SSTI Digest

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP), a nonprofit economic development organization based in Philadelphia, seeks someone to serve as director of its investment and entrepreneurial services. Established in 1982, BFTP exists to stimulate economic growth through innovation, entrepreneurship and the development and adoption of new technologies. The selected candidate will direct the planning, coordination and execution of activities associated with the sourcing and evaluation of BFTP's applicants, among other responsibilities. The candidate also will oversee the client management of portfolio companies in the manufacturing and nanotechnology sectors. Qualifications include having a B.S. or B.A. in Engineering or other technology discipline, preferably with an MBA. Inquiries should be directed to Katie Rotella, manager of administrative services for the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania, at katie@sep.benfranklin.org.

The discounts ending this week on registration and accommodations for SSTI's annual conference will pay for much, if not all, of your round trip airfare to Philadelphia, so we encourage you to act soon on both. Or you can use the savings toward having one of your colleagues attend as well!

Building Tech-based Economies: Preparing for Tomorrow's Challenges will be held at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on Oct. 14-15, 2004. Three optional, intensive pre-conference workshops and a tour are offered on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The full conference offers 30 timely and focused breakout session options.

Utah State University named J. Michael Brooks as director of its Innovation Campus. He will also serve as associate vice president for research and economic development, beginning Sept. 20.

A two-year grant from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Community and Economic Development enabled Lehigh University to announce last week the appointments of Glenn Doell and Graham Mitchell to serve respectively as director of the office of technology transfer and director of the entrepreneurship program.

Effective Jan. 1, Donald Kuratko will be executive director for Indiana University's Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Kuratko is currently runs Ball State University's entrepreneurship program.

Utah State University named J. Michael Brooks as director of its Innovation Campus. He will also serve as associate vice president for research and economic development, beginning Sept. 20.

A two-year grant from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Community and Economic Development enabled Lehigh University to announce last week the appointments of Glenn Doell and Graham Mitchell to serve respectively as director of the office of technology transfer and director of the entrepreneurship program.

Effective Jan. 1, Donald Kuratko will be executive director for Indiana University's Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Kuratko is currently runs Ball State University's entrepreneurship program.

Reports suggest New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, resigning his office in mid-November, will be named the first director of the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey. Securing funding for the center has been a legislative priority for the Governor this year.

David Winwood is the new director of North Carolina State University's Centennial Campus.

With most of the 2005 budget a likely victim of Congressional inertia as the Oct. 1 fiscal year start date approaches, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Office of Management and Budget have set the 2006 process in motion by issuing a joint memorandum outlining the Administration's research priorities, should it be re-elected in November.

Homeland Security R&D remains the Administration's top research focus with space provided in the memo to single out several priorities areas:

For many states, increasing industrial research and development (R&D) within the state's academic research institutions is a priority. Some state tech-based economic development agencies offer financial assistance, such as matching grants to foster greater university-industry research collaboration. Some offer tax credits to companies for research expenditures within the state higher education community.

In most cases, industrially supported R&D will be for advanced research that most likely is closer to commercialization or supports technologies already in production.

In 2002, the top states for total industrial R&D expenditures at public and private institutions of higher education were California, Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Massachusetts, New York, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio, and Florida. Nearly all of these schools also are in the top 10 or so rankings for total academic R&D expenditures.

New York City Launches Second Biotech Incubator Companies wanting to commercialize new technologies can now bring their companies to Brooklyn, with the June opening of a new technology incubator located near Downstate University's biochemistry department. The Advanced Biotechnology Incubator will eventually house up to 30 companies, according to Eva Brown Cramer, vice president for biotechnology and scientific affairs at Downstate. The $12 million incubator, funded by both government and private sources, is a first for Brooklyn and second to be opened in New York City. The first was opened in 1995 at Columbia University, according to the Daily News. Colorado Incubator Merges With Venture Company, Becomes CTEK

Travel and training dollars are limited for most tech-based economic development programs. For many states, these are the first budget items frozen in a cutback. As a result, you need to get the most bang for each dollar spent on professional development for each staff member.

Fortunately, SSTI thinks this way too when planning its annual conference, Building Tech-based Economies: Preparing for Tomorrow's Challenges. In addition to 30 top-of-the-line breakout sessions during the main conference -- a full slate for your full staff -- we are offering three intensive pre-conference workshops and a behind-the-scenes tour to use your limited training dollars to their fullest potential.