Nano tech now at our doorstep
by Gamini Warushamana
The Ministry of Science and Technology is ready to launch the nano
science project together with industrial private sector early next year,
Secretary to the Ministry A.N.R. Amarathunga told the Sunday Observer.
Under the project two institutions, NANCO and SLINTEC will be set up.
NANCO will be the holding company that will own the nano park proposed
to be established in Homagama. State of the art laboratories will come
up in the park to facilitate private sector companies and other research
institutions.
Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (SLINTEC), the research
institute will be a joint venture with the private sector. Private
sector will invest 50% to set up the SLINTEC which will decide on the
salaries and other emoluments to the professionals who will join the
institution.
The Institute will conduct research programs directly focused on
upgrading the industrial products, initially our main industrial
exports. Any innovation of SLINTEC will be used by the private sector
partners of the institute. The investment of the project is Rs. five
billion.
"The major advantage Sri Lanka tend to gain in this new technology is
the human resources we have," Amarathunga said. Some of the world's top
nano scientists are Sri Lankans who will extend their support to the
project. Professors Ravi Silva and Gihan Amarathunge will join from the
beginning and Prof. Silva is due here by January next year.
Prof. Silva is presently attached to the University of Surrey and is
one members of the five member consultative committee of the UK
government on nano technology. Prof. Amarathunge is in the University of
Cambridge.
"Sri Lankan nano research will initially focus on industries such as
apparel, rubber, ceramic, chemical products such as paints, activated
carbon, mineral and herbal products which are the main industries in Sri
Lanka.
Nano research will enable these industries to face the risk and
compete globally. For instance our apparel industry is catering for high
end niche markets and we are competing in quality and not in volume.
Nano technology can be used to produce high quality apparel products. In
rubber industry too we can add more value to our rubber products.
Nano technology is a vast area and can be applied in every industry,
Amaratunga said. The private companies that will join the project are
MAS Holdings, Brandix, Jinasena, Dialog and Sri Lanka Telecom. Some
countries have agreed to technically support the project.
Some universities and research institutes have already started
training scientists in nano science. SLINTEC will be initially located
at Biyagama and later shifted to the nano park in Homagama. once the
construction work is completed, which will take around two years," he
said.
"This is the first time the corporate private sector will collaborate
with the government in research and development.
Nano technology is a new breakthrough in science and if we grab the
opportunities at the very beginning the country will benefit immensely.
We missed the industrial revolution, electronic revolution, bio
revolution and the IT revolution. Many developing countries successfully
utilised these technologies in their economic development.
Our objective is to be a leader or at least an equal partner in nano
research, Amaratunga said.
gamini@sundayobserver.lk
|
