SSTI Digest

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 position as Assistant Director of the new Office of Corporate Relations in the Office of the Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The new initiative will be led by Charles Hoslet.

Spokane Economic Development Council president Mark Turner has announced his resignation.

Jeff Wadsworth has been named the next director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Wadsworth was a former deputy director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Larry Willard, president of the University of New Mexico Board of Regents, is leaving the position to become chairman of the New Mexico Economic Development Corp.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) could have more money to spend on science and tech initiatives in fiscal year (FY) 2004, thanks to a 63.1 percent increase in R&D funding approved Tuesday by the U.S. House of Representatives. Approximately $900.4 million – or $348.4 million more than the previous year – will go toward DHS's Science and Technology (S&T) budget in FY04. The Bush Administration had requested $803.4 million for the department's S&T budget. In an accompanying report to the FY04 DHS Appropriations Bill, the House appropriations committee states DHS should work to develop new technologies and capabilities that protect U.S. soil. Excerpts of the committee's testimony on four R&D program areas are provided below: Science and Technology Activities. "The Department is directed to provide a report to the Committee by December 15, 2003, identifying all research, development, test and evaluation, and standards development work being performed by Departmental elements other than the Office of Science and Technology." Public Safety Technology Transfer Centers. "…