SSTI Digest

Science Foundation Arizona (SFAz) has released its strategic investment plan for fiscal year 2006-07, which includes grants to support university research, new high-tech businesses, and K-12 STEM education. The investment strategy will guide SFAz’s grant award decisions during its first year of operations and represents a starting point for the organization, which hopes to develop the plan into a long-term strategy for economic development.   The state’s 21st Century Fund, an initiative established by the governor and state legislature during the last session, provides public funding for SFAz’s grant programs. An initial allocation of $35 million will support SFAz’s five cornerstone programs, including: $18 million for Strategic Research Groups, which seed partnerships between research institutions and the private sector; $5 million for Competitive Advantage Awards between $100,000 to $400,000 to support in-state R&D;

Five states voted on measures that would have the effect of limiting the growth of government expenditures or taxes. Four states rejected the measures, while Arizona narrowly approved its measure.

Marie Wesselhoft was appointed interim director for the Arizona Center for Innovation, replacing Jim Fountain who is retiring this month.

Science Foundation Arizona, a new nonprofit organization, has named Bill Harris as its director.

The Greater Phoenix Economic Council recently hired Jim Hudson as vice president of strategy.

Making the single largest TBED related investment in its history, the Arizona legislature approved and Gov. Janet Napolitano signed the state's FY 2006-07 budget, which includes $35 million for the new Arizona 21st Century Competitive Initiative Fund. HB 2477 is the successor in concept to the Innovation Arizona fund proposed by Gov. Napolitano during her State-of-the-State Address earlier this year. The new fund will support scientific, medical and engineering research programs and infrastructure in targeted fields, particularly biosciences.

While the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has the recipe for a creative economy - people in creative occupations, industries with a creative workforce, and an environment that supports creativity - it falls short of the national average in more than 75 percent of all creative occupational categories, a new study by the Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture (MPAC) finds. Creative Connections: Arts, Ideas, and Economic Progress in Greater Phoenix provides an in-depth examination of the region's strengths and weaknesses in building a creative economy and offers recommendations to attract and retain talent to the area. According to the report, Phoenix boasts a workforce of more than 100,000 people in creative occupations, including arts, design, culture and those rooted in new ideas and methods -- science, engineering and advanced technology, for example. These occupations represent 10 percent of the total wages in the region, with average wages of $56,729, compared to $33,705 for the region overall.

William Harris is the new president and CEO of Science Foundation Arizona, a recently formed nonprofit organization.

Publisher's Note Since 1999, SSTI has reviewed each of the governor's State of the States and inaugural and budget addresses for references involving tech-based economic development. Since 2001, we've provided relevant excerpts as part of the SSTI Weekly Digest. This year's coverage begins with this issue, and as you'll see, it's clear that innovation and workforce are playing a major role in this year's speeches. Our coverage will continue over the next several weeks.

We've been alerted by a number of states to expect major announcements in the coming weeks, and as these excerpts indicate, 2006 is likely to be an active year for those that are concerned about innovation. As we report in our second article, American voters, if not all opinion leaders, are recognizing the importance of innovation to the country's future.

Donna Kent is the new president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.

The Southern Arizona Tech Council announced it will merge its programs into the recently created Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Inc., an integration expected to be mostly completed by June 30, 2006.

For more information on the positions below, visit SSTI's online Job Corner at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

Research Specialist, Senior - University of Arizona Collect and analyze data and prepare reports on technology-based economy in the Tucson region and in the state of Arizona. Salary: DOE plus University of Arizona benefits. Review begins Sept. 21, 2005, and continues until filled. The University of Arizona is an EEO/AA - M/W/D/V Employer.