Final Report Summary - NMP-DELA (NANOSCIENCES, NANOTECHNOLOGIES, MATERIALS AND NEW PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES DEPLOYMENT IN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES)
Executive Summary:
NNMP-DeLA objective was to develop a series of activities between European and Latin American countries, aiming to strengthening the local research and industrial competitiveness, as means to achieve the goal of deployment of Nanomaterials technologies on those areas of major social challenge in Latin America: energy, water and Health.
Activities awere performed in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Europe, with the participation of local governmental representatives.
Generic NMP-DeLA results concerning NMP:
It is important to realise that most of the research in LA concerning nanotechnologies, nanosciences, mate-rials and new production technologies (NMP) is still at the level of basic research and that there is a lack of educated nanoscientists and nanoengineers and of research equipment, infrastructure and disposables (chemicals and materials for experiments). An important element of the roadmap is therefore to focus on capacity building for research in nanoscience and nanotechnology in LA, to create the conditions for nano-innovation in the long term.
This can be achieved through:
- Consolidating and strengthening existing collaborations between Latin American and European part-ners within the wider NMP-DeLA Community of Interest.
- Bridging the gap between academia, industry and other stakeholders for capacity building.
- Improving networking to overcome fragmentation.
Policy makers from Europe and LA should strengthen the local capacities for innovation in nanoscience and nanotechnology by agreeing a common long term strategy and by pooling resources for common research and innovation priorities as part of the European Union and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) policy dialogue. One of the key issues is a lack of reliable long term funding. The European Horizon 2020 programme offers a good starting point with its 7-year budget horizon. However, it is important that national funding within Latin America is also coordinated, as well as with European, North American and other funding sources including World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and preferably also venture capital. The participating Ministries in NMP-DeLA (from Argentina: the Ministry for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation and from Uruguay: Education and Culture, and Industry, Energy and Mining) and the European Commission should take the initiative for such coordinated funding. As Brazilian and Mexican federal and state funding councils must fund their own researchers participating in projects in the EU H2020 programme, these should be engaged in coordinating funding strategies from the start. .
A balanced funding strategy is needed including research, infrastructure, education, as well as environment, health and safety (EHS) and ethical, legal and social aspects (ELSA). The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) focuses on training and capacity building of governments in developing countries and has published a pilot “Guidance for Developing a National Nanotechnology Policy and Programme” (UNITAR, 2011). This could form the basis for such regional coordination in LA as well as EU-Latin American cooperation.
The current work of the Argentinean Ethics Board CECTE on a code of conduct for nanotechnology research could offer a starting point for introducing Latin American perspectives in the EU-Latin American dialogue on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). On the European side, the materials and methodologies collected in the RRI-tools project can also foster the discussion on a common approach.2
Education, awareness raising and communication to policy makers and the general public are needed and should be implemented early enough to allow for change of status in the applications of nanotechnologies for societal challenges in LA. These can build upon existing initiatives including the South and Meso-American Research Centres for Fundamental Research3, NanoAndes4, NanoDYF5, ReLANS6 and RENANOSOMA7.
Project Context and Objectives:
Project incentive and objectives:
The NMP-DeLA project brings together partners and experts from across Latin America and Europe to develop a series of activities between the two regions, to strengthen the local research and training potential, as means to achieve the goal of deployment of new, advanced and enabling technologies in areas of major social challenge in Latin America: water, energy and health.
Project approach:
NMP-DeLA is a support action funded by the EU under FP7 for two years from 1st September 2013. It aims to facilitate the deployment of advanced and enabling technologies in areas of major social challenge in Latin America through the following strategies:
* Mapping, Strategy Development and Recommendations:
• Pooling knowledge on the deployment of advanced materials to meet social challenges of specific regions .
• Bringing together and engaging local and regional expertise, experts and local stakeholders, to identify good practices, involvement of local knowledge innovation capacity, and to identify niches for future collaborations and engagement.
• Evaluating projects and initiatives that have the described objectives and assess their impacts on social indicator developments.
• Analysing quantitative and qualitative results with regard to policy preferences and feed into tailor-made recommendations, policy briefs and fact sheets to inform expert workshops and summer schools.
* EU-LAC Networking, Consultation Dialogue and Open Innovation Platform:
• Establishing and engaging the NMP-DeLA community of international experts and stakeholders in real and virtual hearings and collaborative workshops on the continuous elaboration and assessment of the innovation strategy and roadmap;
• Providing support to researchers, scientists and organizations to facilitate their engagement with business and industrial partners, and policy makers.
• Supporting the development of a long-term sustainable platform through which collaborative relationships can be formed
• Based on workshop conclusions beneficiaries will define research priorities, industrial challenges, technology gaps and propose collaborative R+D projects
* Education, Training and Skills Provision:
• Organising two Summer Schools to put together training materials and educational events to increase the educational and entrepreneurial knowledge base of the scientific communities in Latin America and the EU.
• Addressing barriers to the deployment of nano- and/or materials technologies in societally beneficial applications in Latin America and EU, coordinating the networking and knowledge activities, and covering both.
Communication and Dissemination:
• Disseminating information about all activities: workshops, summer schools, online events and the outcomes.
• Keeping stakeholders in LAC and Europe informed of the latest developments, partnering and collaboration opportunities, possible synergies and exploitable openings in the NMP innovation chain.
• Facilitating interaction and collaboration with other innovation initiatives, outreach activities complementary projects, professional networks, and stakeholder entities via a searchable community database, the project website, e-newsletters and proactive interfacing at key events.
Project Results:
MAPPING, STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This work was aimed at reaching the following objectives:
• Identification of stakeholders, experts and relevant projects to be included in the NMP-DeLA community interest.
• Develop a set of indicators for the impact of nano research on societal challenges in health, water and energy.
• Produce innovation strategy and roadmap for NMP in health, water and energy.
• Follow up about exchange of scientist and industry involvement.
- Development of Deliverable D2.1 Mapping of Advanced Materials Deployment for Societal Challenges: Health, Energy, Water. Although a first version of the mapping was completed during the first year of the project, three revisions were carried out in order to add or correct information and improve the text for public dissemination. Scientific articles and conference communications were prepared, based on the report, in order to communicate the result to broader academic audiences.
- On the basis of results of the qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, and online consultation) a final set of impact indicators for nano health, water and energy deployment has been developed and integrated in a separate chapter into the generic roadmap. The indicators are based on recommendations and expected impacts which were formulated by the interviewed stakeholders and experts in the 3 areas. Preliminary indicators were discussed, validated and amplified in follow-up NMP DeLA focus groups. Additional desk research was done on nanotechnology indicators to complete our results. The final list of indicators has been reviewed by the Dr. Mark Morrison and adapted according to his comments (independent expert in the nanotechnology sector).
-NMP-DeLA Activities aimed at fostering scientific and industry involvement. In this context, mapping and follow-up of incentives/activities for exchange have been promoted (reported on D25” Exchange of scientist and industry involvement mapping and Follow-up).
The main activities in which the promotion relies during the second year of the project are:
• Promotion of calls, Grants & student exchange, events.
• Workshops participation (Nanowater & NanoEnergy- México and Brazil, NanoIndustry- Chile ).
• Summer School participation (Nanowater & NanoEnergy- México).
• NMP-DeLA web-based platform.
• Matrix for stakeholder involvement (update).
• Experts interviews for the roadmap (mainly for water and Energy sectors).
• Focus Group (Nanowater & NanoEnergy- México and Brazil).
Conclusions:
• Important outputs have been produced, namely the Mapping (D2.1) and the Roadmaps (D2.4). All outputs are based on participatory research and will serve to the interested community as valuable background documents with new and unique information on the deployment of nanotechnologies in the LAC context.
• Outputs were disseminated as widely as possible by using different communication tools. NMP DeLA newsletter informed the community of interest of all project outputs; Conference papers and presentations as well as a book chapter in a publication on nano safety intended to reach the wider interested public; concise fact sheets were developed to reach and inform policy makers on specific issues.
EU-LAC NETWORKING, CONSULTATION DIALOGUE AND OPEN INNOVATION PLATFORM
This work was aimed at reaching five objectives:
• Identification of stakeholders, experts and relevant projects to be included in the NMP-DeLA community interest.
• Network activities management and interaction with stakeholders.
• Expert’s workshop Methodology development and Preparation of four Experts Workshops.
• Follow-up and communication results analysis.
