Romanian initiative in nanoscience and nanotechnology Dan Dascalu IMT-Bucharest

Content of this presentation Comments related the main lines of action of the Romanian nano initiative (published in the Micro and NanoTechnologies Bulletin, March 2004 issue).

1. An awareness campaign for researchers, industry and general public. The main actors, including the researchers themselves should be convinced upon the role of new technologies in using human resources for economic development. The context of global and regional changes is giving a chance to newcomers, if they are investing in knowledge. Needs sustained awareness campaign, but for start: Support from the European Commission: as the present workshop. Support from project ROMNET-ERA (IMT- Bucharest): meetings, publishing on web.

2. Evaluating resources and defining priorities and applications in the field, taking into account all Romanian public research systems: national institutes, universities, Romanian Academy and beyond….. The sources of information about the real resources are dispersed and incomplete. The evaluation of the real research potential is difficult, nor is it known to internal and external potential partners (including industry).

Inventory of resources: electronic databases Research centres Specialists Specific equipments Research infrastructures –Open laboratories (e.g. laboratories with multiple users) –Networks Infrastructures for innovation and technology transfer (see also section 6) –Technology transfer centres –Scientific and technological parks Participation to significant projects, financed from –National sources –International sources

RTDI Programmes National Programmes of Research and Development related to the field (self- evaluation of coordinators) and their results – in progress – MATNANTECH – CNCSIS: Engineering and nanosciences – Others

3. Reorienting the research in basic sciences according to the multidisciplinary vision of the nanoscience Nanoscience: a new way at looking at things

4. Education and training. Rethinking various curricula in the nano perspective; promoting training by research; stimulating a European career, providing human resources to private industry etc. Master of science programmes (see the following presentation) Training by research (multidisciplinary education of researchers)

5. Correlating the R&D programmes from the national plan for RTDI (application of new technologies in health, food quality, environment etc.), other national programmes (of CNSIS, Romanian Academy, as well as sectorial programmes) and correlating the future programmes within ERA –Correlation of national programmes (new materials and technologies in the benefit of life quality, sustainable development etc.). –Correlation with European programmes ERA-NET projects Art. 169 (perspective)

6. Striving at a long-term research-industry as well as a public-private partnership in developing and applying nanotechnologies; public research will provide more abundant human sources, as well as access to the technical /scientific structure. Romanian system of innovation. Infrastructures for innovation and technology transfer Technology transfer centres. Scientific parks Subject to another presentation

7. Achieving rapidly a critical mass in research by networking and by focussed investments (in correlation with EU projects, at the national scale) Consolidating the national network of nanoscience and nanotechnologies The role of the ROMNET-ERA project and other similar projects Developing the international dimension of this network Interaction of this network with education and industry Policy of the Ministry of Education and Research Inter-ministerial policy Cooperation with Romanian Academy

8.Developing scientific and technological parks in the field –Analysing the potential of the first scientific and technological in Micro and Nanotechnologies (MINATECH-RO), founded by IMT-Bucharest, University Politehnica of Bucharest, ROMES S.A., in a network with other Romanian and organisations –Studying the possibilities to create another scientific parks for nanoscience and nanotechnology and assembly them in a network –International networking

Competition and cooperation