“We have a productive engagement in Ireland and we want to continue with that” said Mike Mayberry, Vice President, Technology and Manufacturing Group, Director, Components Research INTEL CORPORATION, during his visit to CRANN this week.

“The most disruptive technologies take quite a long time to become production ready. Typically for university projects, we aim for five to 10 years out,” said Mayberry. CRANN is comfortable with these timelines, having worked with Intel for the last six years. Intel works with around 100 universities across the globe but the relationship with CRANN is unusual, with Intel recruiting some of its researchers as well as placing five of its own people in Trinity.

A new nanoscience undergraduate degree programme was launched last week by Trinity College Dublin The course entitled ‘Nanoscience – Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials’, jointly run by the Schools of Chemistry and Physics, will provide students with a deep understanding of the science of advanced materials  such as superconductors, polymers and  lasers found in new technologies that underpin the nano revolution.   The first intake of students will be in 2011.

The Forfás report on Ireland’s Nanotechnology Commercialisation Framework 2010-2014 was launched by Minister for Science Technology and Innovation, Conor Lenihan, TD last week. CRANN welcomed the report on its recognition of the importance of Nanotechnology as a powerful growth engine for the Irish economy.

The European Research Council (ERC) has just announced the award of an ERC Starter Grant to Professor Jonathan Coleman, CRANN Principal Investigator and Professor in the School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin.   The prestigious ERC Starting Grants identify and support top scientists in Europe so that they will have the funding and encouragement to develop cutting edge technology. Prof. Coleman’s grant of 1.5 m euro will support his research group for the next five years.

There is not a strong public understanding of science in Ireland according to the Eurobarometer survey “Science and Technology” published in June. The objective of the survey was to assess European citizens’ general attitudes towards science and technology. 71% of Irish respondents were interested in science but just 56% felt they were moderately or well informed about science. Thus it appears that our interest in science and technology issues is not adequately met by the information supply.