SSTI Digest

With an increased need to compete globally, the need for a highly educated workforce has taken center stage in a number of states. But with the continuing issue of college affordability, states are looking at new ways to increase the number of college graduates within their borders.

In Arkansas and Ohio, recent examples of increasing college attendance are focused on efforts to expand scholarship opportunities for students. A legislatively charged task force in Arkansas recommends the state spend $95 million over the next six years to meet the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) average percentage of citizens holding a bachelor's degree. In Ohio, the state is awarding $8.5 million to colleges and nonprofit agencies with the goal of leveraging more than $90 million towards efforts to increase college participation. Details of the state plans are outlined below. 

Register today to be sure you receive this special rate. On Wednesday, Sept. 24, registration fees will increase by $100. Hosted by NorTech, the 2008 SSTI Annual Conference will be held at the beautiful InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center Cleveland, October 14-16.

This year, SSTI is providing conference attendees with the unique opportunity to take part in plenary and semi-plenary conference sessions through direct involvement and interaction with leaders in the TBED community – industry leaders, economic development directors, and university presidents to name a few.

Drawing on the expertise and insights of four university leaders, SSTI will examine the challenges facing higher education. What we expect from our universities is rapidly changing – even if policymakers and politicians are not clearly stating what those expectations are. As states simultaneously fund ambitious centers of excellence while cutting core operating support, today’s environment for universities is entirely different from that of just 10 years ago. Aptly titled Universities’ Current and Future Role in Regional Innovation, this session seeks to answer the questions, where are we heading? Where should we be heading? And what does it mean for the TBED community and universities?

Even in the venture capital-rich state of California during a boom period for clean energy investment, some clean energy entrepreneurs still have a hard time finding the capital resources they desire. As a result, one non-profit venture capital group, with a unique history of its own, is launching a new effort to support early-stage businesses. The California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF) is currently helping to raise a $20 million angel fund to bridge a perceived gap in seed and start-up stage capital availability. Despite the rapid growth of clean energy investment in the past two years, CalCEF believes that early-stage investment is not yet sufficient to ensure a steady stream of high-quality investments at later stage of development.

The Alberta Center for Advanced Microsystems and Nanotechnology Products (ACAMP), funded with $8 million from the provincial Alberta government and $3.5 million from the Canadian government, recently commenced operations in the Edmonton Research Park. The new program will be structured around three central components to assist commercialization in this area: packaging and assembly, product development, and marketing.   As identified in the federal government’s science and technology strategy, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage (see the May 21, 2007 issue of the Digest), Alberta is poised to become a leader of Canada’s nanotechnology industry, as the province is home to Canada’s National Institute for Nanotechnology. ACAMP was developed in coordination with Alberta’s $130 million five-year nanotechnology strategy announced in 2007, which includes the goal of obtaining two percent of the world’s nanotech market by 2020.   More information on ACAMP can be found at: http://www.acamp.ca/

As many stories in this issue of the Digest point out, academic institutions serve a critical role in performing R&D for the nation’s innovation pipeline. While most of the attention of national policymakers is directed toward the size of federal and industrial investments in R&D, the burden of financing the infrastructure to support much of that research activity falls on states and institutions of higher education. And that burden has a steep price tag.

For instance, in late August, the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison officially opened the first tower of the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR), an estimated $600 million three-tower project which will house 1,500 lab workers by 2015. This first tower is devoted to interdisciplinary work studying cancer, with five floors dedicated to varying fields of cancer research, one floor for core laboratory equipment, one floor of outpatient radiotherapy, and one floor for the medical physics department which will concentrate on medical imaging.

Tony Armstrong, Indiana University executive director for engagement, has been chosen as the Indiana University Research and Technology Corporations new president and CEO. Jeff Costantine will retire this fiscal year as president of the Nashville Technology Council. The board of directors has begun the search for a new president. Joseph G. Danek stepped down as executive director of the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation. He will continue work at the foundation as its senior advisor and will also remain senior vice president of the Implementation Group, a Washington consulting firm. James B. Hoehn, a senior associate at the foundation, became its executive director. 

The University of Missouri System is seeking applicants for the position of intellectual property attorney. This position assists the General Council in many areas, including managing the legal aspects associated with licensing activities, working with General Counsel to manage the enforcement of the University’s intellectual property and contract rights, providing guidance and advice regarding technology investment activities; serving as liaison for intellectual property matters between the University and industry, advising administration on matters of potential scientific misconduct and compliance with federal and state regulations, providing guidance with respect to the procurement, development, negotiation and licensing of the intellectual property portfolio and assisting in the development of intellectual property educational programs. A law degree and five to seven years experience in corporate and intellectual property law is required. A bachelor’s degree in science or engineering and intellectual property and patent law, technology transfer and/or licensing experience is preferred. 

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick recently signed two bills to improve the commonwealth's standing as a leader in environmental protection and to support the growth of the clean technology industry.  Supporters of the Global Warming Solutions Act and the Green Jobs Act believe that the legislation will position Massachusetts as a recognized center for cleantech policy and business.

Massachusetts will invest $68 million over the next five years to promote the clean energy industry through the Green Jobs Act. The bill establishes a new clean energy technology center as the lead agency, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, in the promotion and development of new jobs in the clean energy sector. Its mission will include funding research and workforce training, supporting new and existing clean energy businesses, attracting capital and fostering collaboration between the state's public and private research institutions.

Against the backdrop of Northeast Ohio, a region transitioning to a high-tech economy through focused efforts in industry growth and R&D activity, three state economic development directors championing economic growth will provide SSTI conference attendees with answers to the all important question, Where do we go from here? in a highly interactive and future-looking session.   The economy is changing so are the challenges facing scientists, technologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs. To stay ahead, every element of a regional innovation support system must become smarter and more efficient. But how? Exploring the future look of TBED, this plenary conference session will address some of the biggest challenges facing the economic development field, including: How do we best integrate TBED with more traditional economic development approaches? With budgets tightening, what investments are most important to sustain for economic development efforts?

An upcoming report finds that Hawaiian high-tech industries contributed $3 billion to the state's economy in 2007. Preliminary data released to Pacific Business News by the Hawaii Science and Technology Council indicates that the state is home to almost 2,000 high-tech companies in ten sectors, including biotechnology, aerospace, energy and information technology. The complete report is due later this summer.

Jobs at high-tech firms count for 3.6 percent of the state's total employment. These jobs provide an average annual salary of $69,000, 43 percent higher than the overall average personal income. Public and private tech companies combined created 4,158 new jobs between 2002 and 2007. Private Hawaiian high-tech companies grew at an average annual rate of 3.3 percent during that same period.

Last week, three contracts between North Dakota State University (NDSU) and research partners at two Department of Energy federal laboratories were announced, building research opportunities within the Red River Valley Research Corridor. They included the following: A $50,000 contract from Sandia National Laboratories to develop water purification membranes through polymer research; A $25,000 contract also from Sandia for solar cell research which will utilize technologies patented at NDSU; and, A $30,000 contract with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with NDSU researchers to design and build a radio frequency sensor laboratory. 

A press release outlining the contracts was released by Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, Chairman of the Senates Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, can be found at: http://dorgan.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=302158