The project realized the 4 workshops planned, 3 of them in this second reporting period. They were:
Focus: NanoHealth
Local: Buenos Aires-Argentina
Dates: 19-20.05.2014
Organization: The “Nanohealth” workshop was co-organized by partners MINCYT, EUROCHILE Foundation and MEC, and in with the close collaboration with VTT, ZSI, MTV and EURECAT.
Number of attendees: 63 attendees
Origin of participants (presenters and audience): Europe and Latin Americas
Overall impression and contribution for the deployment of nano in LAC
The “Nanohealth” workshop main objectives were:
• Share expertise and good practices between experts from both regions.
• Identify topics of common interest to promote joint R&D projects, human resources training and organize activities in the framework of existing initiatives.
• Establish the bases for the creation of a network of EU-LAC experts in NanohealthNanohealth
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: This was a unique event focusing on Nanohealth, providing a great opportunity to analyse and share new developments in nanotechnology, nanoscience and new production technologies in the fields above mentioned. The NanoHealth workshop gathered a significant number of relevant actors in terms of research on nanohealth, such as expert evaluators, researchers, policy makers, managers, government agencies, students, etc. In the workshop it was taken the initiative of creation of a bi-regional network, joining efforts of institutions present, thus creating the environment to build potential research consortia and identify new initiatives in which experts from both regions could participate together.
Focus: Nanowater and nanoenergy
Local: Monterrey/Mexico
Dates: 10-13.11.2014
Organization: The workshop was held together with the Nano-Monterrey 2014 International Forum, which constituted the technical section of the workshop & summer school activities of the NMP-DeLA Project. Local organizers were: Institute for Innovation and Technology Transfer and the Monterrey International City of Knowledge Program, together with the Advanced Materials Research Center (CIMAV) and the Nanotechnology Cluster of Nuevo Leon A.C. NMP-DeLA partners coordinating the work were VTT, CIMAV, ZSI, MTV, EURECAT.
Number of attendees: 700 attendees (Nano-Monterrey Conference and NMP-DeLA WS)
Origin of participants (presenters and audience): Europe and Americas
Overall impression and contribution for the deployment of nano in LAC
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: The event featured the participation of many experts in the field of nanotechnology, including researchers, government officials, policy makers, managers, students, and professors. It allowed for a high level of networking, which is the first step towards building the ideal environment for institutional cooperation and, ultimately, research consortia and projects.
Many of the speakers at the event noted that worldwide progress in nanotechnology can only be achieved through the synergistic participation between governments, research institutions, universities and the public in general. High quality international cooperation is fostered by a strong relationship between the diverse projects that exist in the framework of the European Commission.
This workshop was strongly positive. It is possible to conclude that NMP DeLA project has served as a link between the different actors working in the field of the Nano Energy & Nano Water, being the first step for future activities in order to increase the participation of Latin America in European initiatives and projects.
Focus: Nano for industry,
Local: Santiago/Chile
Dates: 02-03.12.2014
Organization: Fundación Empresarial Comunidad Europea Chile (EUROCHILE), the Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), with the support of VTT, ZSI, MTV, ASCAMM, MINCYT, MEC.
Number of attendees: 115 attendees (32 presenters)
Origin of participants (presenters and audience): Chile, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, United Kingdom and United States of America.
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: The whole congress was very well received by participants and exponents. As for Chile only, it showed the reality of an existing local nanotechnology sector (which today still lacks development and is known by only a few), and of a national interest and curiosity about it. The need of networking and of building links among R&D, industry and society, in Chile itself as well as with foreign countries, has been clearly mentioned by the local stakeholders, and the workshop also served this purpose as it was a first occasion for most of them to meet. New collaborative projects are currently being working on by different groups, and there is hope for them to results in a better and more widely spread knowledge and use of nanotechnology in the country. However, the support from local authorities, quite weak, to build the network needed and developing emerging new technologies in general (at business and industry levels) is a difficulty that still has to be overcome, as the priorities are put in others sectors.
The workshop was a first opportunity to start developing the nanotechnology sector in Chile, which already exists but suffer from a lack of collaboration and general national ignorance. The opportunity for meetings with and among local stakeholders and of these with international stakeholders has been a first step towards a better synergy and development, inside Chile and across borders.
Focus: Nanowater and nanoenergy
Local: Curitiba/Brazil
Dates: 28-29.05.2015
Organization: ReLANS, with the support of VTT, MTV, EURECAT, REDINN
Number of attendees: 64 attendees
Origin of participants (presenters and audience):
Countries of origin: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, France, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria.
Sector of activity: researchers, professors, graduate and undergraduate students, policy makers, industry federation, industrial education service, technical school, S&T diplomatic representative, NGO.
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: The Workshop on Nanotechnology Applications on Water and Alternative Energies was a relatively small meeting. However, the proximity of the participants helped to build an intense communication among them.
The event was a good opportunity to present research advances by many experts in the fields of nanowater and nanoenergy from different Latin American and European countries. Several challenges in energy and water are common to the Latin American region, and other challenges are shared by more industrialized countries. This situation calls for more collaborative approaches, and the workshop started to build some partnerships. In addition, government representatives from the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) participated actively during the whole event, offering support to different initiatives. This is very important once Brazil is the leading Latin American country in terms of research in the areas of nanowater and nanoenergy and could act as a leader in order to promote research networking.
Another important impact is that, after the meeting, the Coordination for Nano and Micro Technologies of the MCTI proposed to centre the Brazilian Nanotechnology Initiative in the sectors of energy, water and health, and invited participants to the workshop to write a proposal.
In Colombia, the Colombian Nanotechnology Network, the leader of which attended the Workshop, is also proposing a National Nanotechnology Program focused in Water Remediation and Alternative Energies.
Conclusions
• The activities planned for the period have been accomplished. Special emphasis to mention to the very positive impact of the organization of joint events, in regards to the WSs in Chile and Mexico. These reach quite high number of stakeholders. Anyhow the “small” WS that happened in Brazil had important impact as well as some concrete policy focus were defined in there. This might be due also to the previous activities of NMP-DeLA.
EDUCATION, TRAINING AND SKILLS PROVISIONS
This work expected to reach the following objectives:
• Put together training materials and educational events on how ensuring the deployment of nano and/or materials technologies in societal beneficial applications in Latin America and EU.
• Identification of tangible opportunities for knowledge pool in the fields of healthcare, clean energy and water.
• Support to the networking and knowledge activities, focusing in covering both educational and entrepreneurial aspects.
• Organization of side events (as webinars and small seminars) and knowledge sharing training (summer schools).
Methodology of the school have been defined and tested. Improved methodology has been adopted for the second course. Preparation includes: setting of calendar, agenda, topics and presentations, identification of experts and students, training material, etc. This was performed with the supporting partners, but mainly with the local hosts.
In accordance with the NMP-DeLA Project Description of Work, the first summer school was organized in Argentina, from the 20th to the 23rd of May 2014, and in conjunction with another key NMP-DeLA event, the Nano for Health Expert Workshop.
Following internal discussions, the NMP-DeLA consortium chose the prestigious Fundacioon Pablo Cassaraa as the venue for the summer school. The venue offered two suitably sized rooms that could each host over 25 people quite comfortably with a large central area in between. This meant that the Summer School and Expert Workshop could be hosted simultaneously, thereby enabling greater interaction between participants of both events.
The second summer school was organized in Mexico, from the 10th to the 13rd of November 2014, and in conjunction with another key event on Nanotechnology, the Nano-Monterrey 2014 International forum
Study visit: One researcher) has been selected among the participant in the summer school, ticket and allowance paid. The study visit, for academic reasons, will be held in October 2015 in the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) and will be focused on Nanotechnology applied to water.
Conclusions
• The two Summer School achieved all their objectives. Some difficulties were faced (mainly logistics) for the organization but thanks to a good communication among all the partners involved the consortium managed to solve the aforementioned problems.
• Students were satisfied with the selection of the speakers.
• All the activities planned have been implemented.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION
This package expected to reach the following objectives:
• To disseminate information about all activities performed during the project, including all workshops, summer schools and online events, as well as the results achieved.
We implemented and developed a dedicated NMP-DELA project website with features and functionality enhancing its use as a dissemination and communication platform. The web tools were designed for use by all stakeholders in the innovation chain for interaction and engagement, and for partners to report on all project output and publicize future project events. The domain name is www.nmpdela.eu.
Partners have identified events and conferences in which its members participate, in order to represent the NMP-DeLA project and deliver presentations about the scope and activities of NMP-DeLA. An example is:
• ReLANS has disseminated the proceedings of the workshop in Curitiba via internet (D5.4) and has authored several publications on results of NMP-DeLA (e.g. publication named “Panorama of research activities in nano energy and nano water in Latin America” or publication named “Nanotechnology for social challenges: Latin American research in the areas of health, energy and water ”).
