On June 2, Key Hyup Kim, director of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), paid a visit to AIST Tsukuba Center along with two senior researchers of KITECH. After exchanging greetings with Kodama, Director of Tsukuba Center, Igarashi, Research Coordinator and others, Director Kim and his party were given a basic explanation of the facilities by Kodama.

Kim showed great interest in Kodama’s explanation, actively asking questions and making comments. Finally Kim also gave a general explanation of KITECH. He explained that KITECH is a national research institute under the administration of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy of Korea, that its mission is to develop industrial technology for small and medium sized businesses, and that it is about one-fourth the size of AIST, with centers all over South Korea. Kim mentioned that KITECH was considering how to overcome the “nightmare” scenarios that can come up in working. He expressed his desire for cooperation between AIST and KITECH to find solutions to such problems, finally inviting Kodama and Igarashi to visit KITECH.

Kim and his party were then given a tour of the Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) related research facilities of the Networked MEMS Technology Group and the Nanoimprint Manufacturing Technology Group of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, with which KITEC is going to carry out joint research.

Dr. Geoff Garrett

It is necessary to clearly position AIST in the national innovation system and define its respective advantages in regard to other research organizations in order to differentiate AIST, for example its focus on ‘full research’. It is important to clarify and state AIST’s uniqueness in particular areas and how it can make a special contribution.

Second, I would like to emphasize the importance of networking in the innovation process, and mobility in facilitating effective technology transfer. This personal networking, and good communication skills, is often more important than scientific papers in transmitting our science outcomes: the roles that individuals play through this networking is very important in ensuring effective application of quality research.

Third, and relatedly, it is important to nurture leaders who can stimulate ‘porosity’, and move across fields of science and technology, for example those of the nano and the bio. As technologies increasingly converge, it is important to nurture a generation of individuals who can readily transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, collaborate effectively and move beyond the framework of usual organization hierarchy.

Fourth, it is very important that we clearly understand what the measures of success are, that we communicate these and that we cascade these measures throughout the organization. It is also important to reflect on possible unintended consequences: for example, if externally generated funding is a particular measure, this might drive some shorter-term focus than we might have intended. Therefore, we have to be very careful about how we measure performance in the context of the behaviours and outcomes we seek to achieve.

Finally, there are two meanings of the words “look out”. The first is “danger, or beware”. As this implies, we need to be vigilant around the increasingly competitive environment in which a publicly-funded research organization is operating, locally and internationally. Another meaning implies that our existence is only really justified by others, ie those outside our organization who are the effective recipients of our work and the difference our science makes in helping society advance. We have to watch an over-emphasis on matters internal, with our priority on our external contributions, commercially and socially.

Nanotechnology is expected to be a fundamental technology playing a major role in the next generation of industry. It has been one year since the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee on Nanotechnology was formed with the goal of more smoothly and effectively promoting research and development as well as industrialization of nanotechnology through their standardization. AIST was approved as a body for deliberations on TC229 within Japan by the Japanese Industrial Standards Committee (JISC), the representative member organization for ISO in Japan, and has led the secretariat, administering domestic deliberations with the cooperation of industry. This 2nd General Meeting was held from June 21 to the 23 at AIST Tokyo Waterfront.

With a representative group of 67 members from 16 countries including the U.S.A., U.K., France, Germany, Canada, China, and South Korea, five individuals from three liaison organizations, and more than 30 observers in attendance, Committee Chair Peter Hatto (BSI) called the meeting into session. The opening presentation continued with a welcome address by Satsuki Katayama from Parliamentary Secretary of Economy, Trade and Industry and a report on the status of industry and academia by Michiharu Nakamura, executive vice president of Hitachi, Ltd. Michiharu Nakamura and Seizo Morita, Professor Osaka University, driving home to each of the other countries the expectations on Japan’s nanotechnology sector and its great potential. The workgroups formed by the technical committee (WG1: Nomenclature System, WG2: Measurement and Characterization, WG3: Health, Environment and Safety) then engaged in debate over strategy. In particular, in WG2, in which Shingo Ichimura, Director of Research Institute of Instrumentation Frontier (RIIF) acts as International Convener, there was a presentation on the subject of standardization of measurement methods regulating carbon nanotubes and other nanomaterials by Akira Ono Vice President of AIST who is head of the Japanese delegation as well as other representatives of industry, resulting in the acceptance of basic policies and other notable results. While it was also brought up that there have been demands from regulatory authorities for emergency work concerning nanotechnology safety, strategic roadmaps will first need to be worked out among the workgroups. Concrete proposals for international standards will then begin at the 3rd General Meeting held in South Korea at the end of this year.