SSTI Digest

Whether you use Outlook, Palm, Day-Timer, Filofax, or Post-Its to keep track of the items on your "To Do" list, make sure these two items on your lists to be wrapped up by next Tuesday, Sept. 20: The early registration period for SSTI's 9th Annual Conference ends on Sept. 20. The event will be held in Atlanta on Oct. 19-21. Your professional development budget is already limited. Saving the $100 off the registration price for an event you know you need to attend only makes sound business sense. You can register today at: https://www.ssti.org/Conf05/registration.htm The nicely discounted room rate for the luxurious InterContinental Hotel - Buckhead expires on Sept. 20. Booking your accommodations at the hotel site before next Tuesday saves your organization money once again by guaranteeing the incredible $165/night rate and eliminating unnecessary taxi costs staying at some inferior, less convenient property. Note, the room block for this five-star quality hotel could fill before that date so act today. Instructions are available at: http://www.ssti.org/Conf05/site.htm

Only 13 days left to register early for SSTI's 9th Annual Conference! Save $100 by Registering Before Sept. 20, 2005. Registration Form and Most Current Information Available at: http://www.ssti.org/conference05.htm Whether you are seeking new approaches and networking opportunities, or wish to share best practices, SSTI's 9th Annual Conference has something for everyone. Keeping with the theme of quality - not quantity - SSTI is pleased to offer 20 timely and effective breakout sessions. Topics for this year's sessions cover a broad range of old favorites and new subjects to engage participants in thinking about the future of Tech-based Economic Development (TBED). Everything from the municipal broadband debate to new commercialization strategies for universities to alternative energy and TBED. Session titles are listed below according to theme. Find a brief description of each topic along with speakers for the session on the conference website listed above. Offering a full slate for every TBED interest…

Many of the readers are new to the Digest since last year's conference, so we're getting questions about how SSTI's upcoming 9th annual conference, to be held in Atlanta on Oct. 19-21, differs from other events. The easiest way to answer that is to let the conference speak for itself — through the comments we received from past participants: "The most relevant conference I’ve attended in the last five years. Great mix of people — connected to others with similar interest that will give me a resource base." “Outstanding organization and right on target topically. The value you deliver attracts an audience that is such a great balance of academics and practitioners in TBED.” "I emerged from this session with eagerness to get back to work on linking research to regional economic development!” “Great networking, great number of options, breakout sessions, great roundtable interaction. Definitely ‘the’ conference for TBED.” "This was an excellent conference, it’s clear you have a great deal of expertise and insight to share…thanks…

When it comes to managing a portfolio of programs, do you know what really works to ensure they will have the most impact for building a tech-based economy? "Maximizing Impact: Evaluating Science and Technology Programs," one of four full-day pre-conference workshops to be held at SSTI's 9th Annual conference on Oct. 19-21, 2005, strives to answer the question. Designed for those advanced in the field, this engaging workshop will examine the programmatic and political effectiveness of different evaluation models, dissecting applied evaluation tools to assess their replicability across states and regions. One of several objectives for the day is to give attendees the evaluation research design tools they need for building sophisticated evaluations. The session will focus on: mapping organizational missions and goals to evaluation design; selected methods such as surveys, case studies, econometric models, Social Network Analysis, bibliometrics and expert judgment; causality and attribution; and, lessons learned. Upon completion of the workshop, attendees will be equipped to identify…

SSTI is pleased to give regular Digest readers the first peek at a PDF version of the brochure for SSTI's 9th annual conference, Investing in a Brighter Future: Building Tech-based Economies, to be held in Atlanta on October 19-21, 2005. A quick glance at the 28-page brochure reveals why the event is the premier professional development experience of the year for the tech-based economic development (TBED) community. The brochure includes: The full conference agenda with two keynote addresses and plenary sessions on national innovation policy; 20 breakout sessions covering the most important issues for today's TBED practitioner, drawing  session presenters, panelists and participants from the country's top organizations in at least 19 states; Descriptions of our four optional but intensive, day-long pre-conference workshops; A glimpse into why Georgia offers the perfect setting for the nation's leading TBED conference; Brief introductions to our conference hosts and national sponsors - among the leading thinkers and practitioners for building regional tech-based economies;…

The new chairman for the Georgia Medical Center Authority is former State Senator Randy Hall.

Your kids may not be bored of summer yet, but if you're an avid bird watcher, you know the season has already changed to fall as Yellow Warblers and several species of shorebirds begin their migrations south by July 4. If you find that a little depressing, then SSTI has a perfect suggestion to make certain your summer lasts well into October: Make plans now to join us for our ninth annual conference Oct. 19-21 in Atlanta! The average Mid-October temperatures for the area are ideal for discovering why the Buckhead area of Atlanta is called the "Jewel of the South" or "Shopping Mecca of the Southeast." October weather in Atlanta also is usually perfect for playing a few of the more than 1,100 holes of golf available in the metro area. Shopping? Golf? At SSTI's annual conference? If you are one of our past conference participants or long-time Digest subscribers, you'll know that isn't the purpose of the premier professional development opportunity for the tech-based economic development community. SSTI's…

Terry Blum, dean of Georgia Tech's College of Management, will resign her position on June 30, 2006.

SSTI's annual conference is already considered by many to be the nation's premier educational and networking experience for the tech-based economic development community. However, the ninth annual conference to be held October 20-21, 2005 - keeping with years past - gives certified economic development professionals even more reason to attend. Investing in a Brighter Future: Building Tech-based Economies will be recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as a professional development event that counts as one credit toward recertification of Certified Economic Developers (CEcD). In addition, this year for the first time certified economic developers can earn a second recertification credit by participating in SSTI's preconference workshop examining the success of the renowned Technology Square complex at Georgia Tech. Technology Square: Proving the Power of TBED Five years ago, Midtown Atlanta's Fifth Street Corridor - adjacent to the Georgia Institute of Technology campus - was a wasteland of used car lots, run-down warehouses and parking lots.…

The first conference mailer went to the post office yesterday, but we're too excited to delay announcing that the website for SSTI's 9th Annual Conference is now available to accept registrations and provide preliminary information for the tech-based economic development (TBED) community's premier professional development event of the year. The conference will be held on Oct. 19-21, 2005, at the beautiful Intercontinental Buckhead-Atlanta. SSTI is looking forward to this year's event for two particular reasons: our local co-hosts. The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) are two of the most widely respected TBED organizations in the world. That's no exaggeration and worth repeating -- in the world. Both organizations are celebrating anniversaries this year: GRA turns 15 and the venerable ATDC celebrates its 25th. It is the longevity, success and vitality of these two outstanding organizations that…

The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced William Boone is the first director for the new Agricultural Center of Innovation.

Gov. Sonny Perdue recently announced the creation of the state's fourth Center of Innovation. Located in Augusta, the Life Sciences Innovation Center (LSIC) will assist with business incubation and securing matching grants for applied R&D with industry partners through the Georgia Research Alliance. A joint partnership between the state and the Life Sciences Business Development Center of the Medical College of Georgia, LSIC will enhance the likelihood of success for Georgia life sciences companies, according to the governor's office. The center will provide expertise and counsel for life science entrepreneurs, serve as an incubator facility for bio-business, and foster opportunities for joint university and private applied research work. The Georgia Centers of Innovation program was launched in 2003 to enhance long-term economic opportunities and encourage new companies to invest and build in the state. The program focuses on specific industries such as aerospace, agricultural technologies, life sciences, marine logistics, and information technology, The first center, the…