SSTI Digest

Legislators in Alaska, Iowa and Oklahoma recently approved funding for several TBED-related initiatives within state operating and capital budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.

Highlights from State of the State addresses delivered in Alaska and Hawaii are included in the third installment of the Tech Talkin’ series.

 

Alaska

Gov. Sarah Palin, State of the State Address, Jan. 15, 2008

“I'm appointing an Energy Coordinator, to activate a statewide Energy Plan. We'll use earnings from a $250 million ‘Renewable Energy Fund’ for alternative projects, like hydro, wind, geothermal, and biomass.”



Hawaii

Gov. Linda Lingle, State of the State Address, Jan. 22, 2008

“We are proposing to start Creative Academies, modeled after the successful STEM Academies, to nurture and support the many talents of Hawai‘i’s keiki. These academies would focus on animation, digital media, game development and writing and publishing in elementary through high school.



“We propose the creation of a Commission on Higher Education made up of the presidents of Hawai‘i’s major universities, members of the community, and business leaders. This Commission will give us the opportunity to embrace new ideas and new ways of using federal and state education dollars.



“And again this year we propose that the state retirement fund allocate $100 million to invest in the creative ideas and talents of Hawai‘i’s companies and people.



“… To further speed our progress toward energy security and a clean energy future, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism is being reorganized to re-establish an Energy Division.



“Every week my departments are visited by developers of renewable energy projects – from wind to solar, from wave and ocean thermal to biofuel, from algae to even energy from space. We need to take action now to make it easier for these kinds of projects to start up and to succeed in Hawai‘i. …



“… Less than two weeks ago, our Airports Division announced an historic plan to develop large solar power arrays at 12 government sites across the state. This project has the potential to reduce Hawai‘i’s need to import 130,000 barrels of oil per year, and to generate enough power to supply about 9,000 homes per year. …



“... I am pleased today to let you know that next week, the State of Hawai‘i and the U.S. Department of Energy will enter into an unprecedented and innovative partnership called the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative. This partnership is based on the vision that Hawai‘i must accelerate its transformation to a clean energy future by tapping into the latest national and global advancements, and that our abundant natural sources of energy position us to be a model for the world to show what can be accomplished by developing indigenous renewable energy. This partnership will bring both technical assistance and project funding to Hawai‘i.”

Complete descriptions of the position openings described below are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.



The Juneau Economic Development Council (JEDC), a public/private partnership that serves to foster a healthy and sustainable economic climate in the City and Borough of Juneau and in Southeast Alaska, has openings for two positions. JEDC seeks both an experienced program manager and a technology manager for SpringBoard, its Department of Defense (DoD)-sponsored technology transfer program. The program manager builds relationships with DoD labs nationwide and cultivates partnerships with industry, government and academia. The technology manager works with a portfolio of clients and projects to deliver program metrics, including various contracts, agreements and projects that help transfer technology or commercialize DoD technology.



The Medical College of Georgia is seeking a director for its Life Sciences Innovation Center. This position generally serves as the primary contact for emerging life science businesses throughout Georgia by providing assistance with financing, planning and operations. The selected candidate will be responsible for managing the daily operations of the center and incubator in Augusta, among other responsibilities. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business or a related field of study is required. For a full description of this opportunity and others, visit the SSTI Job Corner at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

Complete descriptions of the position openings described below are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.



Griffin Analytical Technologies, a producer of premium chemical detection systems, is seeking a research associate to assist the company with R&D efforts related to Griffins products. Griffin serves U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security applications, environmental health and safety monitoring, and research and teaching laboratories. The research associate will be responsible for exploring new applications for Griffins technology and will report directly to the company's staff of senior research scientists. Applicants should have a bachelor's or master's degree in chemistry and two or more years of applicable experience in instrumentation maintenance and operation.



The Juneau Economic Development Council (JEDC) is seeking a technology engineer to assist Alaskan businesses trying to meet Department of Defense (DoD) mission-critical needs. The technology engineer will facilitate discussions and negotiations between DoD laboratories, Alaskan companies and other organizations in support of developing a range of agreements or contracts, including cooperative research and development agreements, product/technology licensing, contracts and Small Business Innovation Research Program grants. Candidates must have a degree in science, engineering or related field of study, plus directly related experience.

SSTI has compiled a table of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards in total dollars and state rankings from fiscal years 2000-2004. The states are ranked by percent change over the five-year period. The greatest gains were posted in North Dakota (202.51 percent), Alaska (200.98 percent), Idaho (157.48 percent), Montana (144.72 percent), Virginia (120.85 percent), and Hawaii (107.06 percent). Although award dollar totals in these states more than doubled over the five-year period, they showed some of the lowest increases from FY 2003. Idaho experienced the lowest dollar increase from FY03, $57,634.

The available pool of equity capital grew substantially last Thursday as the board of trustees for the $31.7 billion Alaska Permanent Fund approved the placement of 8 percent of the fund's value into alternative assets, such as venture capital funds and hedge funds. The Associated Press reports the current value of all alternative investments held by the Permanent Fund totals $292 million. With the new authorization target, equity capital could comprise more than $2.5 billion at the fund's present value.

Southern Growth Policies Board, a regional public policy think tank, is accepting nominations for its Innovator Awards. These awards are presented annually to recognize innovative southern initiatives that improve the quality of life in the organization's 13-state region - Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia - and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The 2006 Innovator Awards will be chosen in the context of the Southern Innovation Initiative, a year-long series of events that focuses on the importance of innovation to the South’s economy. Each nominated initiative must use technology as an integral component to accomplish goals; be truly unique; be something more than a new product, process or service; and provide a track record or other measures of success. Nominations are due Nov. 23, 2005. Award winners from each state will be recognized at the Southern Innovation Summit on June 4-6, 2006, in New Orleans. For a complete list of award criteria and to nominate a program online, visit http://www.southern.org/main/innovators/innovators.shtml.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski appointed Bill Noll as commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Noll has been serving as the governor's communications director.

Albert Clough is the new Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, following the resignation of Edgar Blatchford last week.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) data on the top 100 cities for NIH awards in FY 2003 indicates Boston reasserted its leadership over New York for the top spot by increasing its spread by $401 million. Philadelphia and Baltimore remain in third and fourth place for the second year.

Earlier this week, 22 states and Puerto Rico were named recipients of more than $2.2 million in combined fiscal year 2004 Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) and Rural Outreach Program (ROP) awards. All but one of the 21 FAST awards distributed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) were worth $95,000 -- they totaled nearly $1.98 million. Five ROP awards of $49,470 also were made by SBA.

The Metropolitan Development Association, of Syracuse and Central New York, also recently named a new chairman, John Zawadzki, of its Regional Development Alliance.