Future Research Directions
Rapid developments in science and technology present us with opportunities to develop innovative solutions to environmental problems. Looking to the future for trends that may harm human health and the environment is critical to setting future research directions. In ORD, foresight techniques are used to plan research strategically by identifying potential issues before they lead to environmental damage.
Nanotechnology, computational toxicology, biotechnology, information technology, and genomics are just a few of the innovative areas of science that EPA is exploring both for their benefits and potential unintended consequences.
For example, ORD is working with its scientific partners to examine the environmental benefits of nano-based materials. Nanotechnology, the science of designing materials at the molecular level, offers environmental benefits that range from designing cleaner manufacturing processes that minimize waste and reduce pollutants to new methods for detecting and cleaning up environmental hazards.