Statement of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden

Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference
July 28-29, 2004

When I started looking at our nation’s nanotechnology preparedness a couple of years ago, it became clear that for most folks this was still the stuff of science fiction, so when I proposed the idea of placing a priority on the development of micro- and nanotechnology to create jobs and boost our state’s economy at the first-ever Oregon economic summit, I got some strange looks.

Since then, Senator Allen and I have passed The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, which authorized $3.7 billion for nanotechnology research over four years. Because research is a sparkplug for economic activity, increasing Oregon’s capacity for innovation is critical in the effort to create lasting economic prosperity for our state. Senator Smith, Governor Kulongoski and I are working on a bipartisan basis with business leaders from across the state to make this happen, in line with the Oregon Business Plan.

While this new law authorizes $3.7 billion for nanotechnology research, those dollars must stretch further. I don’t want the government to just write a check to the labs and then see those dollars spent; I want them used to leverage private investment in this important technology. And if we’re going to leverage the full potential of these dollars, we need to accelerate the time from discovery to commercialization. Doing so will mean creating critical partnerships to overcome the technical challenges and market barriers to developing products.

I learned a long time ago that partnerships are the only way to get anything done, and in Oregon, we are leading the way. I am very proud to have been there from the beginning as ONAMI—a unique collaboration bringing together the best of Oregon and the Northwest—was being formed. It combines the complementary research strengths of our state’s three largest public universities with the expertise of the Pacific Northwest National Labs and the tremendous interest and ability in Oregon’s private sector.

The work of the Microproducts Breakthrough Institute can be another key opportunity to ensure we as Oregonians are doing everything we can to put ourselves in a position to succeed.

I hope your conversations over the next two days prove fruitful and I look forward to hearing from ONAMI about ways I can continue to be helpful as we work together to grow Oregon’s economy.