Iran sets up specific nanotech labs for students in 7 provinces

Secretary-General of Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC) Saeed Sarkar announced that the country has established several nanotechnology laboratories, specifically for students in 7 provinces of the country, using home-made equipment. \"At present specific laboratories have been set up in 7 provinces of the country using home-made equipment,\" Sarkar said on Wednesday, addressing the closing ceremony of the 3rd National Nanotechnology Competitions in Amir Kabir University in Tehran. He boasted that the level of general know-how of nanotechnology in Iran is above many advanced countries, and said Iran ranks 8th in the world in science production in the field of nanotechnology. Sarkar last year announced that Iranian experts and scientists are able to produce 38 nanotechnology laboratory tools and equipment. \"Iran produces 38 nanotechnology lab equipment domestically,\" Sarkar said in a meeting in the Northern city of Sari in September. Stressing Iran\'s huge growth in nanotechnology, he predicted that the country will soon witness a new wave of progress in the field of nanotechnology. Sarkar also said that different Iranian industries, including the country\'s auto-manufacturing companies, are making an increasing use of nanotechnology in their products. \"Nanotechnology has been employed in 8 Iranian industries, including the car-manufacturing industry,\" he told FNA. The nanotechnology growth indicators for Iran have marked a high rise during the recent years as in the total number of the scientific publications, the country has just jumped up two ranks (at the beginning of 2012) to stand 10th in the world. Iran ranked 14th, in the same list, at the beginning of 2011.