- Email: [email protected]
New year, new future?
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30/12/2002
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Page 1
EDITORIAL
Published by Elsevier Science Ltd The Boulevard, Langford Lane Kidlington, OX5 1GB, UK Editorial Publisher Amanda Weaver Editor Cordelia Sealy Assistant Editor Jonathan Wood Editorial Assistant Catherine McNeill Production Coordinator Lin Lucas Tel: +44 (0)1865 843 140 Fax: +44 (0)1865 843 933 Email: [email protected] Advertising Advertisements Manager Kevin Partridge Tel: +44 (0)1865 843 717 Fax: +44 (0)1865 843 933 Email: [email protected] Advertisement Sales, Europe David Kay Tel: + 44 (0) 1273 423 512 Fax: + 44 (0) 1273 422 707 Email: [email protected] Free circulation enquiries Materials Today, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough LE16 9EF, UK Tel: +44 (0)1858 439 601 Fax: +44 (0)1858 434 958 Email: [email protected]
New year, new future? A couple of recent comments got me thinking about the ‘big
step in materials flows,” says the declaration, “including
issues’ in materials science. Marshall Stoneham in his review
exploration, mining, production, distribution, utilization, and
of Robert Cahn’s book [Materials Today (2002) 5 (10), 37]
recycling must not only fulfill the ‘usual’ functional and
cited the plastic bag as one of the great achievements of
economic requirements but must also meet the ecological and
materials science. But with this success, there comes a
social demands of sustainability.”
problem: waste. Rustum Roy’s subsequent reflections on the neglect of ‘giga-problems’ [Materials Today (2002) 5 (12), 72] struck a cord. In this era of mass consumerism [an issue, incidentally, that is analyzed for the first time in a book by Thomas Princen et al., Confronting Consumption (2002, MIT Press)], the generation of waste and how to deal with it is increasingly – or should be – a cause for concern.
European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin suggests that nanotechnology may be a revolution for sustainability (and for Europe, as well, perhaps?). “Nanotechnologies offer a crucial contribution to sustainable development,” he says, and will allow Europe “to do even more and better, while using fewer resources.” Realizing the potential of nanotechnology in this area is vital, he says, for Europe to meet its international
Here is where materials science surely has something
commitments to, for example, the Kyoto Protocol and to be
Subscription orders & payments Price: 144 / US$161 Europe/ROW Tel: +31 20 485 3757 Fax: +31 20 485 3432 USA Tel: +1 212 633 3730 Fax: +1 212 633 3680
profound to offer. By providing improved technologies for
competitive. The ‘twin’ issues of nanotechnology and
recyclable or biodegradable materials, and renewable energy
sustainability will occupy a pivotal role in the 6th European
sources, materials science could offer a solution to some of
Framework Programme for Research, receiving nearly
the pressing problems faced by the human race. Who better
$3.5 billion over the next four years. Busquin asks the
© Elsevier Science 2003
to advise on the sensible – sustainable – use of materials than
question, “How can we guarantee a quality of life of people
Materials Today is owned and published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All material published in Materials Today is copyright Elsevier Science Ltd.
a materials scientist? Julian Vincent touched on some of these
today and future generations?” Technology holds the answer,
issues in his comparison of man and nature’s use of raw
he concludes, and research, “because no research, no
This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Science Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying: Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Science Rights & Permissions Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; tel: +44 (0)1865 843830, fax: +44 (0)1865 853333, e-mail: [email protected]. You may also contact Rights & Permissions directly through Elsevier’s home page (http://www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Customer Support’, then ‘General Information’, then ‘Permissions Query Form’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; tel: +1 978 7508400, fax: +1 978 7504744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; tel: +44 (0) 20 7436 5931; fax: +44 (0)20 71436 3986. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works: Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage: Permission of the publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Contact the publisher at the address indicated. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Science Rights & Permissions Department, at the mail, fax and e-mail addresses noted above. Notice: No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer. Printed by Headley Brothers Ltd, Kent, UK ISSN 1369-7021 Journal number: 03069
materials [Materials Today (2002) 5 (12), 28-41]. Are cheap
innovation.” To paraphrase the director of the International
resources, he asks, necessarily better? The sentiment echoes
Council for Science, Thomas Rosswall, after the Johannesburg
the bottom line in Princen et al.’s book, how do we get from
World Summit last summer, now is the time to create a
the idea that ‘more is better’ to ‘enough is best’?
science – a materials science – for sustainable development.
