SSTI Digest

Gov. Tom Vilsack announced that Mary Lawyer will serve as acting director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Mike Blouin resigned from the position last week to launch his campaign to become the state's next governor.

After nine years as deputy director of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Joseph Bordogna is resigning. He will return to the University of Pennsylvania as Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Engineering.

Gov. Tom Vilsack announced that Mary Lawyer will serve as acting director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Mike Blouin resigned from the position last week to launch his campaign to become the state's next governor.

After nine years as deputy director of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Joseph Bordogna is resigning. He will return to the University of Pennsylvania as Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Engineering.

Pauli Jacobi, director of the Louisiana State University System Research and Technology Foundation, is resigning her position but will remain an LSU employee.

Darrell Kelley, CEO of Enterprise Florida for the past three years, will retire on Aug. 1.

Technology specialist David Levine, hired by Gov. Joe Manchin in March, is leaving the governor's office to become executive director of the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center.

Ed Morrison, formerly with the Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland, opened the Institute for Open Source Economic Development. He will continue to maintain the EDPro weblog.

Richard Overmoyer, deputy secretary for technology investment at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, is leaving to join the lobbying group, GSP Consulting.

The Puerto Rico Senate recently confirmed Jorge Silva-Puras as the new executive director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company. He previously served as secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce.

The Board of Directors of the EAST (Environmental And Spatial Technology) Initiative invites applications for the position of President/Chief Executive Officer. The EAST model, a result of a collaboration between business and education, is intended to provide K-16 students with access to resources not available in the traditional educational setting. The board seeks a proven leader whose vision and passion for education and technology is demonstrated by a successful track record of innovation, strong management and fiscal integrity. Someone with 10 years of executive management experience is desired. A full description is available through the SSTI Job Corner, http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

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.

As the House passed its version of the fiscal year 2006 defense appropriations bill last Monday, "Little R, Big D" once again may describe the country's R&D priorities for the largest component of the federal budget.

H.R. 2863 reduces overall funding for defense science and technology (spending categories 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3, respectively, referring to basic research, applied research and advanced technology development) to $13.04 billion -- 0.6 percent from the FY05 appropriations level but 23.9 percent higher than the Administration's request. Much of the $2.5 billion in restored funding, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), is in the form of Congressional earmarks.