SSTI Digest

The Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City announced on Monday it will award grants of up to $5 million to 5-7 U.S. universities to make entrepreneurship education a common and accessible campus-wide opportunity. The Foundation works with partners to encourage entrepreneurship across America. In June, the Foundation chose 15 universities out of 30 schools invited to demonstrate interest by developing a preliminary concept to compete in the Kauffman Campuses initiative. Each of the 15 universities selected was awarded a $50,000 planning grant to assist with the development of a comprehensive proposal to be presented this December. At that time, 5-7 universities will be awarded grants of up to $5 million, each based on their creativity and commitment to make entrepreneurship training and experiences available across college departments and to students of diverse disciplines. Universities also must demonstrate their ability to raise matching funds. The Kauffman Campuses initiative builds on the Foundation's 10-year history of advancing entrepreneurship, which has included support of…

A new book released by the Sierra Business Council (SBC), Investing for Prosperity, suggests new ways for rural regions to achieve long-term prosperity. The 148-page guide brings together many of the latest innovations rural communities across North America are using to grow their economies, improve their towns and build their social capital. SBC, a nonprofit organization that promotes the Sierra Nevada region, finds that communities in the Sierra Nevada can diversify and expand their economies in ways that were not possible over the last 150 years, thanks to new technologies and the market premium put on the Sierra's natural assets and livable communities. The same finding applies to many other fast-growing rural regions in America, including New England and the Pacific Northwest. The product of three years of research, Investing for Prosperity includes 44 case studies and a resource list for more information. The guide recommends four integrated strategies to help rural communities build long-term wealth: Capitalize on existing assets. The book provides examples of how…

In response to recent requests from SSTI sponsors and affiliates, SSTI has compiled a table summarizing total funding distributed within states in the form of grants and awards by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The table <http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/071103t.htm> includes total amounts and state rankings for NIH awards for each of the years 1998-2002. States are presented in rank order by the percent change for the five-year period. The greatest gains were posted in Idaho (760.86 percent), North Dakota (510.09 percent), South Dakota (424.25 percent), Wyoming (283.59 percent) and Alaska (281.65 percent). Despite the significant growth, these states still hold the five lowest rankings in 2002, as they did in varying order for each of the five years. In fact, no state moved more than three rankings up or down from 1998 to 2002, although there was slightly wider variation in the mid-years. The only movement in the top 14 rankings for the five years occurred in 2002 when Ohio and Illinois flipped positions, ranking 9 and 10 respectively. Reviewing the results in…

The first director of the new Automation Alley Technology Center will be Thomas Anderson. Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns has appointed Richard Baier as the state's first rural development director. Baier will work closely with the new Nebraska Rural Development Commission. Colorado State Representative Tim Fritz is resigning his seat to become director of Colorado's Office of Aerospace and Aeronautics. John Hansen is the new Secretary of Technology for the State of Colorado. Hansen retains his position as Chief Technology Officer as well. Gwinnett County (GA) Commission Chairman Wayne Hill is the new president of the National Association of Regional Councils. The Indiana Proteomics Consortium has changed its name to Inproteo. New York Ecomm has changes its name to The Executive Council of New York to better reflect the organization's broader membership and program offerings. David Quam is the new director of state-federal relations for the National Governors Association. Phillip Z. Sobocinski has accepted a new…

The first director of the new Automation Alley Technology Center will be Thomas Anderson.

Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns has appointed Richard Baier as the state's first rural development director. Baier will work closely with the new Nebraska Rural Development Commission.

Colorado State Representative Tim Fritz is resigning his seat to become director of Colorado's Office of Aerospace and Aeronautics.

John Hansen is the new Secretary of Technology for the State of Colorado. Hansen retains his position as Chief Technology Officer as well.

Gwinnett County (GA) Commission Chairman Wayne Hill is the new president of the National Association of Regional Councils.

The Indiana Proteomics Consortium has changed its name to Inproteo.

New York Ecomm has changes its name to The Executive Council of New York to better reflect the organization's broader membership and program offerings.

David Quam is the new director of state-federal relations for the National Governors Association.