The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON)

Name:	The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON)

Link:	http://icon.rice.edu/about.cfm

Description:	The creation of a sustainable nanotechnology industry requires meaningful and organized relationships among diverse stakeholders. The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) is the only global organization aimed at providing such interactions for a broad set of members. Managed by Rice University’s Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, ICON activities ensure effective nanotechnology stewardship through risk assessment, research and communication. By pooling the resources of the nanotechnology industry, governments, and academia, ICON can cost-effectively provide a wide range of synergistic projects that serve the interests of all stakeholders. CBEN provides a financial and administrative structure for ICON, such that ICON members are also members of CBEN. One of ICON’s first projects is the creation of a systematic standard of terminology for nanomaterials.