SSTI Digest

Alex Fischer, formerly Oak Ridge National Laboratory's director of technology and economic development, has been tapped as the new vice president for commercialization for Battelle.

Rick Homans announced that he will step down as executive director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, effective July 27.

Albert Johnson Jr. is the new vice president for university advancement at Cameron University. Ronna Vanderslice also has been selected as dean of the university's School of Education and Behavioral Sciences.

Dr. Russ Lea has been named vice president for research at the University of South Alabama.

The Putnam County Development Authority (W.Va.) has appointed Heather Lewis as its new economic development project director.

Jay Moskowitz was named the first president of Health Sciences South Carolina.

Boise State University has tapped Mark Rudin as its new vice president for research.

Charles Sparks was named business development director of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

Indiana University announced that William Stephan will be the university's new vice president of engagement, a newly created position that becomes effective in September.

E. Norris Tolson is officially the president and CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, having served as interim CEO since January.

In keeping with the July 1 fiscal year deadlines, several states passed their budgets last month. The following states passed budgets that include funding for alternative energy, R&D tax credits, and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiatives.    Connecticut The FY 2008-09 biennial budget includes funding for initiatives aimed at developing a fuel cell cluster in the state. The budget for the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development appropriates up to $375,000 to assist the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) in establishing a hydrogen fuel cell coalition and industry cluster, championed by Gov. Jodi Rell in her Budget Address (see the Feb. 19, 2007 issue of the Digest). In addition, the budget provides up to $450,000 to CCAT for the purpose of drafting a fuel cell economic development plan.   New Hampshire

A bill designed to keep new Maine graduates living and working in the state after college became law last week with Gov. John Baldacci’s signature. The Opportunity Maine bill, LD 1856, creates a tax credit to assist graduates with their student loan payments and enables employers of graduates to pay off the student loans.   Under the bill, tax credits of up to $2,100 per year or $8,400 total are provided for graduates who spend all four years in the University of Maine System or Maine Community College System. The credits can only be claimed while the person resides and works in the state. The legislation also allows for employers of Maine graduates to assume the student loan debt and collect the tax credits.   Program goals are to ensure access to training and higher education, bring higher paying jobs to the state, offer educational opportunity and retraining, and retain a workforce of young, educated individuals.