- that's about ten thousand sizes
smaller than the diameter of a human hair!
The Nanotechnology Revolution represents an
important milestone in the progression of humans being able
to manipulate, harness and utilize Nature’s forces.
At this point, it is inevitable that important advances
associated with the diagnosis and treatment of debilitating
diseases, more effective sources of renewable energy, approaches
to create and ensure safe water and more sustainable manufacturing
processes will result in the not so distant future.
Unfortunately, it is also probably true that accidents and
resulting exposure in the workplace and environment will
cause significant harm.
In this talk, Professor Preston will try to
give some sense of why working on the nanoscale leads to
such powerful new opportunities. He will point to some of
the groundbreaking work taking place here in Hamilton at
the Brockhouse Institute and elsewhere on campus.
One striking example is our new microscopy facility capable
of observing and measuring nanomaterials virtually atom
by atom. Professor Preston will also try to give some sense
of the challenges nanotechnology presents to the regulatory
bodies that protect our health and environment.