• During the second year of the NMP-DeLA project they have engaged in six events in Latin America to present results. They will also disseminate results to the international community of nanoscience and society experts in Montreal in October 2015, after the end of the project.
• In the second year, MEC has disseminated results of the project during 18 (series of) workshops, conferences and other outreach activities in Uruguay and online.
• EURECAT, has participated in webinar and online conferences/interviews for LAC, promoting the NMP-DeLA roadmap results and H2020 call targeting nanotechnology topics.
Regular short bulletins have been distributed to the NMP-DeLA LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=7447999 . This has 60 members (on 26-08-2015).
To implement D5.6 in 2015, quarterly newsletters 3, 4, 5 and 6 have been disseminated to the e-mail list of NMP-DeLA community of interest members. Newsletters 3-5 have been disseminated to 150 subscribers and newsletter 6 to 335 subscribers.
NMP-DeLA: Newsletter and Bulletins : A project newsletter has been compiled and disseminated on a quarterly basis, serving as a communication vehicle between all partners, stakeholders and the wider community, promoting the different call, grants and exchange opportunities between LA and EU regions.
- NMP-DeLA newsletter (6)
- the NMP-DeLA policy brief
- the fact sheet on funding NMP
- the fact sheet on nano, water and mining
- the fact sheet on nanoeducation
- the fact sheet on nanoenergy
- the fact sheet on nanosafety
- the fact sheet on nano for tropical diseases
The final conference has been held distributed over three events. This includes:
• The CELAC-EU Academic Summit 2015 on Monday 8 June 2015 in Brussels.
• The EURONANOFORUM 2015 conference on 10-12 June in Riga, Latvia.
• The EU-SPRI conference also on 10-12 June in Helsinki, Finland.
All in all, around 150 participants including policy makers, academics and industrialists attended one or more of the presentations on NMP-DeLA findings. The report, D5.7 is submitted to the EC by end of August 2015.
Several publications (paper and books) disseminating project results.
Conclusions:
• During the project, the dissemination plan has been implemented as planned. In addition, regular bulletins and a project newsletter have been designed, compiled and disseminated through the identified channels.
• The partners intend to continue disseminating the results of the project through follow-up engagements.
ETHICS AND GENDER ASSESSMENT
• The Ethics and Gender committee has been launched during the NMP-DeLA Kick-Off Meeting (KOM). The, ethics has been explicitly addressed by all partners in the road mapping, the networking, the education and training and the communication and dissemination.
-Ethics in the roadmap
Ethical, legal and social aspects of NMP were explicitly addressed in the NMP DeLA Roadmap. During the collection of qualitative data (interviews, focus groups, workshops) the involved persons were confronted with ELSA: e.g. ELSA was discussed as an issue of special concern in all focus groups. It was also intended to have gender equality in the focus groups and interviews. If this could not be reached, it was addressed as an issue by the moderators. The final roadmap includes explicit chapters on ELSA as well as impact indicators for ELSA.
-Interest in ethical, legal and societal aspects of nanotechnology in the NMP-DeLA Community of Interest
The Latin American network for Nanotechnology and Society (ReLANS) is organising social and human scientists studying ethical and societal aspects of nanotechnology all over Latin America. In addition to this established network, several projects funded by CYTED, the EU and others are or have in the past been stimulating research, networking and communicating about ethical, legal and societal aspects of nanotechnology, involving ReLANS members as well as other research groups. These include the recently finished network Jose Roberto Leite NANODYF and an earlier nanotechnology network funded by RedCLARA.
Currently, the Ibero-American Network for Nanotechnology (RIN) that started in 2014 already has members from nineteen Ibero-American and two other countries. It aims at communicating about nanotechnology to the general public.
-National initiatives
While the Argentinean National Committee on Ethics in Science and Technology CECTE has organized an international conference on adapting the European code of conduct on nanotechnology research (EC, 2008) in 2008 this has so far not resulted in an Argentinean code of conduct for nanotechnology. Instead, it has published more general “Propositions for a socially responsible science and technology” (CECTE, 2013). This includes seven main principles as well as guidance for individual researchers and research organisations. The seven main principles are: respect for human rights, consolidation of democratic values and practices, contribution to peace and justice with special attention to the most vulnerable sectors, care for the environment, biodiversity and the biosphere as a whole, open access to knowledge and information, equal access to the benefits of knowledge, freedom of research and the development of the capacity for critical analysis and innovating creativity.
In Mexico, there is an ongoing study aiming for a revision of the existing regulations and incentives for creating new technologies, like public centres with proper brands (marcos propicios) for technology transfer targeting societal problems. The aim is developing a map for knowing how nanotechnology can be done and disseminated to the market and society, in which regions. This information is according to a participant in the workshop in Monterrey, Mexico.
In Chile, all FONDECYT grants make it obligatory to evaluate societal opportunities. Most consortia engage in public awareness (TV, newspapers, school), this stimulates multidisciplinary research involving natural and social scientists.
-Communicating ethics
The main ethical issues are Privacy issues, data protection and IPR. Participants were asked for permission prior to filming and photography. All authors are asked for permission before Summer School and Workshop presentations are published on the web to protect sensitive information, data that should not be in the public domain, IPR and personal data protection. Focus group participants identities are protected on request no filming or photographs. Comments are not attributed to individuals for reasons of privacy and data protection. Web platform has secured access and is password protected for certain areas. Registration and membership for access to these areas is granted only on request to the platform operators.
Content for the newsletter (and other media communications) is provided by project partners as well as internal and external stakeholders. Newsletter items, including images, can be submitted via the NMP-DeLA website and can be emailed to the editor for any of the newsletter content sections. It is stipulated that all items must be permissible for inclusion in the public domain, i.e. no confidential or sensitive information will be published.
-Gender aspects
Gender aspects have been addressed as follows. For gender representation in the engagement /dissemination activities Summer Schools and Workshops Balance of gender in terms of presenters and participants has been monitored and ensured. As reported in the first ethics and gender report, more women than men participated in the workshop and summerschool on nano for health. As expects, water and energy attracted more male participants.
Conclusion:
• Ethics and gender aspects have been integrated in all elements of the project and are an ongoing concern, both in the consortium and in the wider community of interest.
NMP-DeLA PLATFORM
The web-based platform was set up for registration of stakeholders into NMP-DeLA’s community of interest:
•420 Organizations (RTD, Academic, private/public Industry, NGO, Government…).
•77 Countries.
•LAC, EU but also AFRICA, USA, ASIA.
• LinkedIn Group (60 members ): Besides the NMP-DeLA website, Community of Interest members are welcome to join the NMP-DeLA LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Latin-America-Advanced-Materials-Deployment-7447999/about . This will give them the opportunity to share news and information about relevant calls for proposals with other NMP-DeLA Community of Interest members.
• YouTube Channel: Videos of NMP-DeLA events have been posted on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQ1pKTu7haRGbe3ql-QKYA . 592 views of 16 videos
Potential Impact:
NMP-DeLA potential impact:
Innovation is the main catalyst and driver of competitiveness and economic and social development. The deployment activities of NMP-DeLA aimed to foster innovative thinking and engender a culture of innovation, develop leadership skills and help build workforce capability to become NMP integrators in the target sectors. Physical schools and online workshops were hosted, themed around areas of synergy between LAC and the EU. They involved laboratories, government agencies, industry associations, SMEs, knowledge banks, networks and training providers to encourage and enable sustainable learning of innovation skills. These stakeholders were involved in the deployment of NMPs for the 3 thematic lines (health, clean energy and water), inter-regional marketing and technology management.
• Support the development and promotion of concrete projects making the benefits of new technologies:
NMP-DeLA developed Roadmaps and a recommendations study about new research and technology transfer strategies between EU-LAC in the medium/long terms (according with the finding during the workshops implementation) in NMP technologies to address LAC local needs in areas of health, environment and economy.
The Regional courses and workshops (which will bring together scientists, policy makers, civil society, industrial representatives, etc) provided valuable information that informs policy-making in addition to creating valuable opinion leader networks. Case studies of the innovation systems of successful countries can provide useful lessons and good practices for other developing countries.
• Contribute towards the United Nations Millennium development goals:
The World Health Organization reports:“In low-income countries less than one in five of all people reach the age of 70, and more than a third of all deaths are among children under 15. People predominantly die of infectious diseases: lung infections, diarrhea diseases, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth together continue to be leading causes of death, claiming the lives of both infants and mothers.” In this context, nanotechnology offers a range of potential benefits for developing countries.
