The release of the 'Chemical Industry R&D Roadmap for Nanomaterials by Design: from Fundamentals to Function,' which is based on a workshop held in September 2002 sponsored by Vision 2020, lists actions proposed that can help grow U.S. abilities in the use of nanomaterials. Areas of interest are implementation strategies; funding and research; and essential policies, resources, and considerations. The workshop benefited from the efforts of about 100 participants from industry, academia, and government, who represented a wide range of applications and technologies in the area of chemical nanotechnology. One of the more fundamental recommendations is a modification in the way nanotechnologies are implemented. Conventional discovery-based science and product development methodologies take a linear path from discovery of novel nanostructures to determination of material properties, followed by identification of potential applications, assessment of commercial viability, and the start of production in limited markets. To speed the process and increase its efficiency, the authors want to make nanotechnology development an application-based, problem-resolution process. In the process, research and development (R&D) is begun with an identification of existing needs and challenges in end-user applications. Next come design, production, and scale-up of nano- based materials with precise properties needed.