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      CIRCA '07 - An Update on the latest developments at Albany Nanotech


      by Jim Hurd, Director, NanoScience Exchange

      I caught up on the latest developments at Albany Nanotech when I attended the Convergence of International Research and Commercialization in Albany, (CIRCA '07) held May 21-23, '07.

      About 200 attendees of CIRCA '07 were given a firsthand look at the convergence of nanotechnology with electronics, photonics, bioelectronics, microsystems and wireless technologies - as well as the unique opportunities for partnership that it provides - to develop the market potential that exists in such diverse sectors as energy, biohealth, transportation, security and telecommunications.

      The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the University at Albany-State University of New York is one of the first colleges dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience and nanoeconomics. In May 2007, it was ranked as the world’s number one college for nanotechnology and microtechnology in the Annual College Ranking by Small Times magazine.

      CNSE’s Albany NanoTech complex is the most advanced research facility of its kind at any university in the world: a $3.5 billion, 450,000-square-foot complex. The UAlbany Nanocollege houses the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 65,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. Over 1,600 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty work on site at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech complex, including IBM, AMD, SONY, Toshiba, Qimonda, Honeywell, ASML, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, and Freescale.

      Just a few of the distinguished speakers at CIRCA '07 included: Larry Sumney, President and CEO, Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC); Dr. Timothy L. Weber, R&D Director of Advanced Materials and Processes Lab, Hewlett Packard; Dr. Bernard Meyerson, IBM Fellow, Vice President, Strategic Alliances and Chief Technology Officer, IBM Systems and Technology Group; Bill Kroll, President and CEO, Matheson Tri-Gas; Dr. Harry J. Levinson, Manager of Strategic Lithography Technology and Fellow, AMD; Dr. Bruce E. White, Jr., Manager of Advanced CMOS, Freescale Semiconductor; Dr. Satyen Mukherjee, Chief Scientist and Department Head, Microelectronics Devices, Circuits and Systems, Philips Research among others.

      I always aim to visit Albany once or twice a year to get an update on the dynamic projects developing there.