Oregon Up to Small Things

Nanotechnology, the science of small structures, is where a lot of people in business, government and academia are putting their hopes and dreams these days, "the next big thing," in the parlance of venture capitalists and business magazines. It's also becoming a bigger focus for economic development in many states.

Oregon officials are in the process of setting up the National Center for Multiscale Materials and Devices, known as the MMD, which will be located in Corvallis.

MMD is the platform for launching new research, and for growing federally funded research here in Oregon," said Skip Rung, a consultant and former research and development executive with Hewlett-Packard who co-authored the MMD's business plan and has backed it enthusiastically from the beginning. "It is part of the effort toward doing research in commericalizable technology that lines up with the skill sets of industries in this region, and in the long term, for growing the revenue of Oregon companies."

The establishment of the MMD grew out of a recommendation by the Oregon Council on Knowledge and Economic Development (OCKED) that the state should invest in "signature research centers" to fuel economic growth.

Oregon officials have high hopes for the center and its ability to position the state for future growth.

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