Events
Nanotech 2004
From 14 - 17 July, 2004 about two thousand scientists from all over the world meet in Singapore to learn
and discuss major achievements and news in nanoscale science and nanotechnology. The NCCR Nanoscale
Science was represented by a keynote lecture on Nanomechanics given by Professor Christoph Gerber.
Common grounds for ethics, social and natural sciences
On July 1, 2004 the NCCR-workshop “Risks, Ethics & Doing Research in Nanosciences” took place
in Basel. The meeting brought together natural scientists as well as ethicists and social scientists. It
stimulated a lively dialogue covering a wide range of topics ranging from risk assessment, to ethical
issues contained in the interplay with technology and the changing relationship between science and
society. During the meeting it became clear for all participants that the concept of risk proved to be a
common ground for a dialogue between the different scientific disciplines and that concrete case studies,
more than philosophical reflections, are able to enhance the dialogue between the different disciplines.
(Mario Kaiser)
UniNacht 2004 – science, fun and much more
On 18th June 2004 the first UniNacht took place in Basel. Thousands of visitors used this excellent
opportunity to inform themselves about research and science at the University of Basel. The NCCR Nanoscale
Science participated with an introduction to nanoscale science by Professor Hans-Josef Hug and an exhibition
in the Pharmacenter. The highlight of the NCCR activities was the participation in the LABOrinth – an
interactive exhibition that was organized by students and staff from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
More than 300 guests visited the LABOrinth to learn more about science and research in physics and to catch
the stimulating atmosphere in the department. In 20 laboratories all visitors had the chance to take a look
over the shoulder of scientists and to learn more about the diverse research topics. Additionally, a quiz
invited all guests to explore the whole building and to find scientific answers that finally lead to a prize.
The whole LABOrinth fascinated visitors until late hours and euphoric comments from people between 8 and 80
could be heard until the building was closed.
Many thanks to all who contributed to this successful event.
Review Panel Site Visit
On May 24th/25th, 2004 the Review Panel visited the NCCR Nanoscale Science to review scientific results and
performance since the beginning of the NCCR in 2001, to examine our plans for the future and to advise the
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) whether the NCCR should be further funded.
Although this year’s Site Visit was the third since the beginning of the NCCR Nanoscale Science in
2001, there were five new panel members, consisting of Professors Folkers, Belcher, Leiderer, Reinhoudt,
and Welland who did not visit the NCCR during the last years. Together with the other reviewers Professors
Gaub, Hüfner, Ott, and von Löhneysen the new panel members informed themselves during the Site Visit by
presentations given by Professor Güntherodt, Professor Gäbler, the Rector of the University of Basel, and
the project leaders of the NCCR. They gave overviews of the achievements of the NCCR, presented scientific
highlights of their research and enthusiastically explained what their visions for the future looks like.
After two days of intensive dialogue, the speaker of the panel Professor Hüfner (University of Saarbrücken,
Germany), closed the Site Visit with the overall assessment and congratulated all participants of the NCCR.
He stated that the quality of our scientific work is world-class, that our organisation makes excellent use
of the allocated money and that hopefully this success story will continue with the support of the SNSF and
the University of Basel as leading house. The panel was deeply impressed with the quality of science that is
done within the NCCR, with our interdisciplinary approaches, and with the integration of groups within the
network like ETHZ, EPFL, Universities of Neuchatel and Zurich, CSEM and PSI. The members of the panel
appreciated our approach to restructure the NCCR into five projects and to discontinue projects that have not
yielded the desired results.
Bio- and Nanotechnology Mission to the United Kingdom
The NCCR Nanoscale Science represented Swiss nanoscale science during an official visit to the United Kingdom
from 3 to 6 May 2004 by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (seco), the Swiss Science Agency (SSA) and
the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET). The delegation headed by Jean-Daniel
Gerber, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Charles Kleiber, State Secretary for Science and Research, and
Eric Fumeaux, Director of the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology, consisted of over 70
representatives from federal administration, business and science. During the event Switzerland presented its
top achievements in the areas of biotechnology and nanotechnology and Professor Christoph Gerber introduced
the participants to the goals, achievements and visions of the NCCR Nanoscale Science.
