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The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) is a non-profit research and advocacy think tank concerned with the major societal and environmental implications of advanced nanotechnology. We are a modern, networked, virtual organization with a collection of more than 100 volunteers, over 1000 interested followers, and a small team of primary coordinators. We are also independent, with no direct affiliation to any government, business, or academic organization.

CRN got started in December 2002 as a result of email conversations about nanotechnology between Mike Treder and Chris Phoenix. Mike, who had a background in technology company management, realized that molecular manufacturing was coming sooner than most people expected, and the consequences could be very bad if the world was caught unprepared; Chris, who had studied this technology for over a decade, realized that it was time to act on his understanding of the situation. The conversation rapidly gained energy, and Mike and Chris knew almost immediately that they should collaborate on something. We have grown since that small beginning into an organization with a strong reputation and significant influence.

CRN engages individuals and groups to better understand the implications of molecular manufacturing and to focus on the real risks and benefits of the technology. Our goal is the creation and implementation of wise, comprehensive, and balanced plans for responsible worldwide use of this transformative technology.

In addition to the leadership team, CRN has a seven-person Board of Advisors, two Special Associates, a 60+ member Global Task Force, and several hundred members of the C-R-Network.

• Mission
• Funding
• CRN Leadership
• Special Associates
• Board of Advisors
• CRN Global Task Force
• "Friends of CRN"
• C-R-Network

CRN Funding

The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology is a program of World Care, an international non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Opinions expressed by CRN do not necessarily reflect those of World Care.

CRN is completely dependent on small grants and individual contributions. Donations to CRN / World Care are deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

• Make an easy online recurring contribution of $100 per month, or higher, and be listed here as a "Friend of CRN".
• Donors who pledge at least $5000 per year will be identified here and in our publications as "Benefactors of Responsible Nanotechnology." 

"Friends of CRN" — Committed $100 or more per month to CRN / World Care

• Ray Kurzweil
• Miron Cuperman

CRN Leadership

Chris Phoenix

Chris Phoenix, Co-founder and Director of Research, has studied nanotechnology for more than 15 years. He obtained his BS in Symbolic Systems and MS in Computer Science from Stanford University in 1991. From 1991 to 1997, he worked as an embedded software engineer at Electronics for Imaging. In 1997, he left the software field to concentrate on dyslexia correction and research. Since 2000 he has focused on studying and writing about molecular manufacturing. Chris is a published author in nanotechnology and nanomedical research, and maintains close contacts with many leading researchers in the field. Chris, who lives in California, is currently on sabbatical.

Jamais Cascio

Jamais Cascio, Director of Impacts Analysis, is a writer, blogger and futurist covering the intersection of emerging technologies and cultural transformation. He speaks about future scenarios around the world and his essays about technology and society have appeared in a variety of print and online publications. In addition to his position with CRN, Jamais is a fellow at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies as well as a research affiliate at the Institute for the Future. He also works on a variety of independent projects including serving as a lead author of the recent Metaverse Roadmap Overview report. In 2003, Jamais co-founded WorldChanging.com, a Web site dedicated to finding and calling attention to models, tools, and ideas for building a ‘bright green’ future. Jamais authored nearly 2,000 articles during his time at WorldChanging, looking at topics such as energy and the environment, global development, open-source technologies, and catalysts for social change. In 2006, he started OpenTheFuture.com as his online home. Jamais lives in California.

Herman Salgado, Jr.

Herman Salgado, Jr., Global Outreach Strategist, is a management professional with over 15 years of work experience and a proven track record of success in areas such as project management, marketing, sales, QA, security and training. He has assisted organizations in the US and overseas in creating, analyzing and redefining business processes, systems and policies which have yielded great increases for organizations in their bottom lines, personnel development, production streamlining, personnel commitment, fundraising, public awareness, cost-cutting, and many other aspects due to his unorthodox management and marketing tactics and highly analytical processes. He has also used his years of web and graphic design experience to assist companies in creating or redefining their image to the public via websites, company logos, signboards and other printed material.

