Technological advancements in chemical production

It would seem that your primary source for such experts would be the Chemistry, Biochemistry and Chemical Engineering Departments at the universities. I'm not convinced we need more governmental oversight or regulations. Obtaining chemical technologies has already been negatively impacted (especially for small honest entrepeneurs) by the government.

We concur that we do not need more governmental oversight or regulations. That is not what we are looking for. We are looking for the experts who can point us in the direction that industry is headed so we know what subjects to recommend for training. This will ensure the international inspectors are trained so they can do their job correctly. These inspections are not limited to the U.S. They occur around the world in any country with a chemical industry.

Cheers

I suggest you contact the offices of The Institute of Chemical Engineering (AICHE) and the American Chemical Society (ACS) which have recently merged their organizations. Academia may not be a good source for expertise of where things are headed since they are often several years behind industry research and development.

Biotechnology synthesis has the highest probability of potentially developing entirely novel organisms with lethal or incapacating pathology. Since the cost for the synthesizer machines is now under $10,000 or so and reagents also low cost and readily available anomously, it really is practical for very small groups (or individuals) with the requisite technical skill to invent such pathogens and manufacture large quantities.

The hurdle of distribution efficacy remains, but proper design of the organism (so it sickens some days/weeks after exposure, but becomes contagious shortly after exposure) would greatly improve the likelihood of a pandemic effect.

Really fast acting stuff kills so quickly it doesn't spread far.

Great advice Keith. You wouldn't happen to know the name/phone number of any individual who might be particularly helpful? Does the new organization have a new name?

Thanks,

Kevin

Google the AICHE then email/phone and ask them. Folks at the National level most often know someone who knows..'the person' who is the authority. It is really a very short trail to that person(s) and REAL expertise is usually free for the asking. Alas, I am a Project Manager type and really do not know very much about anything, but a little about lots of things and when and how to find 'the person'.

This subject is woefully under-appreciated by our Homeland Security bureaucracy --which is busy deflecting responsibility/blame for the inept responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They are gearing up for a repeat of 1) Airline hijacking 2)those 2 - 100 year storms which occurred 150 miles and 30 days apart--something like 1:5000 chance of repeat. Seems just like our Dept of Defense (why not call it Dept of WAR since under this administration it is so very agressive)- planning on winning the last great ground war (Korea), having realized we cannot win a 'terorist based uprising' without unacceptable casualties to our forces and 'innocent civilans.'

Thanks Keith!

I will give AICHE a try.

Cheers,

Kevin