Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: ASU College of Law's national nanotechnology regulation conference to tackle big policy questions for the small science

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Abstract:
Twenty-eleven is the year that regulation of nanotechnology will move from a hypothetical possibility to a real issue for companies in virtually every industry sector that are benefitting from the new science of nanotechnology. Such regulation will raise profound policy, business and legal issues, which will be examined at a conference on March 21 sponsored by the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

By Janie Magruder

ASU College of Law's national nanotechnology regulation conference to tackle big policy questions for the small science

Phoenix, AZ | Posted on February 16th, 2011

"The Biggest Issues for the Smallest Stuff: Regulation and Risk Management of Nanotechnology" will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. It is co-hosted by the College of Law's Center for Law, Science & Innovation, The Center for Nanotechnology in Society at ASU, the law firm of Polsinelli Shughart PC, the Arizona Nanotechnology Cluster, and the ABA Section of Science & Technology, and is presented by Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science, and Technology, an American Bar Association publication produced at the College of Law.

Known as the science of the small - the ability to manipulate and utilize materials at the "nanoscale" level where they display unique and beneficial characteristics - nanotechnology is a growing science with big implications for health, safety, quality of life and environmental concerns.

The conference will feature top national and international experts from government, industry, non-governmental organizations, the insurance industry and academia, including Steve Owens, Assistant Administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency, and Robert Falkner of the London School of Economics and LSE Global Governance.

Panel sessions and panelists include:

* "The Regulatory Challenges of Nanotechnology"
Nano Overview and Benefits: Vincent Caprio, Executive Director, NanoBusiness Alliance
Scientific Challenges: Kiril Hristovski, Assistant Professor, College of Technology and Innovation, ASU
Regulatory Challenges: Gary Marchant, Executive Director, Center for Law, Science & Innovation, and Lincoln Professor of Emerging Technologies, Law and Ethics, ASU
Public Challenges: Elizabeth Corley, Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs, ASU

* "Regulatory Agency Perspectives"
Jeff Morris, National Program Director for Nanotechnology, EPA
Charles Geraci, Coordinator, Nanotechnology Research Center, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Ritu Nalubola, Policy Analyst, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Jeffrey Wong, Chief Scientist, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency

* "Non-Regulatory Risk Management Approaches"
Overview of Non-Regulatory Approaches, Daniel Fiorino, Executive in Residence, Department of Public Adminstration and Policy, American University
EDF-Dupont NanoRisk Framework, Terry Medley, Global Director of Corporate Regulatory Affairs, DuPont
Responsible NanoCode, Steffi Friedrichs, Director, Nanotechnology Industries Association
European Code of Conduct, Rene VonSchomberg, European Union.

* "Stakeholder Perspectives"
NGO Perspective, Jennifer Sass, Senior Scientist, Health and Environment Program, Natural Resources Defense Council
Legal Practitioner Perspective, John C. Monica Jr., Porter Wright.

* "Is Liability in the Future of Nanotechnology?"
Timothy F. Malloy, Professor and Faculty Director, Sustainable Technology and Policy Program, UCLA School of Law
Edward R. Glady, Jr., Polsinelli Shughart, PC

Nanotechnology, the science of the very small, is a rapidly emerging set of technologies being applied in virtually every industry sector, including health care, energy, food, cosmetics, materials, computer and communication technologies, automotive, environmental services and many others. At the same time that nanotechnology is providing many new exciting applications and benefits, it also has the potential to create significant new risks for workers, consumers and the environment.

After several years of studying the problem, federal agencies such as EPA, FDA and NIOSH are now moving forward with more active regulation of nanotechnology while, at the same time, a variety of other non-regulatory risk management and safety initiatives are being proposed or implemented.

"The regulation and risk management of nanotechnology is likely to affect a large number of companies across the economy, given the increasing prevalence of nanotechnology," said Gary Marchant, Executive Director of the Center for Law, Science & Innovation, and Lincoln Professor of Emerging Technologies, Law and Ethics at ASU. "This conference presents a unique opportunity to hear from the top experts from around the world on how nanotechnology should be regulated and managed."

Registration is $75 (general), and $25 (ASU students and faculty), and CLE will be offered for $150 to private attorneys and $100 to public attorneys. For more information and to register, visit lsi.law.asu.edu/nanoregulation.

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About Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, ASU
The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, renamed for the retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 2006, is pursuing a bold and transformative model for public legal education in the 21st century, a model we call “legal education in the future tense.” This model re-imagines the law school as a multifaceted legal studies center serving law students, professionals from other fields, and undergraduates seeking broad-based exposure to legal issues. At the core of this expansion is a dedication to making the law school a valuable resource for addressing major regional, national, and international problems of law and public policy. The College is the leading law school in the Phoenix area, boasts an Indian Legal Program that is arguably the best in the nation, houses the Center for Law, Science & Innovation, the oldest, largest and by far the most comprehensive law and science center in the country, the Center for Law and Global Affairs, and the new Diane Halle Center for Family Justice. Beyond the traditional J.D., the College offers several concurrent degrees, including a J.D./M.D. program with the Mayo Medical School, a J.D./M.B.A. with the W. P. Carey School of Business at ASU, a J.D./Ph.D. in Law and Psychology with the ASU Department of Psychology, and a J.D./Ph.D. in Justice Studies with the ASU School of Social Transformation’s Justice and Social Inquiry Program. It also offers graduate degrees in Biotechnology and Genomics and in Tribal Policy, Law and Government. A Master of Legal Studies program gives non-lawyers an opportunity to develop needed legal skills to help students advance in their professional careers. For more information, visit law.asu.edu

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Contacts:
Janie Magruder
Phone: 480-727-9052

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