Developing and Enabling Nanotechnology Awareness-Building

The project SeeingNano was launched on the 1st of December 2014.. The project created visualisation tools for enhanced nanotechnology awareness through a coordinated collaborative approach: the target audiences identified in the proposal were analysed by socio-economic sciences and humanities (mainly by ZSI and BfRs), who elaborated and agreed on the most appropriate tool to address the respective audiences.
The scientific and technical content to be communicated through each tool to the respective audiences were provided by experts from the nano-phenomena research community in collaboration with experts from the risk-communication and nanotoxicology community, in order to provide the key audiences with an ability to ‘seeing at the nanoscale’. The aim was to foster an understanding and awareness for the breadth of nanotechnologies, and the uncertainties and potential risks connected to them. The resulting tools were flexibly designed for customisation by the nanotechnology stakeholder community, and supported by guidance documents on:

(a) the socio-economic aspects of awareness-building exercises on nanotechnologies,
(b) the science- and technology content and story boards on the nanotechnologyphenomena
and their potential risks, and
(c) the technical customisation of the tools provided.

The backbone of this repository was formed by the SeeingNano output: a set of good communication practices, developed and stress-tested within the project, supported by captivating customisable visualisation tools, to demonstrate the raising of awareness and understanding.

The Coordination and Support Action was kindly supported by the European Union under the H2020-NMP Programme and lasted until November 2016.

Team:

• Magª. Katharina Handler (project leader)
• Univ. Prof. Mag. Dr. Josef Hochgerner (external Senior Advisor)
• Dr. Margit Hofer
• Dr. Magª. ilse Marschalek
• Magª. Maria Schrammel

Section: Technology and Knowledge

Partners:

• Association Europeenne des Expositions Scientifiques, Techniques et Industrielles
• Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung
• De Proeffabriek
• PlayGen Ltd
• Studio HB
• Tomato Ltd
• Universtity of Leeds
• Nanotechnology Industries Association aisbl (Coordinator)

Tags: nanotechnology, visualisation