Innovation and Global Diffusion of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field within the physical science, ranging in diversity from chemical physics to materials science to electrical engineering. It is touted as the path towards understanding the basic building materials of the physical world, and it is believed that nanotechnology may be able to greatly enhance the quality of life in the modern world. Because of the significant funding being channeled into this burgeoning field, we seek to investigate how nanotechnology diffuses globally. We will be exploring the social, cultural, and institutional forces that foster the cultivation of nano-scale R&D and any commercial applications that may ensue. The project will initially focus on China, which was selected in part because of its significance as one of the world’s most rapidly growing economies. This research, which will be carried out in large part through field work, focuses on the identification of some of the primary Chinese nano-scientists and the institutions that support their research and training. Interviews of scientists engaged in international collaborations between the US and China will be analyzed as one potential indicator for successful knowledge transfer. Through the interviews we will attempt to assess which cross-institutional arrangements are most effective in facilitating the progression of nanotechnology. Analysis of the findings will be centered on a Global Value Chain framework. The ultimate aim of the project is to contribute to a better understanding of the social and economic implications of innovation, and the transfer of technology and knowledge as they relate to nanotechnology.