The 2018 Foresight Fellowship

After the excellent strides by our inaugural class of 2017 Foresight Fellows, we are glad to continue the Foresight Fellowship in 2018 to help committed change-makers create the future humanity needs.

Specific benefits to Fellows during the program:

• Sponsorship to attend at least one invite-only Foresight workshop or event

• Connection to Fellows and mentors

• Representation on our website, in our newsletter, and in a short video on their work

• Other opportunities to increase their skills to succeed in their endeavors

We’ll consider all applications, but especially welcome applications in the fields of Nanotechnology (molecular machines, atomically-precise construction), Artificial Intelligence & Artificial General Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Blockchains, Longevity.

The first round of applications closes on February 28, 2018.

Integrated Molecular Machines Workshop,
May 5-6, Washington University

We are thrilled to have 2016 Nobel Laureate Sir Fraser Stoddart, Northwestern University, as Honorary Chair and Prof. Jonathan Barnes, Washington University, as Workshop Chair for our spring research meeting.

We invite you to apply to participate in this highly interactive workshop, “Integrated Molecular Machines: From Materials to Nanosystems,” to be held May 5-6, 2018, at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.

For an idea of what to expect:

• see our workshops page

• see a recent workshop video

• see a recent workshop white paper

We’ll consider all applications, but especially welcome applications in the following fields: atomically-precise 3D structures and molecular machines, including construction pathways using chemistry, applied physics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and engineering; design and construction of complex structures and molecular machines built via organic and inorganic synthesis; objects and devices constructed from DNA, RNA, proteins, or biomimetic polymers; construction via scanning probe; and other approaches to building with increasing precision from the bottom up, including applying artificial intelligence to design and construction challenges.

The first round of applications ends February 28, 2018.

Feynman Prizes & Foresight Student Award

Feynman Prizes

Two prizes in the amount of $5,000 each will be awarded to the researchers whose recent work has most advanced the achievement of Feynman's goal for nanotechnology: molecular manufacturing, defined as the construction of atomically-precise products through the use of molecular machine systems. Synonyms include "atomically precise manufacturing" (APM) and "productive nanosystems". Separate prizes will be awarded for theoretical work and for experimental work.

The winners of this year's prizes will be announced by May 2018 and invited to accept the prize at the highly interactive workshop, “Integrated Molecular Machines: From Materials to Nanosystems,” to be held May 5-6, 2018, at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri (see above). Honorary Co-Chair of the workshop will be Sir Fraser Stoddart, Northwestern University and one of the three molecular machine pioneers to share the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. For each Prize, a travel stipend of up to US$1500 will be provided for the winner (or one member of a winning team) to attend the Workshop and accept the Prize.

This prize is given in honor of Richard P. Feynman who, in 1959, gave a visionary talk at Caltech in which he said "The problems of chemistry and biology can be greatly helped if our ability to see what we are doing, and to do things on an atomic level, is ultimately developed — a development which I think cannot be avoided.”

Foresight Distinguished Student Award

The Foresight Distinguished Student Award was established in 1997 and is given to a college student or graduate student whose work is notable in the field of atomically-precise nanotechnology.

The award includes a $1,000 prize and an expense-paid trip to the spring Foresight Workshop “Integrated Molecular Machines: From Materials to Nanosystems,” to be held May 5-6, 2018, at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. The prizewinner must accept in person at the award ceremony. The prizewinner will receive complimentary full registration including reception, coach airfare and up to 2 nights hotel (arranged by Foresight Institute, Sat. night stay may be required), and the physical award.

Submissions/nominations are due March 20, 2018.