Feb 7 - Expert speaks on role of nanotechnology in daily life Feb. 18

An expert in nanotechnology will speak about nanoscale materials and the role they play in everyday life next week at Douglas College in a free public lecture.

 Byron Gates, an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Simon Fraser University and Director of Nanofabrication Facilities at SFU's 4D LABS, will talk about both naturally occurring nanoscale materials and those made by design that we encounter on a daily basis, and their importance in new technological developments.

 Designer Nanomaterials: materials to meet the challenge of today and tomorrow takes place Friday, February 18, 1-2:30pm, in the Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre at Douglas College, followed by a reception.

 "Byron is a highly regarded researcher doing high-powered work," says Randy Alex, a Chemistry Instructor at Douglas. "With the kind of techniques that Byron and his research group are developing, you can construct these nanomaterials very carefully at the atomic level and give them properties that will do new jobs that existing materials just can't do at all."

 Nanoparticles are already being embedded in a vast array of consumer products - in clothing to make it stain- and odour-resistant; in plush toys to fight bacteria, mould and mites; in computers to reduce power consumption; in sunscreen to release sun-protection ingredients over time. They are also being used in batteries, large appliances, food, dietary supplements and children's games.

Alex also says nanomaterials carry potential safety hazards. In the case of clothing, for example, he says there is some concern that over time the nanoparticles will come off the fabric and get into our effluent treatment system, our rugs and other places - and that the possible impacts are so far unknown.

"Whenever you've got a material that contains particles with dimensions of an atom or molecule, there's a whole set of different properties they display. Rather than the large-scale macroscopic world that we see, there's the microscopic world that's ruled by quantum mechanics. And nobody really understands the details of these quantum mechanical properties for these materials and the possible implications for health and environmental issues."

The lecture is the third in a four-part series at Douglas College and part of the provincial government's Year of Science, a program to raise awareness among British Columbians of the importance of science to our health and well being, our lifestyle and our economic future.

"Science is not just about making our lives easier and faster with iPods or BlackBerrys," says Ida Chong, Minister of Science and Universities. "Science is also about using research to improve the quality of our lives and to change our world for the better."

Thor Borgford, Dean of Science and Technology at Douglas, says this is a unique opportunity for the public to hear an expert speak on a topical subject. 

"I think people should be very interested in how nanotechnology is already impacting their lives," Borgford says. "We buy dozens of 'nanotech' devices without realizing what they're all about."

Designer Nanomaterials: materials to meet the challenge of today and tomorrow takes place Friday, February 18, 1-4pm, in the Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre at Douglas College, 700 Royal Ave., New Westminster. Lecture 1-2:30pm; Reception 2:30-4pm. Free admission.