State & Local Tech-based ED RoundUp

Arizona

The Governor's Strategic Partnership for Economic Development (GSPED) has formally recognized the state's 12th industry cluster, E-Learning. The implementing organization for the cluster is the Globalized E-Learning Association, which grew from earlier efforts by the Arizona Telecommunications and Information Council, the telecommunications infrastructure foundation under GSPED. E-Learning is the 12th Arizona cluster recognized by GSPED since its inception in 1992.

Florida

Moving forward with his initiative to build research-based Centers of Excellence with the state's university system, Governor Jeb Bush announced Tuesday five industry-member appointments to the nine-member Emerging Technology Commission. The remaining industry members were appointed by the Speaker of the House and Senate President. As a next step, the Commission will receive proposals from universities and their partnerships that will result in 2-5 plans presented to the Florida Board of Education by February 1, 2003. The Commission will hold its first meeting in August.

Indianapolis

Mayor Bart Peterson recently announced the city will devote $1 million of funds resulting from a negotiated settlement involving United Airlines' Indianapolis Maintenance Center to the Central Indiana Life Sciences Initiative. Half of the $1 million will go to Indiana University's Advanced Research & Technology Institute, which is developing an "emerging technologies incubator" that will help develop research and technology in commercialized products and produce new jobs and businesses. The other half will go toward workforce programs specifically designed to meet the needs of life sciences employees and companies in central Indiana. In addition, $750,000 from a settlement with Sallie Mae will help fund the life sciences initiative.

North Carolina

Triad entrepreneurs have a new resource available to them, thanks to a joint initiative by The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and N.C. A&T State University. The Tech Transfer Outreach Initiative is being funded at $165,000 annually for each of the next three years by Action Greensboro, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging economic growth. The two universities will operate an Office of Technology Transfer and Commercialization at the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship in Greensboro. From that office, they will provide support services for entrepreneurship, small business development, technology transfer and women and minority outreach.

Oregon

The Oregon Science and Technology Park, launched in December 2001 with a $200,000 state grant, will benefit from newly appointed board members, according to The Oregonian. The new board will explore different niches for the park, a research center for biotechnology, semiconductor, information technology and other knowledge-based disciplines. Among the board's goals is raising up to $500,000 a year for the next three years from large businesses wishing to support the park financially.