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CRN's Special Associates

• Russell Brand, CRN Strategist on Societal Response, is the founder of AzaBot Research which is building an interactive natural language system for teaching school age children about nature and environmental issues. He is a an adviser to a variety of technology companies including ZoEmail.com, emanio.com, cloudlink.net, Procinct.com and Cataporha. His work focuses on appropriate use of technologies in common and complex situations.
• Tom Cowper, CRN Special Representative on Governmental Affairs and Homeland Security, is a 21-year law enforcement veteran and a former US Marine. He is active in the research and development of technologies for policing, public safety and homeland security applications, and writes and speaks about the implications of emerging technology on law enforcement, government, and society. Tom has a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, a Master's Degree in Public Administration, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Society of Police Futurists International.
• Nato Welch, CRN Tech Support Specialist, is a freelance web developer who also volunteers for the Acceleration Studies Foundation. As an advocate of free and open source principles that have grown up around software, Nato seeks to discover, describe, and apply such peer-to-peer principles to solving problems surrounding emerging technologies and public policy.

CRN's Board of Advisors

• Mike Treder, co-founder and former Executive Director, is a professional writer, speaker, and activist with a background in technology and communications company management. He attended the University of Washington in Seattle, majoring in Biology. In addition to his work with CRN, Mike is a Research Fellow with the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, a consultant to the Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University and to the Future Technologies Advisory Group, serves on the Nanotech Briefs Editorial Advisory Board, is a member of the New York Academy of Sciences and a member of the World Future Society. He has published more than 30 articles and papers, and has been interviewed numerous times by the media. As an accomplished presenter on the societal implications of emerging technologies, Mike has addressed conferences and groups in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, and Brazil. Mike lives in New York City. (See Mike Treder's C.V. and public speaking information. Download PDF)
• José Luis Cordeiro is President of the Sociedad Mundial del Futuro Venezuela, and author of The Great Taboo. An engineer and economist with expertise in global affairs, he is Director of the Club of Rome (Venezuela), and an international adviser to several companies and organizations. As Director of the Association of Venezuelan Exporters (AVEX), he has participated in the negotiations of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).  
• K. Eric Drexler, often described as the 'father of nanotechnology', is a researcher, author, and policy advocate focused on emerging technologies and their consequences for the future. He pioneered the study of nanotechnology, introducing the term in 1986 to describe Richard Feynman's vision of nanomachines building products with atomic precision. He has authored three books on this topic, and is the founder of the Foresight Institute, a non-profit educational organization that aims to help society prepare for emerging technological revolutions. Drexler obtained an SB and SM from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was awarded a Ph.D. from MIT in Molecular Nanotechnology, the first degree of its kind. His book Nanosystems was awarded the AAP 1992 Most Outstanding Computer Science Book. Drexler's personal web site is located at www.e-drexler.com.
• Jerome C. Glenn is the Executive Director for the American Council for the United Nations University, where he co-founded and directs the Millennium Project on global futures research. He has 30 years experience in futures research with governments, corporations, and international organizations working for the Committee for the Future, Hudson Institute, Future Options Room, Millennium Project, and as an independent consultant. He has written over 90 articles and authored, edited, or co-authored eight books on the future.
• Lisa Hopper is President and Founder of World Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising consciousness in the education, health, environmental, and community service arenas. World Care converts surplus into valuable resources for relief efforts throughout the world, creating opportunities for those who are less fortunate by providing the necessary supplies.
• Douglas Mulhall is the author of Our Molecular Future. He is a leading figure in global environmentalism, and has participated in designing, building, and operating water recycling and flood control facilities in China and Brazil, in cooperation with the European Commission and multinational companies. A former Managing Director of the Hamburg Environmental Institute, he is cofounder and director of O Instituto Ambiental, the first South American institute to specialize in wastewater recycling.
• Rosa Wang is founder and principal of GeographicEngine.com, which offers financial and strategic advisory to non-profits. In addition, she serves as consultant for Ashoka Innovators for the Public, a non-profit organization dedicated to the profession of social entrepreneurship. Rosa has extensive experience in finance and economic policy based in North America and Asia. Her past employers include Dresdner RCM Global Investors, Lehman Brothers, and the Federal Reserve Bank of NY.
• Sinclair T. Wang is CEO and Founder of Tainano, which focuses on worldwide nanotechnology knowledge systems management, with a special interest in MNT development in the region of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Singapore. Dr. Wang is the publisher of the Taiwan Nanotechnology Newsletter (TNN) in Chinese. He has more than 25 years consulting experience in technology integration and environmental sustainability, and lectures frequently on the importance of nanotechnology systems management.