{"72364":{"#nid":"72364","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Ranks Georgia Tech Highly in Nanotechnology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology ranks third in the nation for the number of nanotechnology researchers that are \u0027highly cited\u0027 in peer-reviewed publications, and in the top ten for the number of first authors publishing in such journals.  Overall, Georgia Tech is among the nation\u0027s top 25 institutions for National Science Foundation (NSF) nanotechnology research support, and leads the South in such key indicators as the number of nanotechnology doctoral dissertations and nanotechnology prize winners.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe statistics are contained in \u0027Connecting the Dots: Creating a Southern Nanotechnology Network,\u0027 a study done through the Program in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy - a joint initiative of the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute and the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy - for the Southern Growth Policies Board.  Published in April 2006, the study evaluated the South\u0027s competitive position in the budding nanotechnology industry.  The study\u0027s research team evaluated five factors in nanotechnology - human capital, knowledge generation, research and development funding, patents and commercialization - for the period 1995-2004.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Traditionally, the South hasn\u0027t been viewed as having strengths in nanotechnology research, but in this study we show that there is a substantial amount going on here,\u0022 said Jan Youtie, one of the study\u0027s co-authors and a principal research associate in the Enterprise Innovation Institute  \u0022The big strengths are that 20 percent of all nanotechnology research publications in the United States come from the Southern region, and that four of the top 25 institutions in nanotechnology funding support are in this region.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Georgia Tech, the other three top-25 institutions from the region are Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University.  Though the collaboration between Georgia Tech and Emory University has won large federal grants for studying nanotechnology in the life sciences, those awards came after the report\u0027s study period, noted Youtie, who is also an adjunct associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Public Policy.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESponsored by the Technology Transfer and Economic Development Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the study examined nanotechnology activity in 13 states - plus Puerto Rico - served by the Southern Grown Policies Board, a public policy think-tank.  Texas and Florida, two significant players in nanotechnology, are not part of the Board\u0027s regional focus and so were not included in the study.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWithin the South, the study reported that the state of Georgia ranks:\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- First in the number of nanotechnology prize winners;\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Second in the number of nanotechnology publications;\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Second in the number of highly cited primary researchers;\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Second in the number of doctoral dissertations;\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Third in the dollar value of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards in nanotechnology areas;\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Third in the number of nanotechnology patents;\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Fourth in the dollar amount of nanotechnology-related grants from the National Science Foundation.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of Georgia Tech\u0027s strengths is its connections to other national and international nanotechnology research institutions.  \u0022Part of the reason that Georgia Tech has a leading position in the South is that we have a lot of researchers who are networked outside their departments to researchers elsewhere,\u0022 she explained.  \u0022This is a strength because many research advances occur by cross-fertilization with other departments and disciplines.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThough Georgia has strengths in nanotechnology research and development, it faces significant weakness in patents and the commercialization of technology, both key elements needed for a robust nanotechnology industrial community.  That\u0027s also true for other Southern states - and in other technologies, notes Philip Shapira, another co-author and a professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Public Policy.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We have growing research capabilities, but the real issue is whether we have the commercialization capabilities,\u0022 he noted.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThough Georgia has invested in developing startup companies, it\u0027s not yet clear what role early-stage companies will play in turning nanotechnology innovations into commercial products. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Nanotechnology is very pervasive across industry because it facilitates improvement in a broad range of products and processes,\u0022 Shapira said.  \u0022For example, we are seeing nanoparticles and nanofibers being introduced as parts of tires, microelectronics, clothing and biomedicine.  These industries are dominated by big companies, so this may be an area where big companies have a more important role to play than startups.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause the nanotechnology industry is young and will likely advance through several distinct growth phases, state efforts to gain leadership still have time to pay off, Shapira says.  To take advantage of the nanotechnology revolution, he adds, Georgia will not only have to attract more venture capital for startups, but also develop linkages with well-funded companies that have the resources to bring new products to market.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022None of these are easy or automatic, but they are areas that we have to push,\u0022 he said.  \u0022I think there is a window during which Georgia could emerge as a bigger player in nanotechnology commercialization if we can develop strategic policy action, as well as leadership on the business side.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article appears in the Fall 2006 issue of Research Horizons, the Georgia Tech Research Magazine.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:john.toon@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejohn.toon@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETechnical Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Jan Youtie (404-894-6111); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jan.youtie@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejan.youtie@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Phil Shapira (404-894-7735): E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:philip.shapira@pubpolicy.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ephilip.shapira@pubpolicy.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Strengths include cited authors, prize winners and dissertations"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"The Georgia Institute of Technology ranks third in the nation for the number of nanotechnology researchers that are \u0027highly cited\u0027 in peer-reviewed publications, and in the top ten for the number of first authors publishing in such journals.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Strengths include cited authors and prize winners"}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2007-01-16 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:03:29","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2007-01-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2007-01-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"72365":{"id":"72365","type":"image","title":"Professor Uzi Landman","body":null,"created":"1449177454","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:17:34","changed":"1475894656","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:16"},"72366":{"id":"72366","type":"image","title":"Professor Zhong Lin Wang","body":null,"created":"1449177462","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:17:42","changed":"1475894656","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:16"}},"media_ids":["72365","72366"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www\/pubpolicy.gatech.edu","title":"School of Public Policy"},{"url":"http:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/","title":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7582","name":"authors"},{"id":"7581","name":"citation"},{"id":"107","name":"Nanotechnology"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}