On the 19-20th November, 2020, the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) hosted the “International Workshop on Nanotechnology for a Sustainable Future”. This virtual workshop brought together world leaders in nanotechnology to address current global issues, to meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) in nanotechnology & society, policy and science diplomacy, industry & innovation, energy & environment, devices for healthcare & communications, and resource management and the circular economy.
Researchers and governmental officials from four continents were present at this workshop including representatives from Japan’s Science & Technology Agency (JST), The University of Sydney Nano Institute (Sydney Nano) in Australia, and Nanotechnology research hubs in the Netherlands, and WIN members, researchers from other Canadian universities, and Canadian funding agency representatives.
The participating institutions have well-defined priority theme areas for 2020-21 each having excellent overlap, and discussed in the following five technical sessions:
Several of the session recordings can be found on YouTube.
- Session 1: Nanotechnology & Society, Policy and Science Diplomacy (UN SDG #8, 10, 16, 17)
- Session 2: Industry & Innovation (UN SDG #9, 11)
- Session 3: Energy & Environment (UN SDG #7, 13) Part 1
- Session 3: Part 2
- Session 4: Devices & Technology for Healthcare (including COVID-19) and Communications/Photonics (UN SDG #3, 9, 11)
- Session 4: Part 2
- Session 5: Resource Management and the Circular Economy (UN SDG #6, 11, 12, 13, 17)
- Session 5: Part 2