Nano-App Summit to Open NANO Week

Three-day program will explore nano products in automotive, aerospace and consumer products industries

CLEVELAND, July 27 -- New products and applications based on nanotechnology will be the focus of the Nano-App Summit to be held at the Wyndham Hotel at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland during NANO Week, October 17-19.

The Nano-App Summit is being jointly hosted by ASM International, the society for materials engineers and scientists, and by the Nano-Network, the Ohio-based nanotechnology educational, networking and advocacy group.

Each day of the three-day summit will focus on a different industry -- automotive, aerospace, and consumer products. Leading researchers and product development experts from each industry will participate in the summit. Speakers scheduled to present at the summit include:

   - Monday, Oct. 17 - The Aerospace Industry and Nanotechnology -
     John Belk of Boeing Co.; Jim Murday of the Office of Naval Research;
     David Diehl of PPG Corp.; Dustin Carr of Sandia National Laboratories;
     Sankar Sambasivan of Applied Thin Films; Suraj Rawal senior manager of
     the Advanced Materials and Structures division at Lockheed Martin Space
     Systems.

   - Tuesday, Oct. 18 - Opportunities for Nanotechnology in the Automotive
     Industry - John M. Ginder of Ford Motor Co.'s Physical and
     Environmental Sciences Department; Mark Verbrugge, director of
     Materials and Processes Lab for General Motors Corp.; and Dan Rardon,
     manager of Nanotechnology Initiatives for PPG Corp.

   - Wednesday, Oct. 19 - The Nanotechnology Revolution in Consumer Products
     - Nabil Y. Sakkab, senior vice president of the research and
     development for global fabric and home care at Procter & Gamble;
     Nirmalya Maity of Cabot Corp.; Keith Blakely, chief executive officer
     of NanoDynamics Corp;  Patricia Glaza, chief executive officer of
     Small Times.

Mike Kenney, director of business development for ASM, said the summit will focus attention on "real world" applications of nanotechnology that are being deployed in the marketplace now or in the near future.

"We want suppliers, marketers and manufacturers to leave the conference with an appreciation of how nanotechnology is influencing their markets today and how that will evolve over the next few years," Kenney said.

The conference will also feature the University Research Showcase, which will highlight the latest research emerging from leading nanotech research universities. Among the universities scheduled to participate are Case Western Reserve University, Cornell University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, and University of Pittsburgh.

"The research on display will be the most promising for commercial applications," said Mark Brandt, co-founder of the Nano-Network, an industry- led effort to improve and expand nanotechnology research and commercialization activities and capacities in Northeast Ohio. "Executives attending the conference will get a great idea of the opportunities awaiting them in the labs."

Business executives unfamiliar with the promise and potential of nanotechnology will be able to attend a NanoTech 101 class taught by leading nano researchers. The course will be offered on Oct. 17 and 18.

"Nanotechnology is behind many of the new products we enjoy -- from scratch resistant glasses to stain-free pants -- but it's also driving innovation in the automotive and aerospace sectors," said Chris Mather, executive director of Nano-Network.

  The Nano-App Summit is designed for:
   - CTOs, engineering executives, corporate researchers and product
     development specialists interested in how the opportunities in
     nanotechnology can improve their companies' offerings and sales
   - Venture capitalists looking to fund the next wave of nano products
   - Nanotechnology company executives focused on delivering products to the
     marketplace
   - University researchers with strong materials science and nanotechnology
     programs

For registration information and more details on the Summit visit www.nanoappsummit.com. For more information on NANO Week visit www.nano-network.org.

About the Nano-Network The Nano-Network was formed by scientists, entrepreneurs and financiers to improve and expand nanotechnology research and commercialization activities and capacities in Northeast Ohio, and throughout the nation. More information about the Nano-Network is available at www.nano-network.org.

About ASM International

ASM International, The Materials Information Society, is the world's leading society for reliable information and data on metals, engineered materials and processes. The 37,000-member society is headquartered near Cleveland, Ohio. www.asminternational.org