The NNIN, expected to launch in January, will be led by Cornell University. Other member universities are Georgia Institute of Technology; Harvard University; Howard University; North Carolina State University; Pennsylvania State University; Stanford University; the University of California, Santa Barbara; the University of Michigan; the University of Minnesota; the University of New Mexico, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington.

Goals for the network go beyond academic research. They will also include educational efforts involving students from kindergarten through high school as well as industry outreach activities.