Innovation, vision, technology

Benson and Ponton (1993) and Ponton (1996) have speculated on the ultimate results of continuing efforts for process minimization. They envision a twenty-first century chemical industry totally revolutionized by technological innovation, automation, and miniaturization. Small, distributed manufacturing facilities would produce materials on demand, at the location where they are needed. Raw materials would be nonhazardous, and the manufacturing processes would be waste free and inherently safe. While their vision of future technology is speculative, we are beginning to see progress in this direction. 

The main objective of FP6 is to contribute to the creation of a true "European Research Area" (ERA). ERA is a vision for the future of research in Europe, an internal market for science and technology. It fosters scientific excellence, competitiveness and innovation through the promotion of better co-operation and coordination between relevant actors at all levels. 

U.S. chemical companies must innovate and change to keep competitive in the global environment. Chemical Industry Vision 2020 Technology... 

In responding to the climate change problem, working toward comprehensive tripartite measures, considering the need for a breakthrough achieved by innovative technology, there must be a long-term vision. 

MITI proposed the New Earth 21 Project from this perspective in 1990. To promote international cooperation in future innovative technological development efforts, it is necessary for each country, including developing nations, to share a long-term vision. Based on future scientific advancement, it will be necessary to restructure the Project to realize these intentions. 

The furious pace of technological innovation also provoked fears and apocalyptic visions of disaster, to be sure. Yet few honestly felt that progress could be stopped, or even slowed. And technology became part of everyone s dream for a better world, even when they disagreed about what would make the world better. The nationalists needed technical progress to strengthen the empire, the socialists in order to create the future state, writes one contemporary Germany historian. 

The final section of this chapter has been dedicated to a concise discussion of a vision and roadmap for sustainability through chemistry, taken from the implementation action plan prepared by the European Technology Platform on Sustainable Chemistry. This plan evidences the pervasive role of chemistry for our society and thus how a next step is necessary in R D to really realize a sustainable world through chemistry innovation. 

This work was made possible due to the vision of Jack Henion and Tom Kurz, cofounders of Advion BioSciences, Inc. Their leadership enabled the innovation that culminated in the commercialization of the ESI Chip and associated products. I am grateful to them for the opportunity to work on such an exciting technology. I am also grateful to all of my colleagues from Advion who make it all possible. 

In the 1990 s, increased emphasis on student poster sessions by the Division, which boosted student participation, especially by local students, combined with the Division s innovative social activities, attracted attention and led to the initiation of the Society s popular SciMix sessions. Other innovative efforts, as a supporter and forum for the Vision 2020 program for developing practical solutions for the future, and collaboration with EPA in initiating green chemistry symposia, have led to broader attention and efforts directed at solving our nation s practical technological problems. 

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