Nanovation

Nanovation

Nanotechnology is a more precise way of doing everything — making things, assembling things, measuring things, sorting things, etc. From construction and energy to health and information technology, few industries will be immune to its influence. The Nanovation podcast is a forum to address the big questions, challenges, and opportunities of nanotechnology. Topics lie at the intersection of nanoscience, manufacturing, technology, business, and society. The podcast is conversational in format and aimed at a general, yet technically-savvy audience. Nanovation is hosted by Prof. Michael Filler from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Episodes

November 30, 2020 48 mins
Nanovation comes to an end. In a fitting farewell, Charlie Bennett returns to interview Mike. They talk about what Mike originally set out to do, what worked, what didn't work, what surprised him along the way, and what may be on the horizon. Thank you to the show’s listeners for their curiosity and kindness. Thank you to the show’s guests for their selflessness and passion for science and engineering. And a special thank you to th...
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The ability to coat large quantities of small particles — powders — via atomic layer deposition (ALD) has opened new vistas for battery materials, chemical catalysis, 3-D printing, and more. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Ruud van Ommen from TU Delft talks everything powder ALD. In this context, Ruud and Mike focus on the why and how of process scale-up. Listeners of the show won’t be surprised to learn that there’s muc...
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Malancha Gupta from the University of Southern California gives a primer on initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). iCVD is a relatively new processing technique for the deposition of functional polymer thin films. Because polymer properties are readily tunable, iCVD can impart a nearly limitless number of surface functionalities. Perhaps most importantly, the mild nature of iCVD makes it compatible with delicate substrates suc...
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Sang Han from the University of New Mexico has spent his career developing advanced electronic and photonic materials. In this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Sang and Mike discuss radiative cooling technology, which promises to cool surfaces, such as the exteriors of homes and buildings, even in direct sunlight. They talk about the physics of radiative cooling, different methods for its implementation, and the challenge of deve...
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Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, joins Mike to talk about complex oxides. Complex oxides are multi-component materials that yield a bevy of exotic properties. Much of the podcast centers on ferroelectricity, the ability of certain materials to exhibit an internal polarization that can be switched with an external electric field. Nazanin and Mike talk about the current use of ferroelectri...
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What if every seed you planted could include a sensor to monitor moisture and nutrients? What if every tissue had nanoscale electronics to check for viruses when you blew your nose? In this bonus episode from the Sustainable Nano podcast (an outstanding production of the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison), Mike talks with host Miriam Krause about his lab's push toward ‘hyper-scalable’ el...
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If you’ve ever thought about starting a nanotech company, this is the episode for you! Andrew Hunt tells the story of Engi-Mat (formerly nGimat), the nanomaterials company he founded in 1993. Andrew and Mike discuss Engi-Mat’s core manufacturing technology, what motivated Andrew to start the company, the pros and cons of the U.S. patent system, and how the nanotechnology landscape has changed in the past two and half decades. Andre...
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What do you get when you combine politics and nanotechnology? NanoBama, a carbon nanotube based picture of the 44th President of the United States. John Hart, the leader of the Mechanosynthesis Group at MIT, joins the podcast to talk about his love of nanomanufacturing and science communication. We talk about the challenge of developing “code” for nanomanufacturing processes and how nanomanufacturing is in a (sometimes frustrating)...
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Bob Sutor, the Vice President of IBM Q Strategy and Ecosystem, talks about IBM's unique approach to quantum computing. With the IBM Q Experience, they allow anyone on the Internet to access and program a quantum computer. Bob and Mike also discuss how to build a quantum computer, when quantum computers might be better than classical computers, where nanotechnology plays a role, and what we can expect further in the future. Bob is v...
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The modern story of technological innovation is usually told as a story of scientific discovery followed by translation and commercialization. What if there is a broad class of technological innovations that do not follow this narrative? What if, despite being frequently overlooked or misunderstood, these innovations have revolutionized society in domains as diverse as materials, energy, electronics, and healthcare? On this episode...
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Daniel Whiteson, a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at UC Irvine, is the guest on this fun, free-wheeling 50th episode of the Nanovation podcast. Daniel talks about the connection between Lego and particle physics, how a cell phone can detect high energy particles physicists don't think should exist, and the role of nanotechnology in the discovery of the Higgs Boson. Be sure not to miss Daniel’s outreach and communication efforts...
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May 28, 2019 63 mins
Kate Plass is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Franklin and Marshall College where her lab specializes in the synthesis of nanoparticles, especially those with unique near-infrared optical properties. On this episode of Nanovation, Kate not only discusses her lab’s research but also talks about life at primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) like Franklin and Marshall. She explains the basics of PUIs, how they view the wo...
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Josh Caldwell from Vanderbilt University, and formerly the United States Naval Research Laboratory, talks about his pioneering work in infrared polaritonics. Polaritons are quasiparticles that couple photons to the motion of electrons or atoms in a material, and allow you to squeeze and manipulate light in nanoscale volumes. In the infrared, this capability may one day allow, for example, the roof of your home to cool even when in ...
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March 14, 2019 73 mins
Greg Parsons from North Carolina State University is the guest on this episode of the Nanovation podcast. Greg is an expert on atomic layer deposition (ALD), the process by which thin films or coatings are deposited atomic layer by atomic layer. Or, as Greg explains, almost. We discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of ALD. While Greg has explored the use of ALD in a variety of applications, his pioneering work in the area of text...
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February 13, 2019 50 mins
Patrik Dalqvist and Elin Langhammer are the CEO and Founder/Technical Director, respectively, of Insplorion AB, a Sweden-based company working to commercialize nanoplasmonic sensing for the environmental monitoring and automotive markets. They joined Mike to talk about the company's birth, the science behind their nanoplasmonic sensor technology, their early attempts to achieve product-market fit, and how their technology promises ...
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January 13, 2019 52 mins
Fred Rascoe from the Georgia Tech Library returns to the show to talk about the changing roles of libraries and scholarly publishing in the 21st century. Fred and Mike discuss why scholarly publishing has been so resistant to, really insulated from, change in the Internet era. They bat around ideas for business models that do not involve universities, companies, or the public paying for expensive journal subscriptions. Mike also ma...
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On this special episode of Nanovation, Mike and Andrew are interviewed on WREK’s North Avenue Lounge. They spoke with host Charlie Bennett about the origin of Nanovation, why they started it, why they keep working on it, where they hope to go, and more. Nanovation will be back with a regular episode in a few weeks.

Show details:
• Recorded at WREK in Atlanta, GA on December 17, 2018
• Hosted by Charlie Bennett (@bennettradio)
• Podca...
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Bob Hamers is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin—Madison and co-founder of Silatronix, a company that is commercializing a new electrolyte for Li ion batteries. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Bob shares the story of Silatronix's founding and the scientific twists and turns that lead them to their current electrolyte design. Bob also talks about the NSF-funded Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology (C...
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Sebastien Lounis is the co-founder of Cyclotron Road, a fellowship program that supports entrepreneurial scientists as they start down the road of translating a scientific discovery into a commercially viable technology. On this episode of the Nanovation podcast, Sebastien overviews Cyclotron Road, what drove him and his co-founder to start it, how it works, and how it fits into the broader tech-translation landscape. Critically, C...
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October 1, 2018 58 mins
Kira Barton from the University of Michigan joins the podcast to share her experience being a professor. At a tier-one research institution like Michigan, the job of professor is so much more than teaching undergraduate students. However, the show starts with a discussion of additive manufacturing, how it's already changing the way we make stuff, and Kira’s lab's exciting research on a new technique called e-jet printing. Whether y...
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