Author Archives: Walt

About Walt

I have been involved in various aspects of nanotechnology since the late 1970s. My interest in promoting nano-safety began in 2006 and produced a white paper in 2007 explaining the four pillars of nano-safety. I am a technology futurist and is currently focused on nanoelectronics, single digit nanomaterials, and 3D printing at the nanoscale. My experience includes three startups, two of which I founded, 13 years at SEMATECH, where I was a Senior Fellow of the technical staff when I left, and 12 years at General Electric with nine of them on corporate staff. I have a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, an MBA from James Madison University, and a B.S. in Physics from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Graphene revisited

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Walt | Permalink 0

Graphene has been in the news lately.  Given that graphene has superior electrical mobility compared to silicon and is some 200 times stronger than steel, it is understandable [..]

Nanotechnology, Technology

Scientific/Medical Research Results

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Walt | Permalink 0

In the last few weeks, we have been learning that “scientific” or “medical” research results may contain erroneous information. [Ref. 1]  There is currently an outbreak of measles [..]

Misc Ramblings, Nanotechnology Risk Management

Nanotechnology Regulations

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Walt | Permalink 0

What is the purpose of regulations? Regulations are rules/laws or directives created and maintained by an authority that is intended to govern conduct/actions. Ideally, the purpose of the [..]

Nanotechnology, Nanotechnology Risk Management

Nanotechnology Education Sources

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Walt | Permalink 0

Just having come from a conference on nanotechnology education, I thought that it might be interesting to review some of the sites/tools available within the United States. This [..]

Nanotechnology Education

More Science Fiction Benefits from Nano

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Walt | Permalink 0

It is amazing the way science fiction can influence the real world. Most recognize the cell phone as an outcome of the “Star Trek communicator”. Sure, it is [..]

Nanotechnology, Science

Nano-Safety – A Real Approach

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Walt | Permalink 0

Two interesting reports have emerged in the last couple of days. “Nanoparticle safety: The quest for the gold standard” [1] by Dr. Harald Krug, a toxicologist, at Empa, [..]

Nanotechnology Safety

Nanonickel – increased danger or not?

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Walt | Permalink 0

Recently published reports indicate that a researcher has developed a reaction to nickel nanoparticles [1, 2]. “A 26-year-old female chemist formulated polymers and coatings usually using silver ink [..]

Nanotechnology Risk Management, Nanotechnology Safety

The Second Cycle of Nanotechnology?

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Walt | Permalink 0

The time may be coming for nanotechnology to really take off. There are many descriptions of how technology become ingrained in the public perception. Most observations are based [..]

Nanotechnology

PEER Review or Pier Review?

Posted on July 19, 2014 by Walt | Permalink 0

As has been stated previously, “scientific” research that can not be validated is not scientific and certainly not research according to the standards of accepted practice. I have [..]

Misc Ramblings, Nanotechnology Risk Management

Nano Electronics

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Walt | Permalink 0

What actually is nano electronics?  The semiconductor people have been working with features that are 100 nm or smaller for close to 20 years.  The current generation of [..]

Electronics, Nanotechnology