Mihail Roco, conference co-chairman and primary NSF supporter of the NBIC initiative gave a 10,000 ft. overview of the past two years of work around NBIC. Having been the key architect behind the National Nanotechnology Initiative and having helped its research budget grow from $116m in 1997 to $700M in 2003, Mike is now looking to do the same with NBIC.

Mike's vision is right on target. He constantly cajoles speakers and participants to think about the social implications of bleeding-edge technology, while also attempting to keep everyone focused on the goal of enhancing human performance. His five areas of interest: