 |
Feb. 3, 2003 — The Israeli NanoBusiness Alliance is receiving condolences from around the world for Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut and newly named honorary chairman of the alliance, who died Saturday in the space shuttle Columbia disaster.
Among those sending messages that have been posted on the alliance’s Web site was Mark Modzelewski, executive director of the U.S. NanoBusiness Alliance, who praised the bravery of Ramon and the mission’s six other astronauts, and stressed the importance of NASA in the development of nanotechnology.
Modzelewski told Small Times that the two groups have no direct tie, but the U.S. alliance offered advice and provided a model for the Israeli organization when it started more than a year ago. He said the U.S. alliance was overjoyed to hear that the Israeli group last month had named Ramon its honorary chairman.
 |
“It seemed like such a great way to link in a national hero to nanotechnology and promote Israeli leadership and development in the field,” he said.
Modzelewski said his group’s honorary chairmen, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and nanotech venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson, advise on strategy and priorities. They also help get nano’s message out to a larger and broader audience — a role he assumed Ramon would have played in Israel.
Israeli alliance leaders are not talking publicly out of respect for Ramon’s family, but its director, Adi Mogilevsky, posted a statement on the organization’s Web site. He offered condolences to the families of the astronauts and thanked those who have expressed support. Mogilevsky said nanotech research and development remains important for space missions because of the significant weight reductions offered by nanomaterials in future instrumentation and coatings.