Nano South Africa

http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours-2008-02-15.htm

Nano South Africa by Gregor Wolbring February 15, 2008

In this column I will outline the state of Nano South Africa. South Africa plays a crucial role in the introduction of new and emerging sciences and technologies in the sub-Sahara, and developments there influence how new and emerging sciences and technologies are perceived in sub-Sahara Africa and in Africa in general.

I have just returned from a visit there. A lot has changed since I talked about nanotechnology for the first time in 2002. There are also new developments in synethic biology, which I will deal with in a Synbio 4.0 column to be published later this year.

The World Nano-Economic Congress (WNEC) South Africa 2007 took place recently, presented by the Department of Science and Technology of the Republic of South Africa, and Cientifica, a leading nanotechnology consultant group. WNEC South Africa is the eighth international event in the series since it first began in Washington, D.C., in 2003.