Egyptian perception, awareness, and knowledge of nanotechnology: A study based on an Egyptian University approach

Scientific literacy as a goal of a science education reform remains a critical discourse in the research literature. It is crucial to students’ understanding and acceptance of emergent technologies like Nanotechnology (NT). Due to informational input from physicists, chemists, engineers, geologists, and biologists, NT is a vibrant field of science today. Despite the extensive use of Nanomaterials (NMs) in daily life, little is known by the general public regarding the capabilities, advantages, and potential risks of NT. Like with any emerging technology, its public perception has direct implications on future policies and has to be taken into considerations by both academia and industry. An online survey of sociodemographic graduates was conducted as part of the interdisciplinary awareness initiative at Cairo University. The survey was prepared based on previous studies and introduced to the staff, graduates, and students sample of Cairo University (343 votes), selected from different faculties in different stages, were considered. The resulting data were analyzed using SPSS technical analysis method. The main goal was to evaluate the current levels of knowledge and the attitude toward NT among the general Egyptian public and to determine how the differing sociodemographic factors (e.g., in terms of age, sex, and educational background) may affect it. This paper summarizes the findings of a study of public attitudes toward NT, highlighting both concerns and aspirations for NT, and discusses the impacts of that data on public engagement programs. We found that while Egyptians display a generally optimistic view and a positive attitude toward NT, there are concerns about its safety and possible risks. Participants expressed a great desire for more information about its applications and clear labeling and transparency of products containing NMs. Notably, we found that participants with a university degree were generally more knowledgeable on this topic; surprisingly, there were no significant differences in the attitude toward NT among people from different educational backgrounds. This shows the difficulty in mitigating public aversion solely by providing more information on the subject; depending on who you talk to, the perception of what the public thinks about NT can vary.