Closing the nano knowledge gap between countries
Research at the nano-scale has the potential to solve many fundamental scientific problems. However, unless barriers to knowledge access are lifted or overcome, global differences and inequalities in nano S&T could perpetuate a greater global technological divide than that which already exists. The ICPCNANONET project, funded by the EU, was a joint effort by European and International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPC) researchers. Besides improving access to information on nano S&T, the project aimed to increase the opportunities for international collaboration on research in the nano S&T field. Project partners assembled an online archive of nano S&T publications. In addition, they built information databases on researchers and organisations worldwide, and brought together partners from Africa, China, the EU, India and Russia to facilitate networking between scientists and researchers. Both the ICPCNANONET project activities and its outputs were completely linked so that networking actions helped in the information-gathering processes, and vice versa. In addition, when more networking connections were created, more nano experts were also identified and invited to register on the relevant information database. Now completed, the ICPCNANONET project was a first step towards promoting the nano dialogue in different countries and regions around the world. In the future, the possibility of networking between less-developed regions and industrialised countries will have a positive impact in helping to decrease the nano gap between them.