Throughout the world, more than 350,000 women die each year from pregnancy complications, and millions of infants are stillborn or die in the first days of life, primarily in regions with insufficient energy resources for conducting basic obstetric care, where, for example, surgeons have to perform basic caesarian sections by candlelight, newborn babies cannot be resuscitated in the dark, and blood that is vital for transfusions cannot be refrigerated. Nano-enabled products, such us the solar suitcase ( portable power unit) delivers instant light and power to health facilities, operating theatres and labour rooms by pairing off-grid solar electricity with mobile phones, laptops and medical devices. With further expansion, the system can power blood bank refrigeration. To facilitate sustainability and community independence, an education programme was developed and implemented in order to train midwives, doctors and medical technicians in the application and maintenance of the equipment.
This is one example of how the areas of clean energy, environment and health converge and how, by focusing on these themes, NMP-DeLA helped to expedite the promotion and deployment of innovative solutions to specific societal challenges for the end user. At the same time, successful deployment inevitably presents commercial opportunities for the manufacturing and service industries in the scaling up process.
• Contribute towards building and strengthening of science in low and middle-income countries through entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship and the development of the private sector are essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty. Entrepreneurs offer a variety of products and services, making economies more resilient and less vulnerable to downturns in particular economic sectors. In addition, they create a sense of practical optimism.
Latin American SMEs need innovation of processes, products and services in order to be able to reach national, regional and global market. Technological innovation is an important competitiveness factor but there are gaps to close in different aspects such as inequality, investment, tax system and productivity. In order to face those challenges, it is fundamental to facilitate the relationship with Europe.
NMP-DeLA aimed to support R&D efforts invested along the later stages of the NMP research chain, from research development programmes to commercial uptake, and to facilitate the uptake of effective solutions responding to real societal and industrial needs in LAC. To achieve this, a core activity of the NMP-DeLA was focused on developing an inclusive framework of dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders (scientists, industry, policy makers, government and civil society) along the value chain, from high quality research to market, to develop defined, measurable and sustainable solutions that create shared added value.
NMP-DeLA main dissemination activities
• Networking, education and training in Advance materials (nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies): “Four Expert workshops and two Summer schools”:
-1st Expert Workshop and 1st Summer School – Bs. As. , Argentina (19-20 May, 2014) “Deployment of Nano-Health technology in Latin American countries”.
-2nd Expert Workshop and 2nd Summer School – Monterrey, México (4-7 Nov, 2014) “Deployment of Nano-water and Nano-energy for Central American countries”
-3rd Expert Workshop – Santiago, Chile (2-4 Dec, 2014 ) “Entrepreneurial Forum for LAC- Nanotechnology for Industry”
-4th Expert Workshop – Curitiba, Brazil (28-29 May, 2015) “Deployment of Nano-water and Nano-energy for South American countries”
-Final Conferences:
-EU-CELA summit– Brussels, Belgic (08.06.2015)
-EU-SPRI 2015 – Helsinki, Finland (10-12 June, 2015)
-EURONANOFORUM 2015 – Latvia, Riga (10-12 June, 2015)
• NMP-DELA platform:
-During the second year, the number of registered members of the NMP-DeLA Community of Interest has increased to 420 organisations (August 2015). Of these organisations, 251 were active or interested in research related to water applications, 251 related to energy applications and 304 related to health applications.
They are from, in parenthesis the number for each country: Algeria (1) Argentina (30), Austria (7), Barbuda (4) Belarus (3), Belgium (5), Bolivia (1), Botswana (1), Brazil (14), Brunei (1),Bulgaria (1), Central African Republic (2), Chad (1), Chile (14), Colombia (37), Costa Rica (7), Croatia (1), Cuba (4), Czech Republic (1), Denmark (2), Dominican Republic (3), Ecuador (5), Egypt (5), El Salvador (1), Eritrea (4), Finland (10), France (9), Gambia (3), Georgia (2), Germany (10), Ghana (1), Greece (1), Guatemala (3), Guinea-Bissau (1), Honduras (2), Hungary (4), India (12), Iran (1), Ireland (2), Italy (16), Japan (1), Jordan (1), Kenya (1), Liberia (1), Malaysia (2), Mexico (60), Moldova (1), Morocco (1), Netherlands (8), New Zealand (2), Nicaragua (8), Nigeria (2), Norway (1), Panama (1), Peru (3), Poland (3), Portugal (4), Romania (1), Russia (3), Samoa (3), Serbia (1), Singapore (2), Spain (23), Sudan (3), Sweden (3), Switzerland (1), Timor-Leste (1), Tobago (1), Togo (1), Tunisia (1), Tuvalu (1), UK (15), Ukraine (2), Uruguay (10), USA (7), Venezuela (8) and Zimbabwe (1).
Despite the focus of the project on Euro-Latin American cooperation, this list demonstrates the global interest in international cooperation on nanotechnology, materials and production technologies for health, water and energy applications.
• Mapping and follow-up for exchange of scientist and industry involvement: Mapping and follow-up of incentives/activities for exchange have been promoted online (through the website, e-mail newsletters and a dedicated LinkedIn page) as well as during the events. Mobility programs, grants and tenders between EU and LAC have been promoted as “finding partners for mobility”. This activity covers the integration of local enterprises, identification of potential end-users, service providers, industry associations, capital investors from EU/LAC (information is available from the NMP-DeLA website). During the second project’s year, different channels have again been used for promotion of student and industry involvement and exchange.
• Dissemination of results through (peer reviewed) publications, oral presentations and other ways, including:
-Invernizzi, N., Foladori, G., Robles-Belmont, E., Záyago Lau, E., Figueroa, E. A., Bagattolli, C., Urquijo, W. Nanotechnology for social needs: contributions from Latin American research in the areas of health, energy and water. Journal of Nanoparticle Research 17(5) May 2015, pp 233-252 http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11051-015-3037-y
-Arteaga, E. R. Nanotecnologías en medicina y agua en América Latina. El reporte de ReLANS. Observatorio del Desarrollo 3(12) July 2015 pp 25-28, http://estudiosdeldesarrollo.net/pagina_tipo_uno.php?seccion=pub_observatorio12
-Arteaga, E. R. Nanociencias, Nanotecnologías en América Latina. La participación de ReLANS. Investigación Científica 9(Número especial) July 2015, pp 29-34, www.uaz.edu.mx/revistainvestigacion
-Mona Arnold, Maria Lima-Toivanen, Martina Lindorfer and Ineke Malsch. A Roadmap for EU-LAC collaboration on nanotechnologies for meeting water sustainability challenges. The Book of Abstracts for The 2015 Annual Conference of the EU-SPRI Forum: Innovation policies for economic and social transitions: Developing strategies for knowledge, practices and organizations. June 2015, pp 280-283, http://euspri-helsinki2015.org/pros.html
-Luis C. Peréz, Maria Lima-Toivanen, Ineke Malsch, Martina Lindorfer. Towards a roadmap for deployment of nanotechnologies in energy for Latin America. The Book of Abstracts for The 2015 Annual Conference of the EU-SPRI Forum: Innovation policies for economic and social transitions: Developing strategies for knowledge, practices and organizations. June 2015, pp 284-287, http://euspri-helsinki2015.org/pros.html
-Maria Lima-Toivanen, Ineke Malsch, Martina Lindorfer, Kaisu Loikkanen. Roadmap for the deployment of nanotechnologies for health in Latin America by 2025. The Book of Abstracts for The 2015 Annual Conference of the EU-SPRI Forum: Innovation policies for economic and social transitions: Developing strategies for knowledge, practices and organizations. June 2015, pp 403-406, http://euspri-helsinki2015.org/pros.html
-Ineke Malsch, Martina Lindorfer, Maria Lima-Toivanen. International cooperation on Nanosafety between Europe and Latin America. In: Nanotechnology: Risk Governance, Risk Assurance and Risk Transfer (Springer book) pending publication
-Ineke Malsch, Maria Lima-Toivanen, Martina Lindorfer, Liceth Rebolledo, Thomas Zadrozny. Euro-Latin American Roadmap for Nanotechnology, Materials and Production Technologies for Health, Water and Energy. Proceedings CELAC-EU ACADEMIC SUMMIT 2015 (pending publication).
