The Abstracting Team

Four of our Undergraduate  Scholars [M. Glenn Prince III, J.D. Shipman, William Vigen, and Michael Yehl] worked closely with Dr. David Berube to read important articles on nanotechnology and post abstracts on the project’s web site. Covering publications from Forbes to the J. of Nanoparticle Research, the abstracts focused on three key areas: natural sciences [emerging research, biological and chemical applications, toxicology, and environmental impacts]; political economy [venture capital, intellectual property, U.S. government initiatives, and international governmental activities]; and societal and ethical implications [popular perceptions, public participation, ethics of science, applied ethics, impact on the developing world, government responses to emerging technologies, and popular culture as a tool of communication]. 

The abstracting team met weekly to discuss their recent research findings and to brainstorm ideas for the next week’s research.  They produced abstracts for more than three hundred articles on nanotechnology.

Individual Research Projects

Four other students were involved with more individualized research projects. Each had a faculty mentor to work with as they explored a diversity of issues associated with understanding the role and significance of the newest and most far reaching aspects of the technologies underlying the realm of the nanosciences. While the research was individual, they met as a group every other week to discuss the progress of their research.

Kiti Kajana [mentor: Loren Knapp, Biology] was engaged in determining what effect advances in nanotechnology would have on third world countries, specifically Albania, whose economy has yet to recover from the demise of the Soviet Union. Would Albania embrace nanotechnology as an economic panacea to the extent that they become a testing-ground for new discoveries affecting human health?

Ashley Shew [mentor: Davis Baird, Philosophy] took a different approach by recognizing that different groups in our society perceive nanotechnology in different ways.  Thus, she was involved in codifying the ethics of nanosciences and nanotechnology through a series of interviews with scientists.

Jamie McIntyre [mentor: Chris Toumey, Anthropology] delved into the nature of the hopes and fears for the human implications of nanotechnologies. She was particularly interested in the creation of cyborgs and augmentations of the human body that may well change what it is to be called human.

Kathryn Vignone [mentor: Chris Robinson, Art] dealt with the images of nanotechnology, and how different viewers perceive them. Is it important how an image of a vanishingly small entity is created and propagated in the various media though which society is presented conceptual constructs of these materials?

Each of these projects is a work in progress, as is the entire endeavor inherent to the NIRT program at USC to understand the social and ethical ramifications of nanotechnology.  Kiti, Ashley, Jamie and Kathryn presented their work in April 2004 at the USC Honors College “Discovery Day,” and will continue to develop and refine their ideas in the upcoming year.