SHyNE Attends NNCI Annual Conference at Stanford University

The National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) held their Annual meeting on October 25 – 27, 2023.

The conference is an opportunity for the NNCI sites, the external advisory board (EAB), NSF program officers, NNCO representatives, and invited guests to share updates, new ideas, and best practices as related to enabling nanotechnology research, developing educational practices, and collaborating as a network. Additionally, the conference will be an opportunity for the EAB to evaluate, advise, and guide the NNCI program in achieving the national NNCI objective, which is to provide specialized nanotechnology resources to all researchers who need them.  The insights gained from the conference may help align program goals for years 9 and 10 of the NNCI award and also shape strategic planning for the next iteration of the network.

Representing SHyNE Resource were SHyNE Director, Vinayak P. Dravid, SHyNE Co-Director, Andrew Cleland, Chad Goeser, Director of Operations and Outreach, and Katy Dean, Digital Communications and Outreach.

This year the meeting was hosted by Stanford University and began with the Education & Outreach meeting, SEI meeting, and a Welcome reception at the Cantor Art Museum on the Stanford campus.

The meeting involved members from all 16 sites, who came together to discuss the past year and look to the future of the NNCI. Some exciting panel discussions included such topics as, “What role does the NNCI currently play in workforce development and how can a future infrastructure improve upon and scale these efforts?” and “What can a set of future nanotechnology infrastructure sites do to expand their impact regionally?”. SHyNE Director, Vinayak P. Dravid participated in the Workforce Panel and guided the discussion on ways the network may contribute to the workforce of nanotechnology, including jobs in both hard to soft materials. Professor Dravid also presented on the ‘Understanding the Rules of Life’ Research Community.

At the Banquet dinner, the NNCI presented staff awards to the network’s amazing members, with awards for both technical staff and education and outreach.

Thanks to the NNCI Coordinating Office and Stanford University for bringing the network’s diverse sites together to share best practices, exchange ideas, and socialize!