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Sustainable
Nanotechnology School
“from Nano-Safety to Nano-Sustainability”
Antonio Marcomini, Danail Hristozov
Department of Environmental Science, Informatics
and Statistics, University Ca’ Foscari Venice, IT
EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON
DIGITAL AND KEY ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES SKILLS
ENHANCING SKILLS FOR COMPETITIVENESS, GROWTH AND JOBS
1 - 2 June 2015, Brussels
NanoSafety is key to Innovation
• Nanotechnology is one of the Key Emerging Technologies
identified in the European Union 2020 Strategy
• It has enormous potential to contribute to innovation and
economic growth -> large investments in developing new
industrial applications
• Uncertainties around the Environmental, Health and Safety
(EHS) risks of manufactured nanomaterials (MN) are raising
societal concerns that can block the benefits from
nanotechnology
• Sound scientific and policy analysis in regards to the EHS
implications of nanotechnologies is needed to protect
innovation
Growing demand in both the public and private
sectors of nanoEHS research experts
New Generation of NanoSafety
experts is needed
• There is need to train a new generation of creative,
entrepreneurial and innovative Early Stage Researchers
(ESRs) and professionals able to:
 Face the current and future challenges in NanoSafety
research
 Convert the resulting multi/inter-disciplinary knowledge
and ideas into products and services for economic and
social benefit
• These researchers and professionals should be able to
continue and consolidate their professional careers (across
the academic or non-academic sectors) as experts in
nanoEHS
• “Expert in nano-EHS/Sustainability” is an emerging profile
increasingly needed
NanoEHS Training at UNIVE
• UNIVE has significant experience in administering fellowships
for ESRs and outstanding programmes to address their
training needs:
 Since 1999 University staff have trained more than 1000 fellows
 UNIVE offers MSc Programmes in Environmental Sciences,
Science and Technology of Bio- and Nanomaterials, and a Joint
Degree in Sustainable Development as well as PhD Degree
Programmes in Environmental Sciences, Chemistry and
Computer Science
• 4 editions of the Nanosafety Annual School from 2009
to 2013
• 1st edition of the Sustainable Nanotechnology School in
2015 (more theory oriented)
• 2nd edition of the Sustainable Nanotechnology School
planned in January 2016 (more practice oriented)
1st Sustainable Nanotechnology
School
• Dates: 11th - 16th January 2015
• Place: Venice, Italy
• Participation:
41 PhD Students
4 Participants from Industry
3 Participants from Governmental Agencies
11 Postdoctoral Researchers
6 Academic/Medical staff
• Concept: Develop understanding of the EHS implications of
nanotechnologies to generate ideas on how to foster their
sustainable applications
• Shift from nano-EHS (topic of the previous NanoSafety
schools) to nano-innovation in order to strength the transfer
of existing nanoEHS knowledge into products through Safety
by Design concepts.
1st Sustainable Nanotechnology
School
• Organisers:
 Ca' Foscari Challenge School,
Venezia, Italy
 Leitat Technological Center,
Barcelona, Spain
 Institute of Occupational
Medicine, Edinburgh, UK
 The REACH Centre, Lancaster,
UK
Sponsoring Projects
EU FP7 Sustainable Nanotechnologies
(SUN)
MODENA COST Action
EU FP7 GUIDEnano
EU FP7 MARINA
School Objectives
• Tо have and train a critical mass of ESRs and professionals
in scientific, technical and transferable skills related to
nanotechnology R&D across different sectors and scientific
disciplines
• To develop original expertise in a variety of research areas
related to EHS and innovation through integrated and
comprehensive training
• To transfer state of the art knowledge from well established
experts to the new generation nanoEHS professionals
• To help develop a new professional profile (i.e. nanoEHS
expert)
• To contribute to strengthening the EU innovation capacity
Target Audience
• The 1st Sustainable Nanotechnology School was especially
designed for personnel from:
 Research and academic institutions
 Industry
 Governmental agencies
 Hospital departments
• The School is aimed at PhD students, young scientists,
senior researchers, and in fact anyone dealing with
nanosciences, nanotechnologies and nanosafety
School Methodology
• Combination of theory oriented lectures and journal clubs
• The School methodology was intended to support the attendees in
developing:
 Knowledge and technical skills in specific subjects of interest
 Key transferable skills (e.g. communication, networking, and
teamworking)
 Understanding of how their own research is contributing to
wider contexts and to certain European objectives (e.g.
