Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology has the potential to change the nation's economy and improve the standards of living. Recognizing this impact, U.S. federal funding for nanotechnology research and development has increased from approximately $464 million to $1.5 billion over the past eight years, with at least as much funding coming from the private industry as well. Today the Commonwealth is in a strong position to be competitive in nanomanufacturing, as well as other areas including characterization, carbonaceous nanomaterials and applications in nanobiomedicine, and nanoelectronics.

CIT fostered the state's nanotechnology sector, including creating the Virginia Nanotechnology Initiative (VNI), which brought together executives and researchers from industry, academia, and government to catalyze awareness of nanotechnology and spur nano-related collaboration among Virginia's universities, industry, and federal labs.

Nanotechnology is performed at colleges, universities, in industry, and at federal labs across the Commonwealth. James Madison University (JMU), George Mason University (GMU), Old Dominion University (ODU), Hampton University (HU), the University of Virginia (U.Va.), Virginia Tech (VT), and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) are among those involved in nano-related research and education. NASA Langley Research Center, the Jefferson Laboratory, and Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division are among the federal labs in Virginia engaged in nanotech research, in many cases with industry and/or academia. Virginia industry -- from many locations across the state, of all sizes, and with a variety of different focuses -- are involved in nanotechnology research, integration, and production.

In addition to these organization's own websites, find out more about nanotechnology by visiting the National Nanotechnology Initiative website.