Small Science -- Big Deal!

Letter of Intent between University of Texas at Dallas, the National Research Council of Canada and the University of Alberta Signed

DALLAS, TX - On the occasion of the Team Canada West mission led by The Right Honorable Jean Chrétien that swooped into Dallas on November 28, a special panel discussion entitled Nanotechnology -- GIANT Future from the Science of Small" spawned more than just an hour-long discussion. New alliances were formed as a result of the distinguished panel participation. Later in the day, the University of Texas at Dallas signed a letter of intent with the National Research Council of Canada and the University of Alberta to explore the possibility of a program to foster the exchange of scientific and technical knowledge, identify opportunities for collaborative research and technology transfer, and develop scientific and technical capabilities in nanotechnology applications in energy, computers and life sciences.

The North Texas Technology Council organized and coordinated the nanotechnology panel that consisted of:

§    Dr. Da Hsuan Feng, Vice President of Research & Graduate Education, The University of Texas at Dallas;

§    Dr. Peter Hackett, Vice President of Research, National Research Council of Canada;

§    Dr. Daniel Colbert, Founder, Carbon Nanotechnologies Inc. and Faculty Fellow Chemistry Department, Rice University;

§    Dr. Paul Sorenson, Professor and Associate Vice President of Research, University of Alberta; and

§    Dr. Sanjeev Manohar, Chief of Staff -- Prof. Alan G. MacDiarmid Laboratory and Visiting Associate Professor of Chemistry, UTD NanoTech Institute, The University of Texas at Dallas.

Dr B. Hobson Wildenthal, Executive Vice President and Provost of UTD, who signed the letter of intent on the behalf of UTD, commented: "UTD's new affiliation with the University of Alberta and Canada's National Research Council to foster research collaborations, particularly in the area of nanotech, links UTD with two key players in the burgeoning world-wide network of nanotech research and developments. Our university faculty researchers will benefit from increased levels of scientific dialog, and we and the rest of Texas higher education can benefit from working more closely with the NRC, which has a deservedly high reputation for creative and far-sighted support of important research."

This affiliation," continued Dr. Wildenthal, is also in the spirit of the Dallas agenda of continually expanding its roll in international relations and trade. It was also a personal privilege and pleasure for me to be able to become acquainted with the engaging and distinguished members of the Canadian delegation."

Earlier this year, the University of Texas at Dallas formed the UTD NanoTech Institute. Canada recently announced the establishment of a national nanotechnology center at the University of Alberta in Edmonton with the collaboration of the National Research Council

Nanotechnology is emerging as the next frontier of scientific discovery, exploring the study and application of science on the nanometer scale. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Carbon nanotubes, which are a new form of carbon, is one of the exciting discoveries made through nanotechnology research. Carbon nanotubes are hundreds of times stronger than steel and possess unique electrical properties, offering a myriad of potential applications.

About Team Canada West

The Team Canada West mission was led by The Right Honorable Jean Chrétien and included Premiers of the four western provinces, leaders of the Northwest Territories and more than 100 top Canadian business professionals. Dallas was the first of two US stops. (http://www.tcm-mec.gc.ca/tcwest/menu-e.asp).

About NTTC:

The North Texas Technology Council (www.nttc.ws) promotes and drives recognition to North Texas as a leading and premier technology region, addresses issues pertinent to the growth of the region and unifies the North Texas technology community.

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 7,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate students. The school's freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university's web site at www.utdallas.edu, or about the UTD NanoTech Institute, please see: http://www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=2054.

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For additional information:

John McCloskey Ph.D.

972-238-1956

peadcojm@swbell.net