SSTI Digest

What factors will enable regions with a historical strong industrial heritage to become attractive to creative individuals? According to Richard Florida in his 2002 book, The Rise of the Creative Class, creative people are most drawn to places that have an abundance of existing creative talent, a tolerance for diversity, and the ability to produce technology. Florida uses various measures to quantify a region’s talent, tolerance and technology - also known as the 3Ts - and combines them to produce a creativity index that allows comparison between locations.  

Canada’s Treasury Board recently announced the creation of an independent panel of experts to provide advice on transferring management of federal non-regulatory laboratories into private or other non-government hands. The four individuals comprising the panel, each with extensive experience and leadership in Canada's science and technology community, will consider different management options for the Canadian systems of federal research labs. Many of the largest nonregulatory and non-life science-related federal laboratories in the U.S. are managed by private companies through competitive selection processes. Others are co-located and run by academic institutions. The panel may consider privatization or quasi-privatization of life science-related labs that, in the case of the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Agriculture, remain government-operated. The Canadian panel will focus on four key objectives:

Over the past few months, several new research park announcements have been made, including a $2.5 billion public-private investment in Kentucky. Gov. Ernie Fletcher last month announced plans for the expansion of the Louisville Health Sciences Campus. The project will encompass the 30-block radius that houses the Louisville health sciences campus. A current U of L parking lot, known as the Haymarket property, will be converted into a 700,000-square-foot state-of-the-art laboratory and office space.  

Register today to be sure you receive this special rate. On Wednesday, Sept. 26, registration fees will increase by $100. Hosted by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, and the University System of Maryland, the 2007 SSTI Annual Conference will be held at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel Oct. 18-19. In a word, the SSTI Annual conference promises quality. With more than 20 carefully planned sessions, conference participants are ensured access to the latest thinking and best practices in tech-based economic development. Limited attendance further affords one the opportunity to engage in open, creative dialogue, and registration fees are kept reasonable so you can send your entire leadership team. All added up, SSTI's annual conference is the field's most stimulating and rewarding professional development investment of the year.

Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks an additional senior member to join its technology transfer team as a senior commercialization manager or possibly as deputy director. This key individual is needed to identify, evaluate and commercialize technologies created at a major U.S. Department of Energy laboratory and to serve as liaison between some of the laboratory's most significant research divisions and the business community. He or she should have a high level of technical expertise in a physical science, as well as significant experience in sales or business development.

Incubators and accelerators. Angel, seed and venture capital. Research parks. University and industry research. Technology licensing and commercialization. Entrepreneurship assistance. R&D tax credits. Technology workforce development. Regional technology councils. Manufacturing extension. Science and technology advisers. While all have specific functions, collectively, when supported by public funds, these activities are working toward a single goal of transforming a regional economy to be more competitive in the knowledge-driven global market for innovation and growth.

Once again, SSTI's members have assembled one of our finest slates of sessions yet to anchor the 11th annual conference, Oct. 18-19, in Baltimore. Providing the core of the conference, the 19 sessions are structured to allow ample discussion time among participants, something we're told sets SSTI's conferences apart from the rest.

Attendees at SSTI's 11th annual conference will be fortunate to participate in plenary sessions led off by keynote addresses highlighting two of the most critical elements of TBED — successful entrepreneurship and engaged institutions of higher learning. 

SSTI's annual conference is as much a community homecoming as it a unique professional development opportunity. With our latest addition to the schedule, SSTI is making it even more of both! By attending SSTI's annual conference this year, you have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be present for the inaugural-year announcement of SSTI's Excellence in TBED Award winners. The Award recognizes the longstanding achievements made by the TBED community in promoting research, entrepreneurial development, a skilled workforce, and innovation in existing companies. The celebration will be held following lunch on Oct. 18. Strong evidence of the need for a recognition program for the TBED community was provided by the breadth and sheer number of applications SSTI received for the first-ever awards in six categories:

It isn't every conference you consider attending that offers so much content in such a dynamic and fun location - so much that this one warrants extending your stay in Baltimore to play over the weekend. Our conference site is strategically located at the center of the Baltimore's exciting Inner Harbor. The active waterfront is beautiful, offering dozens of options to satisfy all of your cravings — dining, tourist attractions, arts, nightlife, shopping and convenient walking tours. The Inner Harbor is just one of the reasons Baltimore is a perennial destination city. Don't just take our word for it, though. Check it out here:  http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf07/amenities.htm

A fun-filled evening of music, drinks and scrumptious hor d'oeurves awaits participants of SSTI's conference with the opening reception at the Marine Mammal Pavilion of the world-famous National Aquarium in Baltimore. This festive event is possible due to the generosity of Team Maryland, a group of 21 Maryland organizations supporting technology-based economic development in their state and region:

SSTI's annual conference is the field's most stimulating and rewarding professional development event of the year. We hope you are planning on joining us in Baltimore, Oct. 18-19. You can expect: