Nanotechnology is widely viewed as the most significant technological frontier currently being explored.

Materials and devices at the nanoscale (a nanometer is one billionth of one meter) hold vast promise for innovation in virtually every industry and public endeavor including health, electronics, transportation, the environment, and national security. Nanotechnology has been heralded as “the next industrial revolution.”

In 2005, in an innovative and far-reaching collaborative venture, Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory’s Center for Nanoscale Materials established the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN). This venture, under the leadership of Professor Chad A. Mirkin, unites over $350 million in nanotechnology research, educational programs, and supporting infrastructure, while positioning the Midwest as a vibrant and growing center for the development of nanotechnology.

The IIN embodies an extraordinary combination of scientific capabilities, outreach programs, and partnerships. The institute also provides a unique and fertile ground from which to make substantial contributions to the field and ensure that the U.S. remains a world leader in nanotechnology.