List of Websites:
Contact Person: Liceth Rebolledo (Project Coordinator)
liceth.rebolledo@eurecat.org
EURECAT, Av. Universitat Autònoma, 23, 08290 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain), www.eurecat.org T +34 93 594 47 00
NNMP-DeLA objective was to develop a series of activities between European and Latin American countries, aiming to strengthening the local research and industrial competitiveness, as means to achieve the goal of deployment of Nanomaterials technologies on those areas of major social challenge in Latin America: energy, water and Health.
Activities awere performed in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Europe, with the participation of local governmental representatives.
Generic NMP-DeLA results concerning NMP:
It is important to realise that most of the research in LA concerning nanotechnologies, nanosciences, mate-rials and new production technologies (NMP) is still at the level of basic research and that there is a lack of educated nanoscientists and nanoengineers and of research equipment, infrastructure and disposables (chemicals and materials for experiments). An important element of the roadmap is therefore to focus on capacity building for research in nanoscience and nanotechnology in LA, to create the conditions for nano-innovation in the long term.
This can be achieved through:
- Consolidating and strengthening existing collaborations between Latin American and European part-ners within the wider NMP-DeLA Community of Interest.
- Bridging the gap between academia, industry and other stakeholders for capacity building.
- Improving networking to overcome fragmentation.
Policy makers from Europe and LA should strengthen the local capacities for innovation in nanoscience and nanotechnology by agreeing a common long term strategy and by pooling resources for common research and innovation priorities as part of the European Union and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) policy dialogue. One of the key issues is a lack of reliable long term funding. The European Horizon 2020 programme offers a good starting point with its 7-year budget horizon. However, it is important that national funding within Latin America is also coordinated, as well as with European, North American and other funding sources including World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and preferably also venture capital. The participating Ministries in NMP-DeLA (from Argentina: the Ministry for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation and from Uruguay: Education and Culture, and Industry, Energy and Mining) and the European Commission should take the initiative for such coordinated funding. As Brazilian and Mexican federal and state funding councils must fund their own researchers participating in projects in the EU H2020 programme, these should be engaged in coordinating funding strategies from the start. .
A balanced funding strategy is needed including research, infrastructure, education, as well as environment, health and safety (EHS) and ethical, legal and social aspects (ELSA). The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) focuses on training and capacity building of governments in developing countries and has published a pilot “Guidance for Developing a National Nanotechnology Policy and Programme” (UNITAR, 2011). This could form the basis for such regional coordination in LA as well as EU-Latin American cooperation.
The current work of the Argentinean Ethics Board CECTE on a code of conduct for nanotechnology research could offer a starting point for introducing Latin American perspectives in the EU-Latin American dialogue on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). On the European side, the materials and methodologies collected in the RRI-tools project can also foster the discussion on a common approach.2
Education, awareness raising and communication to policy makers and the general public are needed and should be implemented early enough to allow for change of status in the applications of nanotechnologies for societal challenges in LA. These can build upon existing initiatives including the South and Meso-American Research Centres for Fundamental Research3, NanoAndes4, NanoDYF5, ReLANS6 and RENANOSOMA7.
Project Context and Objectives:
Project incentive and objectives:
The NMP-DeLA project brings together partners and experts from across Latin America and Europe to develop a series of activities between the two regions, to strengthen the local research and training potential, as means to achieve the goal of deployment of new, advanced and enabling technologies in areas of major social challenge in Latin America: water, energy and health.
Project approach:
NMP-DeLA is a support action funded by the EU under FP7 for two years from 1st September 2013. It aims to facilitate the deployment of advanced and enabling technologies in areas of major social challenge in Latin America through the following strategies:
* Mapping, Strategy Development and Recommendations:
• Pooling knowledge on the deployment of advanced materials to meet social challenges of specific regions .
• Bringing together and engaging local and regional expertise, experts and local stakeholders, to identify good practices, involvement of local knowledge innovation capacity, and to identify niches for future collaborations and engagement.
• Evaluating projects and initiatives that have the described objectives and assess their impacts on social indicator developments.
• Analysing quantitative and qualitative results with regard to policy preferences and feed into tailor-made recommendations, policy briefs and fact sheets to inform expert workshops and summer schools.
* EU-LAC Networking, Consultation Dialogue and Open Innovation Platform:
• Establishing and engaging the NMP-DeLA community of international experts and stakeholders in real and virtual hearings and collaborative workshops on the continuous elaboration and assessment of the innovation strategy and roadmap;
• Providing support to researchers, scientists and organizations to facilitate their engagement with business and industrial partners, and policy makers.
• Supporting the development of a long-term sustainable platform through which collaborative relationships can be formed
• Based on workshop conclusions beneficiaries will define research priorities, industrial challenges, technology gaps and propose collaborative R+D projects
* Education, Training and Skills Provision:
• Organising two Summer Schools to put together training materials and educational events to increase the educational and entrepreneurial knowledge base of the scientific communities in Latin America and the EU.
• Addressing barriers to the deployment of nano- and/or materials technologies in societally beneficial applications in Latin America and EU, coordinating the networking and knowledge activities, and covering both.
Communication and Dissemination:
• Disseminating information about all activities: workshops, summer schools, online events and the outcomes.
• Keeping stakeholders in LAC and Europe informed of the latest developments, partnering and collaboration opportunities, possible synergies and exploitable openings in the NMP innovation chain.
• Facilitating interaction and collaboration with other innovation initiatives, outreach activities complementary projects, professional networks, and stakeholder entities via a searchable community database, the project website, e-newsletters and proactive interfacing at key events.
Project Results:
MAPPING, STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This work was aimed at reaching the following objectives:
• Identification of stakeholders, experts and relevant projects to be included in the NMP-DeLA community interest.
• Develop a set of indicators for the impact of nano research on societal challenges in health, water and energy.
• Produce innovation strategy and roadmap for NMP in health, water and energy.
• Follow up about exchange of scientist and industry involvement.
- Development of Deliverable D2.1 Mapping of Advanced Materials Deployment for Societal Challenges: Health, Energy, Water. Although a first version of the mapping was completed during the first year of the project, three revisions were carried out in order to add or correct information and improve the text for public dissemination. Scientific articles and conference communications were prepared, based on the report, in order to communicate the result to broader academic audiences.
- On the basis of results of the qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, and online consultation) a final set of impact indicators for nano health, water and energy deployment has been developed and integrated in a separate chapter into the generic roadmap. The indicators are based on recommendations and expected impacts which were formulated by the interviewed stakeholders and experts in the 3 areas. Preliminary indicators were discussed, validated and amplified in follow-up NMP DeLA focus groups. Additional desk research was done on nanotechnology indicators to complete our results. The final list of indicators has been reviewed by the Dr. Mark Morrison and adapted according to his comments (independent expert in the nanotechnology sector).
-NMP-DeLA Activities aimed at fostering scientific and industry involvement. In this context, mapping and follow-up of incentives/activities for exchange have been promoted (reported on D25” Exchange of scientist and industry involvement mapping and Follow-up).
The main activities in which the promotion relies during the second year of the project are:
• Promotion of calls, Grants & student exchange, events.
• Workshops participation (Nanowater & NanoEnergy- México and Brazil, NanoIndustry- Chile ).
• Summer School participation (Nanowater & NanoEnergy- México).
• NMP-DeLA web-based platform.
• Matrix for stakeholder involvement (update).
• Experts interviews for the roadmap (mainly for water and Energy sectors).
• Focus Group (Nanowater & NanoEnergy- México and Brazil).
Conclusions:
• Important outputs have been produced, namely the Mapping (D2.1) and the Roadmaps (D2.4). All outputs are based on participatory research and will serve to the interested community as valuable background documents with new and unique information on the deployment of nanotechnologies in the LAC context.
• Outputs were disseminated as widely as possible by using different communication tools. NMP DeLA newsletter informed the community of interest of all project outputs; Conference papers and presentations as well as a book chapter in a publication on nano safety intended to reach the wider interested public; concise fact sheets were developed to reach and inform policy makers on specific issues.
EU-LAC NETWORKING, CONSULTATION DIALOGUE AND OPEN INNOVATION PLATFORM
This work was aimed at reaching five objectives:
• Identification of stakeholders, experts and relevant projects to be included in the NMP-DeLA community interest.
• Network activities management and interaction with stakeholders.
• Expert’s workshop Methodology development and Preparation of four Experts Workshops.
• Follow-up and communication results analysis.
The project realized the 4 workshops planned, 3 of them in this second reporting period. They were:
Focus: NanoHealth
Local: Buenos Aires-Argentina
Dates: 19-20.05.2014
Organization: The “Nanohealth” workshop was co-organized by partners MINCYT, EUROCHILE Foundation and MEC, and in with the close collaboration with VTT, ZSI, MTV and EURECAT.
