The fact finding mission is scheduled as follows (please note the change in programme, starting now in RIO):

• 4-7 September, RIO DE JANEIRO, HOTEL COPA SUL -COPACABANA
• Workshop 5 September: Inmetro -Xerem Host: Carlos Achete.
• 7-9 September, CAMPINAS, HOTEL VILA RICA
• Workshop 8 September: CENPRA Host: Jacobus Swart
• 9-10 September, RECIFE, HOTEL BEACH CLASS
• Workshop 9 September: UFPE/RENAMI Host: Oscar Malta/ Petrus Amorin
• 10 -13 September, MANAUS, HOTEL SLEEP IN
• International Seminar MINAPIM, 11-13 September 2008, (www.suframa.gov.br/minapim), including NanoforumEULA workshop on MEMS / NEMS and Aerospace, 13 September. Host: Hernan Valenzuela. European researchers are welcome to attend and present papers.

The cost per person is USD 1.200 including: Air line ticket, hotels and transfer inside Brazil. Participants will have to cover the tickets to and from Brazil themselves. The mission begins in Rio de Janeiro and ends in Manaus.

NanoforumEULA publishes background article on Nanotechnology in Brazil

In the background article on Nanotechnology in Brazil, current and past research activities and policies on nanotechnology in Brazil are presented, based on literature and internet sources. This background information should be useful for Europeans interested in nanotechnology cooperation with Brazil. Download the article here: http://www.mesaplus.utwente.nl/nanoforumeula/nanotechnology_in_brasil/nanoforumeulabrazil2008.pdf

January 2008: A report on Nanotechnology in Argentina written by Ineke Malsch of Malsch TehnoValuation is published at the NanoforumEULA website.

NanoforumEULA issues reports  on Nanotechnology in Mexico

6 November 2007. The EU funded NanoforumEULA project has released three documents on Nanotechnology in Mexico:

- a report on the fact finding mission along nanotechnology research groups, companies and government organisations in Saltillo, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi and Mexico City, 24-30 August 2007;

- a who's who document listing individual nanotechnology researchers including their research interests and equipment;

- a diagnostic report on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the development of nanotechnology in Mexico and European-Latin American nanotechnology research collaborations.

Humberto Terrones and Mauricio Terrones have prepared a powerpoint presentation highlighting the key areas for potential international cooperation.

These documents are available for download elsewhere on the Nanoforum website (under publications), and soon also from the NanoforumEULA website www.nanoforumeula.eu

NanoforumEULA selection visiting researchers from Latin America

Mexico; Fraunhofer IWS

Ms. Vivechana Agarwal; Professor; UAEM; Mexico; MINATEC

Mr. William Javier Herrera; Professor; Univ. Nacional de Colombia; Colombia; MINATEC

Ms Sandra Denise Prado; Professor; UFRGS; Brazil; UAM

Ms. Yadira Vega-Cantu; Researcher; IPICYT; Mexico; MINATEC

Mr. Patricio Toro Estay; Researcher; Univ. de Chile; Chile; Fraunhofer IWS

Mr. Sergio Baron; Lecturer; CETAD-La Plata National Univ.; Argentina; MINATEC

Mr. Guilherme Osvaldo Dias; PhD student; State Univ. Campinas; Brazil; MINATEC

Mr. Luis Fernando Rojas-Ochoa; Postdoc; IPN; Mexico; UAM

Mr. Miztli Yolotzin Yepez Martinez; PhD student; UNAM; Mexico; UAM

Ms. Inga Tuzovskaya; Postdoc; CCMC-UNAM; Mexico; MESA+, UT

Mr. Juan Carlos Moreno Lopez; PhD-student; INTEC; Argentina; UAM

Ms. Jannett Hung; Postdoc; IVIC; Venezuela; UAM

Mr. Fernando Marques Freitas; PhD-student; ITA; Brazil; Fraunhofer IWS

Mr. Hugo Tiznado; Postdoc; CCMC-UNAM; Mexico; Fraunhofer IWS

Mr. Jose Alfredo Alvarez-Chavez; Fellow; CIO; Mexico; MESA+, UT

Mr. Edgar Zayago Lau; Assistant; Univ. Autonoma Zacatecas; Mexico; MESA+, UT

Ms. Erika Patricia Briones; PhD-student; IPICYT; Mexico; MESA+, UT

Mr. Velumani Subramaniam; Professor; ITESM; Mexico; MESA+, UT

NanoforumEULA catalyses EU-Mexican-Latin American Nanotechnology Cooperation

04-09-2007. The EU funded project NanoforumEULA brought together researchers, industrialists and policy makers from Europe, Mexico and other Latin American countries in a fact finding mission along nanotechnology research organizations in Saltillo, Leon/Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi and Mexico-City, from 24 to 30 August 2007. In some 90 presentations, nanotechnology research and interest in future collaborations was explored in Mexican, European and Latin American universities, research centres and companies. 200-300 people attended at least one of the events during the fact finding mission. Round table discussions explored the key challenges to be addressed, in order to focus the available resources on the needs of the Mexican research community and broader society. San Luis Potosi in the Middle, and Mexico State in and around Mexico City.

There is excellence in silver, gold and other metallic, oxide and mineral nanomaterials, plastics and composites, nanotubes and related materials and applications. A national nanoelectronics lab is being built in Puebla, south of Mexico City.