Europe seems to be waking up to the centrality of materials science to the issue of sustainability. A recent conference in Germany on Future Sustainable Technologies concluded with a general declaration. Intended as recommendations for goals in the research, development, and implementation of novel materials and processes, the declaration identifies three pillars
Cordelia Sealy
of sustainability: economy, ecology, and society. “Every single
Editor, Materials Today
Editorial Advisory Panel Caroline Baillie, University of Liverpool, UK Zhenan Bao, Bell Labs, Lucent Technology, USA Robert Cahn FRS, University of Cambridge, UK Martin Castell, University of Oxford, UK Larry Dalton, University of Washington, USA Peter Goodhew, University of Liverpool, UK Alan Heeger, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA George Jeronimidis, University of Reading, UK
Mark Johnson, Naval Research Laboratory, USA Richard A. L. Jones, University of Sheffield, UK Stephen Pearton, University of Florida, USA Frans Spaepen, Harvard University, USA Richard Spontak, North Carolina State University, USA Marshall Stoneham FRS, University College London, UK George Whitesides, Harvard University, USA Jackie Yi-Ru Ying, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
January 2003
1
30/12/2002
11:54
Page 1
EDITORIAL
Published by Elsevier Science Ltd The Boulevard, Langford Lane Kidlington, OX5 1GB, UK Editorial Publisher Amanda Weaver Editor Cordelia Sealy Assistant Editor Jonathan Wood Editorial Assistant Catherine McNeill Production Coordinator Lin Lucas Tel: +44 (0)1865 843 140 Fax: +44 (0)1865 843 933 Email: [email protected] Advertising Advertisements Manager Kevin Partridge Tel: +44 (0)1865 843 717 Fax: +44 (0)1865 843 933 Email: [email protected] Advertisement Sales, Europe David Kay Tel: + 44 (0) 1273 423 512 Fax: + 44 (0) 1273 422 707 Email: [email protected] Free circulation enquiries Materials Today, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough LE16 9EF, UK Tel: +44 (0)1858 439 601 Fax: +44 (0)1858 434 958 Email: [email protected]
New year, new future? A couple of recent comments got me thinking about the ‘big
step in materials flows,” says the declaration, “including
issues’ in materials science. Marshall Stoneham in his review
exploration, mining, production, distribution, utilization, and
of Robert Cahn’s book [Materials Today (2002) 5 (10), 37]
recycling must not only fulfill the ‘usual’ functional and
cited the plastic bag as one of the great achievements of
economic requirements but must also meet the ecological and
materials science. But with this success, there comes a
social demands of sustainability.”
problem: waste. Rustum Roy’s subsequent reflections on the neglect of ‘giga-problems’ [Materials Today (2002) 5 (12), 72] struck a cord. In this era of mass consumerism [an issue, incidentally, that is analyzed for the first time in a book by Thomas Princen et al., Confronting Consumption (2002, MIT Press)], the generation of waste and how to deal with it is increasingly – or should be – a cause for concern.
European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin suggests that nanotechnology may be a revolution for sustainability (and for Europe, as well, perhaps?). “Nanotechnologies offer a crucial contribution to sustainable development,” he says, and will allow Europe “to do even more and better, while using fewer resources.” Realizing the potential of nanotechnology in this area is vital, he says, for Europe to meet its international
Here is where materials science surely has something
commitments to, for example, the Kyoto Protocol and to be
Subscription orders & payments Price: 144 / US$161 Europe/ROW Tel: +31 20 485 3757 Fax: +31 20 485 3432 USA Tel: +1 212 633 3730 Fax: +1 212 633 3680
profound to offer. By providing improved technologies for
competitive. The ‘twin’ issues of nanotechnology and
recyclable or biodegradable materials, and renewable energy
sustainability will occupy a pivotal role in the 6th European
sources, materials science could offer a solution to some of
Framework Programme for Research, receiving nearly
the pressing problems faced by the human race. Who better
$3.5 billion over the next four years. Busquin asks the
© Elsevier Science 2003
to advise on the sensible – sustainable – use of materials than
question, “How can we guarantee a quality of life of people
Materials Today is owned and published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All material published in Materials Today is copyright Elsevier Science Ltd.
a materials scientist? Julian Vincent touched on some of these
today and future generations?” Technology holds the answer,
issues in his comparison of man and nature’s use of raw
he concludes, and research, “because no research, no
This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Science Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying: Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Science Rights & Permissions Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; tel: +44 (0)1865 843830, fax: +44 (0)1865 853333, e-mail: [email protected]. You may also contact Rights & Permissions directly through Elsevier’s home page (http://www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Customer Support’, then ‘General Information’, then ‘Permissions Query Form’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; tel: +1 978 7508400, fax: +1 978 7504744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; tel: +44 (0) 20 7436 5931; fax: +44 (0)20 71436 3986. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works: Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage: Permission of the publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Contact the publisher at the address indicated. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Science Rights & Permissions Department, at the mail, fax and e-mail addresses noted above. Notice: No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer. Printed by Headley Brothers Ltd, Kent, UK ISSN 1369-7021 Journal number: 03069
materials [Materials Today (2002) 5 (12), 28-41]. Are cheap
innovation.” To paraphrase the director of the International
resources, he asks, necessarily better? The sentiment echoes
Council for Science, Thomas Rosswall, after the Johannesburg
the bottom line in Princen et al.’s book, how do we get from
World Summit last summer, now is the time to create a
the idea that ‘more is better’ to ‘enough is best’?
science – a materials science – for sustainable development.
Europe seems to be waking up to the centrality of materials science to the issue of sustainability. A recent conference in Germany on Future Sustainable Technologies concluded with a general declaration. Intended as recommendations for goals in the research, development, and implementation of novel materials and processes, the declaration identifies three pillars
Cordelia Sealy
of sustainability: economy, ecology, and society. “Every single
Editor, Materials Today
Editorial Advisory Panel Caroline Baillie, University of Liverpool, UK Zhenan Bao, Bell Labs, Lucent Technology, USA Robert Cahn FRS, University of Cambridge, UK Martin Castell, University of Oxford, UK Larry Dalton, University of Washington, USA Peter Goodhew, University of Liverpool, UK Alan Heeger, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA George Jeronimidis, University of Reading, UK
Mark Johnson, Naval Research Laboratory, USA Richard A. L. Jones, University of Sheffield, UK Stephen Pearton, University of Florida, USA Frans Spaepen, Harvard University, USA Richard Spontak, North Carolina State University, USA Marshall Stoneham FRS, University College London, UK George Whitesides, Harvard University, USA Jackie Yi-Ru Ying, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
January 2003
1