Number of attendees: 63 attendees
Origin of participants (presenters and audience): Europe and Latin Americas
Overall impression and contribution for the deployment of nano in LAC
The “Nanohealth” workshop main objectives were:
• Share expertise and good practices between experts from both regions.
• Identify topics of common interest to promote joint R&D projects, human resources training and organize activities in the framework of existing initiatives.
• Establish the bases for the creation of a network of EU-LAC experts in NanohealthNanohealth
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: This was a unique event focusing on Nanohealth, providing a great opportunity to analyse and share new developments in nanotechnology, nanoscience and new production technologies in the fields above mentioned. The NanoHealth workshop gathered a significant number of relevant actors in terms of research on nanohealth, such as expert evaluators, researchers, policy makers, managers, government agencies, students, etc. In the workshop it was taken the initiative of creation of a bi-regional network, joining efforts of institutions present, thus creating the environment to build potential research consortia and identify new initiatives in which experts from both regions could participate together.
Focus: Nanowater and nanoenergy
Local: Monterrey/Mexico
Dates: 10-13.11.2014
Organization: The workshop was held together with the Nano-Monterrey 2014 International Forum, which constituted the technical section of the workshop & summer school activities of the NMP-DeLA Project. Local organizers were: Institute for Innovation and Technology Transfer and the Monterrey International City of Knowledge Program, together with the Advanced Materials Research Center (CIMAV) and the Nanotechnology Cluster of Nuevo Leon A.C. NMP-DeLA partners coordinating the work were VTT, CIMAV, ZSI, MTV, EURECAT.
Number of attendees: 700 attendees (Nano-Monterrey Conference and NMP-DeLA WS)
Origin of participants (presenters and audience): Europe and Americas
Overall impression and contribution for the deployment of nano in LAC
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: The event featured the participation of many experts in the field of nanotechnology, including researchers, government officials, policy makers, managers, students, and professors. It allowed for a high level of networking, which is the first step towards building the ideal environment for institutional cooperation and, ultimately, research consortia and projects.
Many of the speakers at the event noted that worldwide progress in nanotechnology can only be achieved through the synergistic participation between governments, research institutions, universities and the public in general. High quality international cooperation is fostered by a strong relationship between the diverse projects that exist in the framework of the European Commission.
This workshop was strongly positive. It is possible to conclude that NMP DeLA project has served as a link between the different actors working in the field of the Nano Energy & Nano Water, being the first step for future activities in order to increase the participation of Latin America in European initiatives and projects.
Focus: Nano for industry,
Local: Santiago/Chile
Dates: 02-03.12.2014
Organization: Fundación Empresarial Comunidad Europea Chile (EUROCHILE), the Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), with the support of VTT, ZSI, MTV, ASCAMM, MINCYT, MEC.
Number of attendees: 115 attendees (32 presenters)
Origin of participants (presenters and audience): Chile, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, United Kingdom and United States of America.
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: The whole congress was very well received by participants and exponents. As for Chile only, it showed the reality of an existing local nanotechnology sector (which today still lacks development and is known by only a few), and of a national interest and curiosity about it. The need of networking and of building links among R&D, industry and society, in Chile itself as well as with foreign countries, has been clearly mentioned by the local stakeholders, and the workshop also served this purpose as it was a first occasion for most of them to meet. New collaborative projects are currently being working on by different groups, and there is hope for them to results in a better and more widely spread knowledge and use of nanotechnology in the country. However, the support from local authorities, quite weak, to build the network needed and developing emerging new technologies in general (at business and industry levels) is a difficulty that still has to be overcome, as the priorities are put in others sectors.
The workshop was a first opportunity to start developing the nanotechnology sector in Chile, which already exists but suffer from a lack of collaboration and general national ignorance. The opportunity for meetings with and among local stakeholders and of these with international stakeholders has been a first step towards a better synergy and development, inside Chile and across borders.
Focus: Nanowater and nanoenergy
Local: Curitiba/Brazil
Dates: 28-29.05.2015
Organization: ReLANS, with the support of VTT, MTV, EURECAT, REDINN
Number of attendees: 64 attendees
Origin of participants (presenters and audience):
Countries of origin: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, France, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria.
Sector of activity: researchers, professors, graduate and undergraduate students, policy makers, industry federation, industrial education service, technical school, S&T diplomatic representative, NGO.
Overall impression and contribution for the employment of nano in LAC: The Workshop on Nanotechnology Applications on Water and Alternative Energies was a relatively small meeting. However, the proximity of the participants helped to build an intense communication among them.
The event was a good opportunity to present research advances by many experts in the fields of nanowater and nanoenergy from different Latin American and European countries. Several challenges in energy and water are common to the Latin American region, and other challenges are shared by more industrialized countries. This situation calls for more collaborative approaches, and the workshop started to build some partnerships. In addition, government representatives from the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) participated actively during the whole event, offering support to different initiatives. This is very important once Brazil is the leading Latin American country in terms of research in the areas of nanowater and nanoenergy and could act as a leader in order to promote research networking.
Another important impact is that, after the meeting, the Coordination for Nano and Micro Technologies of the MCTI proposed to centre the Brazilian Nanotechnology Initiative in the sectors of energy, water and health, and invited participants to the workshop to write a proposal.
In Colombia, the Colombian Nanotechnology Network, the leader of which attended the Workshop, is also proposing a National Nanotechnology Program focused in Water Remediation and Alternative Energies.
Conclusions
• The activities planned for the period have been accomplished. Special emphasis to mention to the very positive impact of the organization of joint events, in regards to the WSs in Chile and Mexico. These reach quite high number of stakeholders. Anyhow the “small” WS that happened in Brazil had important impact as well as some concrete policy focus were defined in there. This might be due also to the previous activities of NMP-DeLA.
EDUCATION, TRAINING AND SKILLS PROVISIONS
This work expected to reach the following objectives:
• Put together training materials and educational events on how ensuring the deployment of nano and/or materials technologies in societal beneficial applications in Latin America and EU.
• Identification of tangible opportunities for knowledge pool in the fields of healthcare, clean energy and water.
• Support to the networking and knowledge activities, focusing in covering both educational and entrepreneurial aspects.
• Organization of side events (as webinars and small seminars) and knowledge sharing training (summer schools).
Methodology of the school have been defined and tested. Improved methodology has been adopted for the second course. Preparation includes: setting of calendar, agenda, topics and presentations, identification of experts and students, training material, etc. This was performed with the supporting partners, but mainly with the local hosts.
In accordance with the NMP-DeLA Project Description of Work, the first summer school was organized in Argentina, from the 20th to the 23rd of May 2014, and in conjunction with another key NMP-DeLA event, the Nano for Health Expert Workshop.
Following internal discussions, the NMP-DeLA consortium chose the prestigious Fundacioon Pablo Cassaraa as the venue for the summer school. The venue offered two suitably sized rooms that could each host over 25 people quite comfortably with a large central area in between. This meant that the Summer School and Expert Workshop could be hosted simultaneously, thereby enabling greater interaction between participants of both events.
The second summer school was organized in Mexico, from the 10th to the 13rd of November 2014, and in conjunction with another key event on Nanotechnology, the Nano-Monterrey 2014 International forum
Study visit: One researcher) has been selected among the participant in the summer school, ticket and allowance paid. The study visit, for academic reasons, will be held in October 2015 in the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) and will be focused on Nanotechnology applied to water.
Conclusions
• The two Summer School achieved all their objectives. Some difficulties were faced (mainly logistics) for the organization but thanks to a good communication among all the partners involved the consortium managed to solve the aforementioned problems.
• Students were satisfied with the selection of the speakers.
• All the activities planned have been implemented.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION
This package expected to reach the following objectives:
• To disseminate information about all activities performed during the project, including all workshops, summer schools and online events, as well as the results achieved.
We implemented and developed a dedicated NMP-DELA project website with features and functionality enhancing its use as a dissemination and communication platform. The web tools were designed for use by all stakeholders in the innovation chain for interaction and engagement, and for partners to report on all project output and publicize future project events. The domain name is www.nmpdela.eu.
Partners have identified events and conferences in which its members participate, in order to represent the NMP-DeLA project and deliver presentations about the scope and activities of NMP-DeLA. An example is:
• ReLANS has disseminated the proceedings of the workshop in Curitiba via internet (D5.4) and has authored several publications on results of NMP-DeLA (e.g. publication named “Panorama of research activities in nano energy and nano water in Latin America” or publication named “Nanotechnology for social challenges: Latin American research in the areas of health, energy and water ”).
