SSTI Digest

Regardless of their potentially arbitrary nature, the political lines separating jurisdictions can wreak havoc on a region's ability to support innovation. Whether it's a boundary between two communities, two states or two countries, these imaginary lines define real rules of commerce (e.g. by the taxes levied, property values, etc.) as well as intangible concerns and perceptions. In many places, intercommunity rivalries seem to almost spill over from the high school football fields and incapacitate the ability to achieve real change throughout a region. The spillovers of significant economic development investments often pay little attention to political boundaries. The ritual of states chasing large automotive plants is demonstrative. The latest example is provided by Kia with Georgia shelling out $160,000 per job (one-third of which are expected to go to Alabama residents because the plant will be located within five miles of the border.) Both states were competing for the plant; some analysts argue Alabama won since it ponied up nothing to get up to 800 jobs. A collaborative approach between the two…

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released its 2004 annual statistical report on science and engineering (S&E) doctorate awards. Report data show trends in doctorate awards by S&E field and recipient characteristics, institutions awarding doctorates, and postgraduation plans of recipients. Using NSF and U.S. Census Bureau data, SSTI has prepared a table providing state ranking for doctorate awards by major field and state rankings for the total S&E doctorates awarded per 100,000 residents. SSTI's table is available at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/032706t.htm NSF’s Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2004 is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf06308/ U.S. Census Bureau population data is available at: http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html SSTI’s previously published S&E doctorate awards tables: 2003 table is available at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/011005t.htm 2002 table is available at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/111403t2.htm 2001 table is available at: http://…

Rice University invites applications for a Baker Institute Fellow (postdoctoral researcher) to lead a new and potentially long-term project sponsored by the Baker Institute of Public Policy, the Computer and Information Technology Institute, and the Fondren Library. This interdisciplinary effort, involving faculty in social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, and engineering, will focus on the nature and implications of the transformational effects of technology on many sectors of public and private life. The successful candidate will enjoy broad latitude in coordinating and developing a holistic program involving research seminars, research collaboration with faculty in multiple disciplines, and an on-campus workshop series. A full description of this opportunity and others is available through the SSTI Job Corner: http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm

At the same time civic and corporate leaders around the country are calling for more high school students to pursue a college education, and specifically science, technology and math degrees, the student's share of the cost for higher education is climbing to record highs. Despite an appropriations increase of 3.5 percent in fiscal year 2005, constant dollar per student state and local funding for public colleges and universities was at the lowest point in 25 years, according to State Higher Education Finance FY 2005, the annual study conducted by the association of State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). State and local support per full-time-equivalent student in public institutions was $5,833 in FY 05; the high point since 1980 was in fiscal 2001, when per student support was $7,121 in constant 2005 dollars. Support per student decreased dramatically from 2001 to 2005 because enrollment grew by 14.3 percent and inflation grew by 14.2 percent, without corresponding increases in public funding. State and local support, essentially flat from 2001 to 2004, grew by 3.5 percent in 2005, but this increase was…

SBDCs slated for $23 Million Increase; FAST Restored While the federal budget process is a long way from completed for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, last Thursday was a good day for beneficiaries of many programs run through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The U.S. Senate passed an amendment to the budget resolution that will add $130 million to the President's 2007 Budget Request for SBA, bringing the agency to a total of $754 million for next year and including funding for several programs recommended for elimination. Senate Amendment No. 3134 was introduced by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The items shown below are among those approved in the Kerry-Snowe amendment for the Fiscal Year 2007 SBA budget. Items the president proposed for elimination are noted in parentheses: $22.9 million to increase funding for SBDCs from $87.1 million to $110 million; $4 million for SBIR/STTR Technical Assistance (eliminated); $7 million to prevent…

