Here it is!
The INASCON 09 started today with attendees from more than 10 european countries.
Following the typical initial hide and seek concerning rooms, halls and the cafeteria, the first presentation of Prof. C.Schönenberger started and has raised the first questions already:
Will there be electronic devices based on single molecules?
Is there no way to escape molecules in the race towards minimization of size and costs together with an increase of stability and read/write speed?
Or is this just science fiction spread by researchers seeking for funding?
Is it advantageous to start a PhD in the field of nano electronics these days?
Is this a stupid question?
Share your opinion!!
I will start my answer with a counterquestion: Would it be false to do research only because of interest and not regarding a future application? Is it not what basic research is meant to be, generating new knowledge?
I personally think that you will always gain some useful information in every field of research. You may find something you were not seeking for, which is even more interesting or useful than your original problem.
Since INASCON 2009 already is part of the past today, I as well find time to answer to some of your questions rised in the blog.
I definitly agree with Cornelia that research SHOULD be done because of interest and not of usefulness. For sure its easier to get money for any applicable product, but basic research does – provocatively spoken – not know the outcome or the results in advance, that’s why I think it is important because it may anyway lead to a new „product“.