• During the second year of the NMP-DeLA project they have engaged in six events in Latin America to present results. They will also disseminate results to the international community of nanoscience and society experts in Montreal in October 2015, after the end of the project.
• In the second year, MEC has disseminated results of the project during 18 (series of) workshops, conferences and other outreach activities in Uruguay and online.
• EURECAT, has participated in webinar and online conferences/interviews for LAC, promoting the NMP-DeLA roadmap results and H2020 call targeting nanotechnology topics.
Regular short bulletins have been distributed to the NMP-DeLA LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=7447999 . This has 60 members (on 26-08-2015).
To implement D5.6 in 2015, quarterly newsletters 3, 4, 5 and 6 have been disseminated to the e-mail list of NMP-DeLA community of interest members. Newsletters 3-5 have been disseminated to 150 subscribers and newsletter 6 to 335 subscribers.
NMP-DeLA: Newsletter and Bulletins : A project newsletter has been compiled and disseminated on a quarterly basis, serving as a communication vehicle between all partners, stakeholders and the wider community, promoting the different call, grants and exchange opportunities between LA and EU regions.
- NMP-DeLA newsletter (6)
- the NMP-DeLA policy brief
- the fact sheet on funding NMP
- the fact sheet on nano, water and mining
- the fact sheet on nanoeducation
- the fact sheet on nanoenergy
- the fact sheet on nanosafety
- the fact sheet on nano for tropical diseases
The final conference has been held distributed over three events. This includes:
• The CELAC-EU Academic Summit 2015 on Monday 8 June 2015 in Brussels.
• The EURONANOFORUM 2015 conference on 10-12 June in Riga, Latvia.
• The EU-SPRI conference also on 10-12 June in Helsinki, Finland.
All in all, around 150 participants including policy makers, academics and industrialists attended one or more of the presentations on NMP-DeLA findings. The report, D5.7 is submitted to the EC by end of August 2015.
Several publications (paper and books) disseminating project results.
Conclusions:
• During the project, the dissemination plan has been implemented as planned. In addition, regular bulletins and a project newsletter have been designed, compiled and disseminated through the identified channels.
• The partners intend to continue disseminating the results of the project through follow-up engagements.
ETHICS AND GENDER ASSESSMENT
• The Ethics and Gender committee has been launched during the NMP-DeLA Kick-Off Meeting (KOM). The, ethics has been explicitly addressed by all partners in the road mapping, the networking, the education and training and the communication and dissemination.
-Ethics in the roadmap
Ethical, legal and social aspects of NMP were explicitly addressed in the NMP DeLA Roadmap. During the collection of qualitative data (interviews, focus groups, workshops) the involved persons were confronted with ELSA: e.g. ELSA was discussed as an issue of special concern in all focus groups. It was also intended to have gender equality in the focus groups and interviews. If this could not be reached, it was addressed as an issue by the moderators. The final roadmap includes explicit chapters on ELSA as well as impact indicators for ELSA.
-Interest in ethical, legal and societal aspects of nanotechnology in the NMP-DeLA Community of Interest
The Latin American network for Nanotechnology and Society (ReLANS) is organising social and human scientists studying ethical and societal aspects of nanotechnology all over Latin America. In addition to this established network, several projects funded by CYTED, the EU and others are or have in the past been stimulating research, networking and communicating about ethical, legal and societal aspects of nanotechnology, involving ReLANS members as well as other research groups. These include the recently finished network Jose Roberto Leite NANODYF and an earlier nanotechnology network funded by RedCLARA.
Currently, the Ibero-American Network for Nanotechnology (RIN) that started in 2014 already has members from nineteen Ibero-American and two other countries. It aims at communicating about nanotechnology to the general public.
-National initiatives
While the Argentinean National Committee on Ethics in Science and Technology CECTE has organized an international conference on adapting the European code of conduct on nanotechnology research (EC, 2008) in 2008 this has so far not resulted in an Argentinean code of conduct for nanotechnology. Instead, it has published more general “Propositions for a socially responsible science and technology” (CECTE, 2013). This includes seven main principles as well as guidance for individual researchers and research organisations. The seven main principles are: respect for human rights, consolidation of democratic values and practices, contribution to peace and justice with special attention to the most vulnerable sectors, care for the environment, biodiversity and the biosphere as a whole, open access to knowledge and information, equal access to the benefits of knowledge, freedom of research and the development of the capacity for critical analysis and innovating creativity.
In Mexico, there is an ongoing study aiming for a revision of the existing regulations and incentives for creating new technologies, like public centres with proper brands (marcos propicios) for technology transfer targeting societal problems. The aim is developing a map for knowing how nanotechnology can be done and disseminated to the market and society, in which regions. This information is according to a participant in the workshop in Monterrey, Mexico.
In Chile, all FONDECYT grants make it obligatory to evaluate societal opportunities. Most consortia engage in public awareness (TV, newspapers, school), this stimulates multidisciplinary research involving natural and social scientists.
-Communicating ethics
The main ethical issues are Privacy issues, data protection and IPR. Participants were asked for permission prior to filming and photography. All authors are asked for permission before Summer School and Workshop presentations are published on the web to protect sensitive information, data that should not be in the public domain, IPR and personal data protection. Focus group participants identities are protected on request no filming or photographs. Comments are not attributed to individuals for reasons of privacy and data protection. Web platform has secured access and is password protected for certain areas. Registration and membership for access to these areas is granted only on request to the platform operators.
Content for the newsletter (and other media communications) is provided by project partners as well as internal and external stakeholders. Newsletter items, including images, can be submitted via the NMP-DeLA website and can be emailed to the editor for any of the newsletter content sections. It is stipulated that all items must be permissible for inclusion in the public domain, i.e. no confidential or sensitive information will be published.
-Gender aspects
Gender aspects have been addressed as follows. For gender representation in the engagement /dissemination activities Summer Schools and Workshops Balance of gender in terms of presenters and participants has been monitored and ensured. As reported in the first ethics and gender report, more women than men participated in the workshop and summerschool on nano for health. As expects, water and energy attracted more male participants.
Conclusion:
• Ethics and gender aspects have been integrated in all elements of the project and are an ongoing concern, both in the consortium and in the wider community of interest.
NMP-DeLA PLATFORM
The web-based platform was set up for registration of stakeholders into NMP-DeLA’s community of interest:
•420 Organizations (RTD, Academic, private/public Industry, NGO, Government…).
•77 Countries.
•LAC, EU but also AFRICA, USA, ASIA.
• LinkedIn Group (60 members ): Besides the NMP-DeLA website, Community of Interest members are welcome to join the NMP-DeLA LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Latin-America-Advanced-Materials-Deployment-7447999/about . This will give them the opportunity to share news and information about relevant calls for proposals with other NMP-DeLA Community of Interest members.
• YouTube Channel: Videos of NMP-DeLA events have been posted on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQ1pKTu7haRGbe3ql-QKYA . 592 views of 16 videos
Potential Impact:
NMP-DeLA potential impact:
Innovation is the main catalyst and driver of competitiveness and economic and social development. The deployment activities of NMP-DeLA aimed to foster innovative thinking and engender a culture of innovation, develop leadership skills and help build workforce capability to become NMP integrators in the target sectors. Physical schools and online workshops were hosted, themed around areas of synergy between LAC and the EU. They involved laboratories, government agencies, industry associations, SMEs, knowledge banks, networks and training providers to encourage and enable sustainable learning of innovation skills. These stakeholders were involved in the deployment of NMPs for the 3 thematic lines (health, clean energy and water), inter-regional marketing and technology management.
• Support the development and promotion of concrete projects making the benefits of new technologies:
NMP-DeLA developed Roadmaps and a recommendations study about new research and technology transfer strategies between EU-LAC in the medium/long terms (according with the finding during the workshops implementation) in NMP technologies to address LAC local needs in areas of health, environment and economy.
The Regional courses and workshops (which will bring together scientists, policy makers, civil society, industrial representatives, etc) provided valuable information that informs policy-making in addition to creating valuable opinion leader networks. Case studies of the innovation systems of successful countries can provide useful lessons and good practices for other developing countries.
• Contribute towards the United Nations Millennium development goals:
The World Health Organization reports:“In low-income countries less than one in five of all people reach the age of 70, and more than a third of all deaths are among children under 15. People predominantly die of infectious diseases: lung infections, diarrhea diseases, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth together continue to be leading causes of death, claiming the lives of both infants and mothers.” In this context, nanotechnology offers a range of potential benefits for developing countries.