responsible development of nanotechnologies)
School Topics
The school theoretical lectures cut across six main subjects:
1. (Eco)toxicological Risk Assessment
2. Exposure Assessment and Monitoring
3. Life Cycle Impact Assessment
4. Safety by Design
5. Industrial and Regulatory Perspectives on Nanotechnology
6. Ethical Issues in Nanotechnology Research
Journal Clubs
• Journal clubs are groups of lecturers and attendees who
critically evaluate recent research papers in the scientific
literature
• Discussions address topics such as the appropriateness of
the research design, the statistics employed, the suitability of
the controls used, etc.
• Example:
JOURNAL CLUB: Human and Environmental Exposure Assessment of
Nanomaterials
Two parallel sessions
Group 1
Human Exposure Assessment of
Nanomaterials
Keld Alstrup Jensen
Group 2
Environmental Exposure
Assesment of Nanomaterials
Geert Cornelis
Fadri Gottschalk
Lecturers from 12 EU countries, U.S.
and Israel
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EMPA, Switzerland
ETSS, Switzerland
Nanotechnology Industries Association,
Lisbon, Portugal
EC Joint Research Centre, EU
European Commission, Brussels,
Belgium
Environmental Protection Agency, USA
University Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy
University of Leeds, UK
The Institute of Science and Technology for
Ceramics, Faenza, Italy
University of Bremen, Germany
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
National Research Centre for the Working
Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
University of Gdansk, Poland
University Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain
Tel Aviv University, Israel
Institute of Occupational Medicine Edinburgh, UK
Malsch TechnoValuation, Utrecht, Nederlands
Venue
School Impact
• Enhance research- and innovation-related human resources
and skills to help in realising the full potential of the ESRs and
practitioners attending the school
• Contribute to the education and training of qualified R&D
human resources, fundamental to the development of a
knowledge-based society
• Educate the new generation of nanoEHS & innovation
experts, preparing them for successful R&D careers across
academic, industrial and regulatory organisations
• Raise the attractiveness of a R&D career for ESRs in line with
the EU policy to increase the interest/involvement of young
researchers in science and technology
• Facilitate exposure of the attendees to both the academic the
non-academic sectors, thus potentially contributing to
intersectorial mobility
• Then, after the School, questionnaires to each participant in
order to quantify satisfaction and expected impacts
Contribution to EU Policy
Objectives
• European policies:
 Europe 2020: A European strategy for smart, sustainable and
inclusive growth
 Strategic framework – Education & Training 2020
 Education for sustainable development
 The social dimension of education and training
 Key competences for a changing world
• Contribution to policy objectives:
 Responsible development of nanotechnologies
 At least 20% of higher education graduates and 6% of 18-34 yearolds with an initial vocational qualification should have spent some
time studying or training abroad
 The share of employed graduates (aged 20-34 with at least upper
secondary education attainment and having left education 1-3
years ago) should be at least 82%
Policy recommendations considered in
developing the school
• Reference documents:
 European Commission. Realising a single labour market for
researchers. 2008
 European Science Foundation. Agents for Change: Bringing
industry and academia together to develop career opportunities
for young researchers. 2002
 European Council. Conclusions on a strategic framework for
European cooperation in education and training. 2009
 European Council. Conclusions on enhancing partnership
between education and training institutions and social partners in
the context of lifelong learning. 2009
Acknowledgements
Organising team:
Sara Alba
Elisabetta Beda
Antonio Marcomini
Danail Hristozov
Stella Stoycheva
Judith Friesl
Amro Satti
Socorro Vázquez
Financial:
European Commission
via
Thanks for your
attention!