KUWAIT, Nov 5 (KUNA) -- Kuwait is keen on keeping up with the latest advances in sciences and technology and this includes progress in nanotechnology, Amiri Diwan Assistant Undersecretary for Ruling Family Affairs Sheikh Sabah Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah stated Sunday.
The official inaugurated "Kuwait 1st Nano Technology Conference" which is organized by Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) under the patronage of Amiri Diwan Affairs Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Most unique to nanotechnology is the role it plays in development of private sector institutions and activity, the official said.
The undersecretary expressed hope this conference would provide the local private sector with a clear outlook as to how to improve and beef up investment in Kuwait.
Meanwhile, KISR acting Director General Dr. Nader Al-Awadhi addressed the attendees saying the importance of this event lies in the future value and implications of nanotechnology which is calculated to bring on a revolution to affect all aspects of life.
Describing it as the "technology of the future," Al-Awadhi noted there is a wide range of applications for the technology in the fields of medicine, for example.
Minute devices could help in early diagnosis and accurate transmission of drugs to targeted organs, even cells, which would improve the odds of recovery and spare patients the usual side-effects of current treatment that affects diseased and healthy cells alike.
In electronics, he further said, the size of equipment and gear would be dramatically reduced while storage and memory capacity would go up many-fold.
On her part, head of the organizing committee Feryal Al-Freih urged a national initiative to embark on nano-age technologies and applications and learning from other states' experiences in this field.
She pointed out advanced states invest sizable sums into this field with the US pumping USD 7.5 billion for the period from 2007-2013 and Japan setting aside a sum of USD 3 billion for the period lasting till 2008 alone.
The figure urged the Kuwaiti private sector to invest in this field and stated her aspirations. "Today, Kuwait exports oil. Tomorrow, we hope to export nano products," she said.
The opening session of the conference reviewed the activities of King Abdulaziz City For Science and Technology in nanotechnology with speaker Dr. Saleh Al-Athal, the Saudi science city chairman.
Other prominent speakers were theoretical physics professor and Nobel Laureate Gerard T. Hooft of Holland and physics professor W. Martienssen of Germany who addressed the 'future of nanotechnology in developing nations.'
Another session was addressed by Germany's astrophysics professor and UK Chairman of the International Advisory Committee and Deputy Director General for Research at KISR, Chairman of the Scientific Committee Mohamed El-Naschie who tackled the issue of a national initiative for nanotechnology in Kuwait.
Nanoscience and nanotechnology is a branch of science and engineering devoted to the design, production, study of, and work with matter on an ultra-small scale. One nanometre is one-millionth of a millimetre and a single human hair is around 80,000 nanometres in width. This is the grey area between classical and quantum mechanics and often involves physics, chemistry, biology and other branches of science.
The one-day KISR conference is organized through the support of Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences and other sponsors include Commercial Bank of Kuwait and Kuwait Technological Projects Company.
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) was established in 1967 and was organized by an Amiri Decree issued in 1973, under which it became directly responsible, via its board of Trustees, to the Council of Ministers.
An Amiri Decree in 1981 (law No. 28) formally established KISR as an independent public institution. The law specified that the Institute would be governed by the Board of Trustees chaired by a minister chosen by the Council of Ministers.
The main objectives of the institute are to carry out applied scientific research, especially related to industry, energy, agriculture, and the national economy, to contribute to the economic and social development of the state, and to advise the Government on the country's scientific research policy.
