SSTI Digest

Geography: Mississippi

Third Try's the Charm for $28M Momentum Mississippi

In its third special session of the year, Mississippi legislators passed House Bill 3, an economic development package of grants and loans for high-tech and existing industry, including Gov. Barbour’s Momentum Mississippi Initiative.

People

The new Vice President for Business Ventures at the Mississippi Technology Alliance is Jim Lowery.

People

University of Southern Mississippi Research Foundation President Angie Dvorak was named president of the Area Development Partnership. Dvorak currently serves on the organization’s executive committee.

People

Angie Dvorak, vice president of research and economic development for the University of Southern Mississippi, is becoming president of the university's research foundation.

Investment in Higher Ed Key to Economic Growth in Mississippi

As the nation's economy shifts to knowledge- and technology-based industries, Mississippi's colleges and universities must provide expertise and leadership to attract new jobs and build a stable state economy, members of a special committee told the state House of Representatives last week.

People

Andy Taggart has been appointed president and chief executive officer of the Mississippi Technology Alliance.

People

Leland Speed has been named the new executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority.

People

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Thomas Q. Donaldson, V has been appointed Director of the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC), effective Jan. 5, 2004.

People

Tony Jeff has been selected to serve as executive director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi.

People

Tony Jeff is the new executive director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi.

Mississippi Technology Alliance Releases Second Annual Innovation Index

The Mississippi Technology Alliance has released a second annual index focusing on the process of innovation, the links between innovation and technology-based economic development, and activities that government, academia and the private sector provide to support innovation and economic development.

Mississippi Technology Alliance Infusing S&T Mindset Via Tech Councils

Community buy-in to building a technology-based economy is vital for TBED success. Establishing a strong private sector commitment to science and technology can make a significant difference, particularly as elected officials are deciding what to cut or trim from the budget. TBED organizations use different approaches to get the buy-in. In states such as Massachusetts (see story in this Digest), the top-down direction from the Governor could provide the group critical access. Mississippi's grassroots approach to building tech councils, on the other hand, is designed to infuse a science and technology mindset throughout the state at the very local level — with a little financial and technical assistance from the state's lead TBED organization.

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