James R. Von Ehr II
Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer
Zyvex Corporation

Educational path
· BS, Computer Science (Michigan State University)
· MS, Computer Science (University of Texas at Dallas)

Special training for nanotechnology
No direct training, but undergraduate physics, chemistry, and engineering, plus a graduate degree in computer science, plus voracious reading in the field.

Tips/Advice to jumpstart a career in nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is very interdisciplinary, which means we look for deep skills in a particular area such as chemistry, physics, or engineering, as well as an ability to work in a team setting with people trained in other skills. There are interesting roles for almost every technical discipline. There are also lots of people in the world connected to the field who work on writing marketing reports and organizing conferences, but we don't hire for those kinds of jobs, and generally don't find most reports to be very interesting — we'd rather do nano than read someone's report on nano. We look for people who have a real interest in the field, and who have done something tangible to demonstrate that interest.

Why did you choose the field of nanotechnology?
I started Zyvex as the world's first molecular nanotechnology company in 1997 because I thought nano was a promising field with the potential to change how we do manufacturing. Instead of starting with a block of material and carving away everything we don't want, we will eventually be able to start with simple molecules and build the exact object we want. This will revolutionize manufacturing, as well as every other industry dealing with physical objects. Imagine precision manufacturing with atomic precision — clean, green, and incredibly powerful. Nature has been doing manufacturing this way since life began, and we are now in a position to learn from nature, applying nanotechnology to revolutionize the world of materials, computers, and even medicine. It is a fantastic opportunity to be working in such a revolutionary field.

How did you first get into nanotechnology?
I heard a talk about it in 1993. When I sold my first company, I decided I'd become a venture capitalist, funding nanotech startups. When I couldn't find anyone to fund, I started my own company and funded it. We're now one of the top companies in the field, so this looks like a good decision. It wasn't so clear back in 1997.

What is it like to work in nanotechnology?
It is exciting, of course, but also frustrating. It is no longer possible to keep up with the field because there are so many groups working on nano in the world. A lot of researchers are working on tiny pieces of science, which haven't yet been put together into the powerful technology base we see developing over the next 7-10 years. The field is ripe for integration, and we're taking a powerful integrative approach, working on what we expect to become a core piece of technology — Atomically Precise Manufacturing. In the not-too-distant future — maybe as little as 5 years — we expect to be able to manufacture simple objects with every atom in the position we put it into. This will lead to 100X levels of performance over today's products when the technology matures.