Throughout the world, more than 350,000 women die each year from pregnancy complications, and millions of infants are stillborn or die in the first days of life, primarily in regions with insufficient energy resources for conducting basic obstetric care, where, for example, surgeons have to perform basic caesarian sections by candlelight, newborn babies cannot be resuscitated in the dark, and blood that is vital for transfusions cannot be refrigerated. Nano-enabled products, such us the solar suitcase ( portable power unit) delivers instant light and power to health facilities, operating theatres and labour rooms by pairing off-grid solar electricity with mobile phones, laptops and medical devices. With further expansion, the system can power blood bank refrigeration. To facilitate sustainability and community independence, an education programme was developed and implemented in order to train midwives, doctors and medical technicians in the application and maintenance of the equipment.
This is one example of how the areas of clean energy, environment and health converge and how, by focusing on these themes, NMP-DeLA helped to expedite the promotion and deployment of innovative solutions to specific societal challenges for the end user. At the same time, successful deployment inevitably presents commercial opportunities for the manufacturing and service industries in the scaling up process.
• Contribute towards building and strengthening of science in low and middle-income countries through entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship and the development of the private sector are essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty. Entrepreneurs offer a variety of products and services, making economies more resilient and less vulnerable to downturns in particular economic sectors. In addition, they create a sense of practical optimism.
Latin American SMEs need innovation of processes, products and services in order to be able to reach national, regional and global market. Technological innovation is an important competitiveness factor but there are gaps to close in different aspects such as inequality, investment, tax system and productivity. In order to face those challenges, it is fundamental to facilitate the relationship with Europe.
NMP-DeLA aimed to support R&D efforts invested along the later stages of the NMP research chain, from research development programmes to commercial uptake, and to facilitate the uptake of effective solutions responding to real societal and industrial needs in LAC. To achieve this, a core activity of the NMP-DeLA was focused on developing an inclusive framework of dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders (scientists, industry, policy makers, government and civil society) along the value chain, from high quality research to market, to develop defined, measurable and sustainable solutions that create shared added value.
NMP-DeLA main dissemination activities
• Networking, education and training in Advance materials (nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies): “Four Expert workshops and two Summer schools”:
-1st Expert Workshop and 1st Summer School – Bs. As. , Argentina (19-20 May, 2014) “Deployment of Nano-Health technology in Latin American countries”.
-2nd Expert Workshop and 2nd Summer School – Monterrey, México (4-7 Nov, 2014) “Deployment of Nano-water and Nano-energy for Central American countries”
-3rd Expert Workshop – Santiago, Chile (2-4 Dec, 2014 ) “Entrepreneurial Forum for LAC- Nanotechnology for Industry”
-4th Expert Workshop – Curitiba, Brazil (28-29 May, 2015) “Deployment of Nano-water and Nano-energy for South American countries”
-Final Conferences:
-EU-CELA summit– Brussels, Belgic (08.06.2015)
-EU-SPRI 2015 – Helsinki, Finland (10-12 June, 2015)
-EURONANOFORUM 2015 – Latvia, Riga (10-12 June, 2015)
• NMP-DELA platform:
-During the second year, the number of registered members of the NMP-DeLA Community of Interest has increased to 420 organisations (August 2015). Of these organisations, 251 were active or interested in research related to water applications, 251 related to energy applications and 304 related to health applications.
They are from, in parenthesis the number for each country: Algeria (1) Argentina (30), Austria (7), Barbuda (4) Belarus (3), Belgium (5), Bolivia (1), Botswana (1), Brazil (14), Brunei (1),Bulgaria (1), Central African Republic (2), Chad (1), Chile (14), Colombia (37), Costa Rica (7), Croatia (1), Cuba (4), Czech Republic (1), Denmark (2), Dominican Republic (3), Ecuador (5), Egypt (5), El Salvador (1), Eritrea (4), Finland (10), France (9), Gambia (3), Georgia (2), Germany (10), Ghana (1), Greece (1), Guatemala (3), Guinea-Bissau (1), Honduras (2), Hungary (4), India (12), Iran (1), Ireland (2), Italy (16), Japan (1), Jordan (1), Kenya (1), Liberia (1), Malaysia (2), Mexico (60), Moldova (1), Morocco (1), Netherlands (8), New Zealand (2), Nicaragua (8), Nigeria (2), Norway (1), Panama (1), Peru (3), Poland (3), Portugal (4), Romania (1), Russia (3), Samoa (3), Serbia (1), Singapore (2), Spain (23), Sudan (3), Sweden (3), Switzerland (1), Timor-Leste (1), Tobago (1), Togo (1), Tunisia (1), Tuvalu (1), UK (15), Ukraine (2), Uruguay (10), USA (7), Venezuela (8) and Zimbabwe (1).
Despite the focus of the project on Euro-Latin American cooperation, this list demonstrates the global interest in international cooperation on nanotechnology, materials and production technologies for health, water and energy applications.
• Mapping and follow-up for exchange of scientist and industry involvement: Mapping and follow-up of incentives/activities for exchange have been promoted online (through the website, e-mail newsletters and a dedicated LinkedIn page) as well as during the events. Mobility programs, grants and tenders between EU and LAC have been promoted as “finding partners for mobility”. This activity covers the integration of local enterprises, identification of potential end-users, service providers, industry associations, capital investors from EU/LAC (information is available from the NMP-DeLA website). During the second project’s year, different channels have again been used for promotion of student and industry involvement and exchange.
• Dissemination of results through (peer reviewed) publications, oral presentations and other ways, including:
-Invernizzi, N., Foladori, G., Robles-Belmont, E., Záyago Lau, E., Figueroa, E. A., Bagattolli, C., Urquijo, W. Nanotechnology for social needs: contributions from Latin American research in the areas of health, energy and water. Journal of Nanoparticle Research 17(5) May 2015, pp 233-252 http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11051-015-3037-y
-Arteaga, E. R. Nanotecnologías en medicina y agua en América Latina. El reporte de ReLANS. Observatorio del Desarrollo 3(12) July 2015 pp 25-28, http://estudiosdeldesarrollo.net/pagina_tipo_uno.php?seccion=pub_observatorio12
-Arteaga, E. R. Nanociencias, Nanotecnologías en América Latina. La participación de ReLANS. Investigación Científica 9(Número especial) July 2015, pp 29-34, www.uaz.edu.mx/revistainvestigacion
-Mona Arnold, Maria Lima-Toivanen, Martina Lindorfer and Ineke Malsch. A Roadmap for EU-LAC collaboration on nanotechnologies for meeting water sustainability challenges. The Book of Abstracts for The 2015 Annual Conference of the EU-SPRI Forum: Innovation policies for economic and social transitions: Developing strategies for knowledge, practices and organizations. June 2015, pp 280-283, http://euspri-helsinki2015.org/pros.html
-Luis C. Peréz, Maria Lima-Toivanen, Ineke Malsch, Martina Lindorfer. Towards a roadmap for deployment of nanotechnologies in energy for Latin America. The Book of Abstracts for The 2015 Annual Conference of the EU-SPRI Forum: Innovation policies for economic and social transitions: Developing strategies for knowledge, practices and organizations. June 2015, pp 284-287, http://euspri-helsinki2015.org/pros.html
-Maria Lima-Toivanen, Ineke Malsch, Martina Lindorfer, Kaisu Loikkanen. Roadmap for the deployment of nanotechnologies for health in Latin America by 2025. The Book of Abstracts for The 2015 Annual Conference of the EU-SPRI Forum: Innovation policies for economic and social transitions: Developing strategies for knowledge, practices and organizations. June 2015, pp 403-406, http://euspri-helsinki2015.org/pros.html
-Ineke Malsch, Martina Lindorfer, Maria Lima-Toivanen. International cooperation on Nanosafety between Europe and Latin America. In: Nanotechnology: Risk Governance, Risk Assurance and Risk Transfer (Springer book) pending publication
-Ineke Malsch, Maria Lima-Toivanen, Martina Lindorfer, Liceth Rebolledo, Thomas Zadrozny. Euro-Latin American Roadmap for Nanotechnology, Materials and Production Technologies for Health, Water and Energy. Proceedings CELAC-EU ACADEMIC SUMMIT 2015 (pending publication).
List of Websites:
Contact Person: Liceth Rebolledo (Project Coordinator)
liceth.rebolledo@eurecat.org
EURECAT, Av. Universitat Autònoma, 23, 08290 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain), www.eurecat.org T +34 93 594 47 00
