Nanotechnology is the science and technology of precisely manipulating the structure of matter at the molecular level. The term nanotechnology embraces many different fields and specialties, including engineering, chemistry, electronics, and medicine, among others, but all are concerned with bringing existing technologies down to a very small scale, measured in nanometers. A nanometer—a billionth of a meter—is about the size of six carbon atoms in a row. (The prefix nano- comes from the Greek word nanos, which meant "little old man" or "dwarf.")
The California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) is an integrated research facility with locations at UCSB and UCLA. Its mission is to encourage university collaboration with industry and to enable the rapid commercialization of discoveries in nanoscience and nanotechnology. CNSI members represent a multi-disciplinary team of some of the world's preeminent scientists from the life and physical sciences, engineering, and medicine. The work conducted at the CNSI represents world-class expertise in four targeted areas of nanosystems-related research including Energy, Environment, Health-Medicine, and Information Technology.
CNSI believes that major breakthroughs in 21st century science and technology will arise from an understanding of how to manipulate, control & manufacture at the nanometer scale. The rewards of such understanding will lie in the formation of engineered materials with exceptional strength, elasticity, sensitivity and intelligence. Control of material at the nanometer scale will ensure the creation of compact, complex and multifunctional systems at the macro-scale that will dramatically augment the capabilities of present-day communications, computation, medical therapies and environmental remediation. Our institute's mission is to create the collaborative, closely-integrated and strongly interactive environment that will foster innovation in nanosystems research and education.
Elings Hall, which houses CNSI has a forest in its courtyard. Keeping up with the environmentally friendly goals of UCSB, the forest has a floor of recycled glass. This location is where I originally wanted to hide my first cache, but it was too close to the final location for a mystery cache, which has since been archived. The cache is hidden in the forest. No need to dig up any glass or climb any trees. BYOP and beware of muggles.