UC Santa Barbara's Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS), the Materials Research Lab (MRL), and the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) are inviting residents of the Santa Barbara area to attend a free public forum –– called "Nano-Meeter" –– to learn about new nanoscale materials and the future of batteries, fuel cells, and our energy needs.
The event will be held Thursday, March 11, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the University Club of Santa Barbara, 1331 Santa Barbara St.
"Nano-Meeter" is a series designed to allow scientists and the community to meet in a casual atmosphere and discuss nanotechnologies and their potential impacts. This session will feature Brad Chmelka, professor of chemical engineering and faculty researcher at MRL, whose innovative research in nanotechnology explores new materials for energy conversion.
Chmelka will talk about his research and the implications of these new materials on the electronic devices we use every day, and the promise they hold for new technologies. Rich Appelbaum, professor of sociology and global studies, and a co-principal investigator with CNS, will introduce Chmelka and moderate the discussion.
The public is invited to attend, listen, and participate. Refreshments will be provided. No science background is required.
Nanotechnology involves the manipulation and synthesis of new materials on a very small scale, the nanoscale. One nanometer is one billionth of a meter. By comparison, DNA is two nanometers wide, a red blood cell is 10,000 nanometers wide, and a single strand of human hair is 100,000 nanometers thick. Nanotechnology holds great potential in virtually every sector of the economy, including electronics, medicine, environmental monitoring, and energy. Nanotechnology is also an emerging science, however, and not everything is yet known about its risks and implications.
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