Probably everyone involved in tech-based economic development (TBED) can name at least one research building, innovation center or tech park named after a significant contributor to the project. And has become commonplace individual components of the structure have been named for individual donors: a wing, the auditorium, the foyer, the artwork, the chairs in the board room. The difference between naming rights, endorsements and sponsorships of business marketing, particularly evident in sports, and "patron recognition" in the arts, education and now, TBED, is increasingly blurred. As that great English bard reminded us, what's in a name?  Naming rights can be a relatively free thing to give away for an organization or institution short of resources to advance its mission. Does it really matter, other than changing the website and stationary, if the Center for Whatever is now the John Q. Public Center for Whatever? But what about other restrictions, expectations or requirements large money donors try to attach to their contributions? At what point does the fine print in the…

Universities play a central role in supporting regional technology-based economic development and only one small federal grant program focuses each funding cycle toward new models for improving university-centered collaborative innovation strategies. The Partnership for Innovations (PFI) Program within the National Science Foundation (NSF) opened a new round of competition last week, offering funding of up to $600,000 for 10-15 successful proposals. Created in 2000, the PFI program "seeks to stimulate and capitalize on innovation by catalyzing partnerships among colleges and universities, the private sector, and federal, state and local governments." While each PFI grant must be awarded to a lead university, the role of collaborations and partnerships extending outside the recipient institution is an important component of the program. Partnerships - both domestic and global - are increasingly critical to accelerating the development and growth of knowledge-based economies. This is perhaps most true when it comes to the academic institution's role in innovation. It takes…

In SSTI's second look at the Geographic Area Statistics: 2004 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Manufactures, SSTI highlights more of the report's key findings, including data on employment, payroll, and average pay per employee. (The first look at 2004 statistics was in the March 6 issue of the Digest.) All but two states experienced a decline in manufacturing employment between 2001-2004. Only Nevada and New Mexico saw increases of 8.95 percent and 0.66 percent, respectively, in manufacturing employment for the period. Interestingly, despite the declining numbers of paychecks issued across the country, the size of the checks apparently was increasing in many instances. The survey indicates that, in addition to the expected growth for payroll figures in the two manufacturing-growth states of Nevada and New Mexico, 19 states with employment reductions also experienced increases in payrolls over the four years. The phenomenon is not explained in the report. Nevada, New Mexico, Hawaii, Wyoming and Delaware showed the largest payroll increases of more than…

In December, SSTI invited those involved in and interested in tech-based economic development to consider becoming a member of SSTI. Membership is growing so fast  that we are proud to announce already reaching the 100th member milestone for our Affiliates and Supporters! Special Recognition goes to our 99th member Northwestern University, Office of the President; 100th member Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, BioBusiness Center; and our 101st member CincyTechUSA. Thank you to all our members who have made this milestone possible, and may it be a speedy trip to 1,000 from here! There has never been a better time to join SSTI. As we announced in January, the SSTI Funding Supplement is now available only to members. Since that started on January 9, SSTI has alerted our Supplement subscribers to more than 350 unique funding opportunities for research and tech-based economic development (TBED).  We are thrilled that so many organizations within the TBED community have taken advantage of the opportunity to receive the Funding Supplement…

Rob Atkinson resigned from the Progressive Policy Institute to become president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a new think tank. Richard Bendis, an SSTI Board member, is leaving his position as president and CEO of Innovation Philadelphia to become president and CEO of True Product ID, Inc.. The Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center selected Alan Brown as its executive director. Anne Conroy was named president of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit agency in New York. Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. named Trish Costello as its newest Entrepreneur in Residence. The U.S. Senate confirmed Robert Cresanti as the Department of Commerce's undersecretary for technology, succeeding Phil Bond as head of the Technology Administration. Krisztina Holly was named executive director of the University of Southern California's Mark and Mary Stevens Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization…

Rob Atkinson resigned from the Progressive Policy Institute to become president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a new think tank.

Richard Bendis, an SSTI Board member, is leaving his position as president and CEO of Innovation Philadelphia to become president and CEO of True Product ID, Inc..