Collaborative Research: Pan American Nanotechnology Conference 2: Growing Convergence in Nanotechnology: Brazil-March 2020

This project builds on the November of 2017 first Pan American Nanotechnology Conference held in Guaruja, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The first conference attracted 257 participants. Among the participants, 132 were female, while 125 were male. In this conference, 70 participants were from the USA (53 participants were funded by the project), and 173 were from different countries in Latin America, while the remaining participants were from other countries in Europe and Asia. This first conference was markedly successful since collaborations between USA scientists and Latin American scientists were initiated. Furthermore, it provided educational and networking opportunities for US scientists at various career stages. Because of the success of the first conference, we propose to hold the second Pan American Nanotechnology Conference again in Brazil in March of 2020; that is, after Brazilian Carnaval to keep costs reasonable. As a main addition to this project, we will also join resources with the organizing committee of the IV Workshop on Environmental nanotechnology organized by the UNESP (State University of Sao Paulo/Sorocaba). They have been successfully doing this workshop for three years and have strong connections with other Latin American Universities. They also have leveraged funds to bring speakers from other Latin American Institutions. This approach will allow us to increase the participation of other institutions from Latin America in the second Pan American Conference. This addition of the IV workshop to the second Pan American Nanotechnology Conference is a direct collaborative outcome from the first Pan American Nanotechnology Conference established by the US team and Brazilian researchers. Intellectual Merit: This conference will provide a venue for sharing the most recent understanding of nanoparticles and nano-enabled materials behavior in biomedical, physicochemical, and environmental systems with the purpose to develop a research convergence of different fields and researchers throughout the Pan-American region. We propose the theme of Growing Convergence in Nanotechnology, so that this conference can be a venue for research convergence in different fields of nanomaterials and nanotechnology, such as social, legal, medical, agricultural, synthesis, modeling, and applications in order to conduct impactful research at the nanoscale. The conference will have several cultural and social activities to promote networking among participants from North, South and Central America. Furthermore, renowned speakers, that have not attended the 1st conference, will be invited to present in plenary and concurrent smaller breakout sessions to discuss the convergence of their fields with other nanotechnology fields. We propose as a product of this conference to have the scientific committee along with selected participants write a manuscript on the future implications of converging research in nanotechnology. Broader Impacts: This conference will continue providing participants from the Americas a venue for sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration with the purpose of moving forward the development and application of sustainable nanotechnologies to improve quality of life worldwide while promoting protection of the environment and human health. The conference will showcase the current state of the art in terms of research findings, regulations and socioeconomic aspects of the field of green nanomanufacturing, as well as environmental, health and safety of nanotechnologies. This conference will also share knowledge about nanotechnology and nanomaterials interactions and behaviors with different biological, chemical and environmental systems among research groups with similar interests in different countries in the region. Finally, the project will support a minimum of 50 researchers and students including female, minorities and underrepresented groups to attend the conference. Therefore, providing educational and networking opportunities for scientists at various career stages