Safety and Risks of Nanotechnology
On April 20 and 21, 2004 approximately 100 Swiss scientists meet in Lucerne to discuss safety aspects and possible risks associated with nanotechnology. During lively presentations and in workshops it became obvious that more studies on an excellent level of science are needed to analyze and to evaluate possible risks in nanotechnology. Additionally, it is crucial that all activities in this field are being made transparent to the public and that also the scientists become dedicated to efficient and good communication.
20 Years of Nano-Optics
On Aril 6th, 2004 a group of scientists from all over the world gathered in Basel to celebrate the 20th
birthday of nano-optics. During the meeting a number of renowned experts in the field gave overviews and
future perspectives of the field.
Nano-optics was sparked off in 1984 when Professor Dieter Pohl and his coworkers at IBM Rüschlikon forced
light through a subwavelength-size opening at the apex of an opaquely coated transparent tip to image for
the first time structures 20 to 50 nm in size, much smaller than the diffraction limit. Nowadays,
nano-optics is reaching new peaks of attention in context with nano-technology, photonics and bio-medical
applications.
Nanoscience in the snow
Twenty-nine participants attended the 2004 “Nanoscience in the Snow” meeting in Mürren from
March 31st through April 2nd. The whole group enjoyed lively presentations and discussions about the
respective research activities of each participant. These range from nanomaterials production to theoretical
modeling through molecular electronics and quantum transport. This enormous diversity of research topics
allowed the participants to get a good insight into science within the NCCR and to enhance exchange of
thoughts between the PhD students, PostDocs and professors from the various disciplines. Besides science
the meeting was an excellent opportunity to experience physical forces in the snow, to test biological and
chemical properties of nice food and wine and to enjoy early spring in the Alps. (Michel Calame)
Synergies in the scientific interchange - SPS annual meeting
The NCCR Nanoscale Science held its annual meeting 2004 within the framework of the SPS annual meeting in
Neuchâtel on March 3 and 4, 2004. Together with the NCCR on Materials with Novel Electronic Properties
(MaNEP) and the NCCR on Quantum Photonics, the NCCR Nanoscale Science reached not only the internal but
also external scientists from Switzerland and abroad. The annual meeting of the SPS proved to be a fruitful
platform for the scientific interchange within the NCCR and furthermore, it encouraged a lot of important
discussions between scientists coming from different fields. The combined presence of the three NCCRs was
appreciated by the attendees and gave a real boost to the SPS annual meeting itself.
The NCCR Nanoscale Science sessions were held throughout the two days comprising 34 oral and 11 posters
presentations. The presentations covered the whole spectrum of the enormous diversity of nanoscale science,
ranging from nanomaterials and nanotubes to spintronics and quantum computing, from self-assembly to the
ultimate limits of measurement. The discussions were stimulating and encouraging throughout the meeting.
Additionally, the interdisciplinary communication was enabled due to the plenary afternoon. The directors
of all three NCCRs gave excellent introductory presentations into their research fields, giving rise to the
emergence of new visions for the technology place Switzerland. The integration of the NCCRs into the SPS
annual meeting was considered a great success and we hope that this synergy in the scientific interchange,
finally, will become a tradition in the Swiss physical community. (Tibor Gyalog)
Interfaces between science and society
National centers of competence in research (NCCRs) aiming to provide new impact and ideas in their respective
research areas. However, they additionally have a function as interface between science and society. How other
institutions carry out this dialog and how successful their work is, was the topic of a workshop on interfaces
organized by the scientific academies of Switzerland in Berne in February 2004. The general assumption was,
that interfaces between science and society play an important role as mediator. They have to bundle existing
knowledge and impart it to society. Obviously, in Switzerland no additional institutional interfaces are
needed, however, partially, they have to look after their duties more efficiently.
Lord Sainsbury visits NCCR in Basel
Lord Sainsbury, minister for science and technology in the UK, visited the Institute of Physics in Basel
and the NCCR Nanoscale Science during his stay in Switzerland in December 2003. He was impressed with our
Nanocenter and showed great interest in the start-up companies that presented themselves during the visit.
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