# Packy McCormick’s Nanotech Starter Set: Hall’s Primer and Rintamaki’s Review

*By Recommended Reading from Tech Founders • May 30, 2026*

Packy McCormick shared a tight two-resource path for learning nanotech: J. Storrs Hall’s primer and Jacob Rintamaki’s technical review. The primer is the clearer starting point, with the review serving as the deeper follow-on.

## A compact nanotech starter set from Packy McCormick

Packy McCormick shared two external resources for readers who want to get smart on nanotech [^1]. Together, they form a simple progression: start with a primer, then move to a technical review [^1].

## Most compelling recommendation

### *Nanotechnology: A Primer for Policymakers*
- **Content type:** Primer [^1]
- **Author/creator:** J. Storrs Hall [^1]
- **Link/URL:** [https://www.abundance.institute/our-work/nanotechnology-a-primer-for-policymakers](https://www.abundance.institute/our-work/nanotechnology-a-primer-for-policymakers) [^1]
- **Who recommended it:** Packy McCormick [^1]
- **Key takeaway:** McCormick included it as one of the two resources he recommends for getting smart on nanotech [^1]
- **Why it matters:** Of the two, this is the clearest starting point because it is explicitly framed as a primer, making it the most natural entry point into the topic [^1]

## The complementary follow-on

### *A Technical Review of Nanosystems*
- **Content type:** Technical review [^1]
- **Author/creator:** Jacob Rintamaki [^1]
- **Link/URL:** [https://jrin771.github.io/nanosystems.html](https://jrin771.github.io/nanosystems.html) [^1]
- **Who recommended it:** Packy McCormick [^1]
- **Key takeaway:** McCormick paired it with Hall's primer as the other resource he recommends for learning nanotech [^1]
- **Why it matters:** It complements the primer with a more technical framing, giving readers a deeper next step on the same topic [^1]

> If you want to get smart on nanotech, I recommend Hall’s primer for the Abundance Institute and Jacob Rintamaki’s *A Technical Review of Nanosystems*. [^1]

## Why this set is worth saving

The value here is focus: McCormick did not offer a broad reading list, but two specific resources aimed at the same goal of helping readers learn nanotech [^1]. For someone starting from scratch, that makes this a compact place to begin [^1].

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### Sources

[^1]: [Weekly Dose of Optimism #195](https://www.notboring.co/p/weekly-dose-of-optimism-195)