| President's
Message from Clive Davenport
This year our
premier event, COMS2008, is being held in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico,
31 August - 4 September.
COMS is the world's most important meeting place
for all those bringing emerging small technologies from concept
to the marketplace. COMS is about connecting people –
people from around the globe. The conference is not just about
commercializing products – COMS provides insight into building
businesses, technology translation and transfer, investment, regional
development, education and workforce development.
This year we have an exciting program that
encompasses new streams in Economic Development, Telecommunications
and Information Technology, Entertainment, Biomedical Devices,
Buildings and Oil Drilling. A program that further highlights
the breadth of opportunities evolving from micro and nanotechnologies.
On top of an outstanding program
COMS2008 is being held against the backdrop of one of Mexico's
most spectacular ocean front resorts. I am sure that everyone
who has visited the conference website will agree, and for all those who haven't do so now and
indulge yourself by allowing the header to scroll for two minutes.
Then take a further thirty minutes to register, make plans and
book your flights. It's that easy.
And just to tempt you a little
further check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2atLmCnmaI
We look forward to welcoming you to COMS2008,
Puerto Vallarta.
MANCEF and ASME (American Society
of Mechanical Engineers) are holding the 2nd Integration and Commercialization
of Micro and Nanosystems International Conference, 3-5 June 2008,
at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon.
This conference builds on the highly successful
inaugural Integration and Commercialization of Micro and Nanosystems
International Conference, held in Sanya, Tainan, China, in January
2007.
The conference focuses on the very latest
in research and development and commercialization of Micro and
Nano technology – devices, systems, translation, manufacturing
and pathways to commercialization. This is the outstanding opportunity
of the year to see and hear of the dramatic developments in the
region, in particular in China, and to establish new networks
in this high growth environment.
The conference features local and international
plenary and invited speakers, poster displays and an exhibition.
Last year I was honored with the opening
keynote address and as with all MANCEF conferences, it proved
to be a wonderful venue to gain insight into activities, to re-meet
old friends I hadn't seen for some years and establish contact
with a new generation of young internationally looking pioneers
that I will continue to build relationships with into the future.
Globally we see great diversity in application focus and it is
this diversity that brings opportunities. Opportunities to collaborate,
educate and up-skill, assist in technology translation, transfer
and commercialization and establish new regional markets for existing
products and processes.
I encourage businesses looking to develop
opportunities in this rapidly growing marketplace to exhibit at
the conference and establish early relationships with the key
players.
For further information and registration
please see the conference website
The Nano Tech 2008 Expo and Conference
held again this year in Tokyo, Japan, 13-15 February is the
world's largest international nanotechnology exhibition. The 2008
Expo - the seventh - was attended by 49,365 visitors over the
three days with 522 exhibiting enterprises and organizations including
198 overseas exhibitors from 23 countries.
Nano Tech is a truly international event.
This year the German, UK, Korean and Taiwanese national stands
were as large as those of the leading Japanese companies and ministries.
Europe was represented with Government-supported exhibitors from
UK, Germany, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, France and Belgium.
The Canadian booth presented activities from Alberta and Quebec.
This year I again attended in the dual capacity
of President of MANCEF and as a member of the Australian delegation.
In these multiple roles I am very fortunate to be exposed to a
variety of activities.
From a MANCEF perspective our reputation
as a truly global player continues to grow and Nano Tech is a
great venue to catch up with many of our Asia Pacific members
as well as our members from around the globe.
NanoTech and its associated events presents
a packed agenda with business to business meetings, receptions,
forums, focus group meetings, etc and in amongst these activities
it is a sprint to cover all the exhibitors in order to keep abreast
of advances.
I was honored to have been invited to attend
the inaugural International Conference for Nanotechnology Business
Associations sponsored by the National Business Creation Initiative
(NBCI) Japan. The meeting was attended by the leading national
"Nano" business associations from various countries
around the world. Each was given an opportunity to describe their
activities and highlight particular issues and successes. Safety
and ethics continues to feature heavily. Taiwan announced that
it had commenced "accrediting" nanotechnology companies
acknowledging businesses producing true nano based products with
ten awarded to date.
The Australian team this year was joined
by 9 undergraduate students from La Trobe University's Bachelor
of Nanotechnology/Bachelor of Science degree and two secondary
school teachers from the St Helena SHINE program including Francesca
Calati, the winner of the Australian Prime Minister's 2007
Prize for Secondary Science Education. The inclusion of this group,
sponsored by La Trobe University proved to be such a highlight
and outstanding success I would like to encourage other universities
and corporations to consider sponsoring similar activities –
to provide the opportunity for students to attend the likes of
Nano Tech in other countries. We are all part of the global community
and the value of exposing our young people to world activities
is an unprecedented experience. The students were treated to a
reception in the residence of the Australian Ambassador to Japan,
Mr Murray McLean, OAM, attended by 80 Japanese business leaders
and Australian delegates, and chatted with various leaders of
the nano community including our MANCEF members Professor Hiroshi
Yokoyama, Director of the Institute of Nanotechnology, AIST, Professor
Yoshinobu Baba, Nagoya University, coordinator of the Nano-Bio
program at Nano Tech and Dr Junji Adachi, General Manager of the
Micro Machine Centre.
The student's presence attracted much
attention at the Australian stand, particularly from other national
delegates, as they engaged with visitors not only about their
own studies but also in promoting Australia's activities.
Their time was split between the Australian stand and visiting
all the other exhibitors.
At the end of the show I asked what they had all derived from
the experience and received a unanimous response of it being a "life changing experience". When questioned further
as to why such a grand statement they went on to explain that
whilst studying they are not heavily exposed to what is going
on in the world and were amazed not only at the scale of Nano
Tech 2008, but also of the scale of the various activities around
the world, the effort the different nations go to in supporting
and promoting their nano initiatives, the collaborative friendly
attitude of the people engaged in this industry, and the respect
they were given not only as individuals but as young Australian's
in the global marketplace. For myself an incredibly rewarding
experience and one that I would like to see MANCEF encourage around
the world. The most important message from Nano Tech
2008 was that nanotechnology is no longer simply an emerging technology
– it is now a real market. The expo also highlighted the
breadth and sophistication of the Asian nanotechnology activities,
particularly in materials science and manufacturing. Cleantech
and environmental technologies were again prominent. Energy and
fuel cells continue to be a growth area. There was considerable
interest in nanotechnology education. All nations have initiatives,
and are keen to share approaches and knowledge.
Nano Tech is an international showcase
that reflects the importance of MANCEF's mission.
|
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2nd edition roadmap is a "living document" that
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