SSTI Digest

Many minority population groups are historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. This is particularly true of the country's Latino population, one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S workforce. As a result, several state and regional tech-based economic development programs are looking for ways to broaden participation in STEM fields. A recent evaluation of a Texas program finds encouraging results, perhaps suggesting a model for others to replicate.

Students who attend the Hispanic Engineering Science and Technology Week (HESTEC) have a greater interest in pursuing science and engineering careers, a better perception of the engineering field, and more positive attitudes about graduating high school and enrolling in college than those who do not attend, according to a study from the Center for Border Economic Studies (CBEST) at the University of Texas-Pan American.

Led by the Fort Myers-Cape Coral metro area, a burgeoning retirement and tourist destination on the state’s southwest coast, Florida landed seven of the top 15 metros in Milken Institute’s 2004 Best Performing Cities Index released last week. The others are West Palm Beach-Boca Raton (4th), Daytona Beach (5th), Sarasota-Bradenton (6th), Fort Lauderdale (9th), Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (12th) and Naples (15th).

The Milken index ranks the 200 largest U.S. metropolitan areas based on their ability to create and sustain jobs. It includes four measurements of technology output growth and one- and five-year measurements of employment and salary growth (see "Useful Stats" story below).

Using data from its 2004 Best Performing Cities Index, Milken has generated a comprehensive table ranking cities by one- and five-year measurements of job growth, wages and salaries, and relative high tech gross domestic product (GDP) growth, and other measurements.

SSTI would like to draw readers' attention to one of those other measurements, Milken's high-tech GDP location quotient (LQ), which may be of some value to the tech-based economic development community. LQ is defined as a measure of high-tech concentration, with the U.S. given a value of 1.0. For the Milken study, metro areas having an LQ higher than 1.0 are said to be more concentrated in high tech sectors than the U.S.

While federal law and our own moral ethics prevent us from putting her to work in the near future, SSTI is excited to welcome Madelynn Elizabeth Carr to the world as the newest member of the SSTI team. Ms. Carr was born to SSTI Executive Assistant Ruth Carr and her husband, Larry, on Wednesday, Nov. 17.

The National Technology Transfer Center named James Goulka as its new CEO. Goulka formerly was president and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in Scottsdale, AZ.

Ken Marcus is the new director of the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park.

While federal law and our own moral ethics prevent us from putting her to work in the near future, SSTI is excited to welcome Madelynn Elizabeth Carr to the world as the newest member of the SSTI team. Ms. Carr was born to SSTI Executive Assistant Ruth Carr and her husband, Larry, on Wednesday, Nov. 17.

The National Technology Transfer Center named James Goulka as its new CEO. Goulka formerly was president and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in Scottsdale, AZ.

Ken Marcus is the new director of the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park.

John Nauseef has been appointed CEO of Dayton Development Coalition, filling the position to be vacated by Ron White when he resigns at the end of the year.

Montana Gov.-elect Brian Schweitzer tapped Tony Preite to serve as director of the state Department of Commerce. Priete is currently director of the office of commercialization and economic development outreach at the University of Montana and is a former regional director for the Colorado office of the Economic Development Administration.

Indiana Gov.-elect Mitch Daniels has named Chuck Schalliol as his budget director. Schalliol had been on loan from Eli Lilly and Co. since April to serve as president and CEO of Central Indiana's BioCrossroads.

To increase the commercial value and economic benefits of federal investments in scientific research, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is launching six new research and innovation facilities valued at over $125 million.

Minister of Industry David Emerson said the new facilities will be directed toward turning Canada’s investments in research into more products, services, high quality jobs, and increasingly productive and competitive businesses. Facility sites are located in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Ville Saguenay, Fredericton and Charlottetown.

Each facility was designed to meet specific needs as defined by the local research infrastructure and the regional technology cluster, according to NRC. The facilities, scheduled to open on various dates throughout November, will focus on the following technology sectors:

For most people in the business sector and economic development field, perhaps, the word "innovation" is quickly associated with tech start-ups and entrepreneurial businesses. The new Tennebaum Institute at Georgia Tech, opened last month with a $5 million donation from school alumnus Michael Tennebaum, is hoping to change that.

The multidisciplinary center is structured to help private, public, nonprofit and educational enterprises to recognize and embrace innovation throughout their organizations -- transforming "their strategies, operations, and cultures, thereby enabling substantially enhanced stockholder value." The premise is that innovations involving processes rather than new products are often overlooked, as are innovations occurring within existing businesses.