Nanotechnology

Capacities and Programs

from Uruguay

Eduardo Méndez, Helena

Pardo

Universidad de la República
Montevideo, Uruguay
Some numbers and relevant points…

• Uruguayan population: 3:152.000 (1996 data)

– Population increase severely affected due to
migration for decades, slightly reverted in 2009
• Most of R&D carried out in governmental
institutions
– Some indirect support from private industry in
research funds

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Global Nanotechnology Network
Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Global Nanotechnology Network
Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
Research Institutions in Nanotechnology

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Research Centers
within
Universidad de la
República
The Universidad de la República is the single public University in Uruguay,
and concentrates more than 70 % of the research activities.

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Faculty of Chemistry

Titles: B.Sc., M.Sc., and

Ph.D. in Chemistry

Nanotechnology Labs.
•NanoMat Center
•Inorganic Chemistry
Dept.

Research Centers:
• Technological Center
of Pando
Global Nanotechnology Network
Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Faculty of Engineering

Titles: B.Sc., M.Sc., and

Ph.D. in Engineering
and Informatics

Nanotechnology Labs.
• Laboratory of the
Solid State Physics

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Faculty of Sciences

Titles: B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph. D. in

Biochemistry , Physics and
Biology, M.Sc. in Biotechnology

Nanotechnology Labs.
• Biomaterials Laboratory
• Materials and Applied Physics
Dept.

Research Centers:
• Nuclear Research Center
Global Nanotechnology Network
Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Biological Research
Institute
“Clemente Estable”

This Research Institute

belongs to the Ministry of
Culture and Education

Nanotechnology Labs.
• Proteins and Nucleic Acids
Dept.

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
• 2005: Creation of GMI (Gabinete Ministerial de Innovación) R&I
policy
• 2009: PENCTI (National Strategic Plan for Science, Technology
and Innovation) Policy guidelinnes
• 2006: ANII (National Research and Innovation Agency) Policy
Execution
– 2007: National System of Researchers
– 2008: Scholarship National System
– 2006-2009: Support for Projects through the national budget
(Basic Research, High quality projects in priority areas, Social
impact projects of high public interest concern, Projects in
strategic areas of scarce development)

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
Public investment in Science and
Technology

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
• 2006: 15 researchers working isolatedly in Nanotechnology

• 2007: With the support of SUPCYT (Uruguayan Society for the

Support of Science and Technology) these researchers got together
in a multidisciplinary group G-Nanotec-Uy

• 2009: 28 researchers working in Nanotechnology

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 • No specific policy for
Nanotechnology research
till 2009

• In 2009, with the

launching of the National
Strategy Plan for Science,
Technology and Innovation
(PENCTI), Nanotechnology is
now considered a strategic
area which is transversal to
other areas of research and
innovation in Uruguay
Global Nanotechnology Network
Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
• 2009: Financial support for the
creation of the “Interdisciplinary
Center in Nanotechnology, Materials
Chemstry and Physics” at the
Universidad de la Republica,
involving also the Instituto Clemente
Estable, for a 5 years period, and a
total budget of US$ 220.000.

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 • Universidad de La Plata, Argentina
• Universidad de Quilmes, Argentina
• Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Brazil
• Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina,
Brazil
• Universidad de La Habana, Cuba
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
Chile
• Universität Karlsruhe, Germany
• Universität Ulm, Germany
• Universidad de Málaga, Spain
• EULASUR network

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Uruguay has the following
equipment for Nanotechnology
R&D:
• 1 Transmission Electron Microscope
TEM
• 2 Scanning Electron Microscopes
SEM
• 2 X-Ray Powder Diffractometer
• 2 Dynamic Light Scattering
Equipment
• 1 Confocal Fluorescence Microscope
• 1 Atomic Force Microscope AFM
(installation stage)
Other equipments still lacking in
Uruguay are used by our
researchers through collaborative
research with other countries:
Global Nanotechnology Network
Workshop • High-resolution transmission electron
microscopy
Rio de Janeiro, September HRTEM
 • There is no specific Nano
or Materials Science
specialization in Uruguay,
besides the common Ph D
programs in Biology,
Chemistry and Physics

• The first specific course in

Nano will take place on
October 5th,
with the participation of
uruguayan, argentinian and
brazilian researchers, and
the financial support of ANII
Global Nanotechnology Network
Workshop and PEDECIBA.
Rio de Janeiro, September
 The new impulse given to Science and
Technology Research in Uruguay, together
with the consideration of Nanotechnology as
a transversal prioritary area, the aquisition of
new equipments and the formation of new
human resources, will impact favourably in
the development of Nanotechnology in
Uruguay.

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September
 Some names in
Nanotechnology from Uruguay
• Dr. Juan Benech
• M.Sc. Pablo Cabral
• Dra. María F. Cerdá
• Dr. Raúl Chiozzone
• Dr. Enrique Dalchielle
• Dr. Ricardo Faccio
• Dr. Carlos Kremer
• Dr. Ricardo Marotti
• Dr. Eduardo Méndez
• Dr. Alvaro Mombrú
• B.Sc. Mariana Pereyra
• Dra. Helena Pardo
• Dr. Gustavo Seoane

Global Nanotechnology Network

Workshop
Rio de Janeiro, September