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Nanotechnology Development as if People and Places Matter

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Abstract

Technological innovation in general, and nanotechnology development in particular, happens often disconnected from people and places where these technologies eventually play out. Over the last decade, a diversity of approaches have been proposed and developed to engage people in the innovation process of nanotechnology much earlier than in their conventional role as consumers. Such “upstream” engagements are conducted at stages when nanotechnology products and services are still amenable to reframing and modification. These engagement efforts have enhanced technological literacy among stakeholders and the general public. Yet, there is still potential for other types of impacts by leveraging links between nanotechnology and people’s everyday experiences. The present study explores a novel approach for participatory nanotechnology assessment and design, called Collaborative On-site Technology Exploration (COTE). The approach allows nanoscale scientists and engineers to explore nanotechnologies where they matter to people and places. We conducted a series of COTEs in the Gateway district in Phoenix addressing community challenges of renewable energy supply, water contamination, and public health issues. COTEs are proposed as a step toward bringing together nanoscale scientists and engineers and community stakeholders in need for solutions to urban challenges.

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Notes

  1. The term ELSI here is used synonymously with Ethical, Legal and Societal Aspects (ELSA), a phrase more common in Europe. See Rip [17] for a nuanced distinction.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the reviewers and editors for their helpful suggestions and comments. This research was undertaken with support by CNS-ASU, funded by the National Science Foundation (cooperative agreements #0531194 and #0937591). The findings and observations contained in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering and Society, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA

    Rider Foley

  2. Center for Nanotechnology in Society, Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA

    Rider Foley & Arnim Wiek

  3. School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA

    Arnim Wiek

  4. Office of Sustainability, City of Tempe, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA

    Braden Kay

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  1. Rider Foley
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  2. Arnim Wiek
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  3. Braden Kay
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Correspondence to Rider Foley.

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Foley, R., Wiek, A. & Kay, B. Nanotechnology Development as if People and Places Matter. Nanoethics 11, 243–257 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11569-017-0300-y

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