The scientific community is working hard to build new nanotechnology research networks. Metrology and standardization of nanotechnologies as well as potential risks of nanomaterials are a concern of the standardization institute CENAM. The Universidad de las Americas de Puebla (UDLA) is the first to offer a nanotechnology bachelors education curriculum, since 2006. Social and human scientists collaborating in the RELANS network are also interested in the economic, societal and environmental aspects of nanotechnology, and advocating broad interdisciplinary nanotechnology cooperation including natural as well as social researchers.

Main weaknesses include the lack of networking and coordination between researchers and the lack of investment in R&D in industry, as well as academic-industrial research relations. Until now, several dozens of nanotechnology patents have been registered in Mexico, including only 12 by Mexican innovators. The patenting organization IMPI is stimulating awareness among the country’s scientific and industrial research community about the need and ways to protect inventions.

Industrial interest

Several large and small companies in Mexico are interested in innovation using nanotechnology research results. The companies Peñoles (mining), Coyotefoods Biopolymer and Biotechnology and Palau Bioquim (life sciences), Nemak de Mexico (automotive components), Nanosoluciones (innovation support consultancy), Meccano de Mexico and Interplan (low cost housing), MABE Electrodomestics, A Shulman de Mexico (plastics and composites), CEMEX (cement), and FEI Company (research instruments) presented their nanotechnology research interests.

Societal needs

Especially in poorer rural areas, there is a great need for innovative water treatment technologies where nanotechnology can play a role, according to the Mexican Institute of Water Technology IMTA. Several building and construction companies are interested in using nanotechnologies for innovative cheap housing. The national Oil industry PEMEX may benefit from new nanomaterials and devices for improving its oil production and refining activities. Mexico can benefit most from developing products based on the countries rich resources of Silver, Gold and other metallic, oxide or mineral nanomaterials, and bionanotechnology products based on cactuses and other biodiversity products. Furthermore materials and devices for solar photovoltaics and fuel cells is a key topic of interest. The Ministry of Economy is currently developing a national nanotechnology strategy, which will be finalized beginning of 2008. Identifying niches for Mexican nanotechnology development is the next task to tackle in this process.

Other news: Nanoeducation seminar 24-28 September 2007, Mexico City

Contact Dr Armando Barranon, UAM-Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, bca@correo.azc.uam.mx

The European Commission issued a Communication "towards an EU-Brazil Strategic Partnership" on 30 May 2007. The partnership includes strengthening Science and Technology collaborations. Brazilian scientists can participate as equal partners in projects under the Seventh EU Framework programme for RTD, and Brazil is encouraged to fund their own participants if appropriate. The communication foresees joint RTD strategy development in areas of common interest (p 11-12). Under the ERASMUS-MUNDUS scheme, 30.5 million euro is reserved for funding scholarships for Brazilian students coming to Europe (p 13).

UNILAB and Madrid Laboratory Network to cooperate

The Argentinian system for recognising technical competences of academic calibration and testing labs UNILAB and the Laboratory Network in Madrid have signed a cooperation agreement during the XXVI Jornadas IRAM-Universidades - XIII FORO UNILAB in Buenos Aires, 26-27 April 2006. The aim is to exchange best practices and contribute to international standardisation. Source MadrI+D, 24 May 2007.

Brazil invests $50 million in CSEM do Brazil

The Swiss micro and nanotech research centre CSEM, Brazil and the state of Minais Gerais have signed an agreement on 31 October 2006 to install CSEM do Brazil, a joint venture of CSEM and the Minais Gerais institute for Integrated Development INDI. The aim is to support local high tech companies with research and technology development. Already in 2007, Brazilian and Swiss researchers will start working on R&D. After five years, CSEM do Brazil should have 40 staff members. To transfer the technologies developed in CSEM do Brazil to the local industry, MicroFab do Brazil will be built up, and reach 80 staff members and an annual turnover of $20 million in five years. The products will be sensors and actuators for the automotive industry, fluidics chips for biosystems, optical MEMS for telecommunication and micro-instruments for the nanotechnology market.

The EU funded NANOFORUMEULA project (1-12-2006-31-5-2008) stimulates nanotechnology research collaborations between Europe and Latin America. The project partners will organise exchange visits for twenty Latin American researchers, assisting them in spending three months in one of four European nanotechnology research laboratories. These organisations are:

University of Twente, MESA+ laboratory, Enschede, The Netherlands

MINATEC, CEA-LETI, Grenoble, France

Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology, Dresden, Germany

UAM, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

European interested researchers from public and private organisations are welcome to participate in two workshops and subsequent fact finding missions in Mexico and Brazil. The first workshop and fact finding mission will be organised in conjunction to the International Materials Research conference in Mexico, August 2007.

The partners in Latin America are:

IPICyT, Institute for Scientific and Technological Research, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

SUFRAMA, Superintendencia da Zona Franca de Manaus, Manaus, Brazil

Contact

Malsch TechnoValuation

Ineke Malsch

Vondellaan 90

NL-3521 GH Utrecht

The Netherlands

Tel: +31 30 2819820

Fax: +31 842 137482

E-mail: postbus@malsch.demon.nl

URL: www.nanoforumeula.eu or www.malsch.demon.nl

technical realisation:
VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH