The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), established in 2001, is now a collaboration of twenty
Federal agencies and Cabinet-level departments with shared interests in nanotechnology research,
development, and commercialization. These agencies recognize that the ability to understand and
harness the novel phenomena that occur at the nanoscale is already leading to revolutionary new
materials, devices, and structures. These advances promise to improve human health and quality of life,
enhance the U.S. economy, boost job creation, and strengthen our national defense. Since the inception
of the NNI, these agencies have invested more than $23 billion in support of cutting-edge research;
world-class user facilities for characterization, modeling, and fabrication; and the responsible transfer of
nanotechnology-based products from lab to market. As a result of these investments, nanotechnology
has become ubiquitous in our daily lives and can be found in a wide variety of commercial products
including healthcare products, cosmetics, consumer electronics, apparel, and automobiles.
Nanotechnology is poised to revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer, help
us improve our fitness, and reduce our energy consumption.
Under the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003, NNI agencies are
required to develop an updated NNI Strategic Plan every three years. This document represents a
consensus among NNI agencies on the high-level goals and priorities of the Initiative and on specific
objectives to be pursued over at least the next three years. The plan provides the framework under
which individual agencies conduct their own mission-specific nanotechnology programs, coordinate
these activities with those of other NNI agencies, and collaborate.
Over the life of the NNI, nanotechnology has evolved from an area of fundamental research focused on
understanding and exploiting the phenomena that occur at the nanoscale to what is now a broadly
enabling technology. Recognizing this evolution, the focus of the NNI has broadened from investments
in foundational (fundamental) research in nanomaterials and nanotechnology-enabled devices to
include activities directed at how these novel materials and devices can be incorporated into
nanotechnology-enabled systems. This update of the NNI Strategic Plan reflects that evolution and
addresses how the NNI agencies will collaborate with each other and the broader nanotechnology
community to expand the ecosystem that supports fundamental discovery, fosters innovation, and
promotes the transfer of nanotechnology discoveries from lab to market.
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