SSTI Digest

Earlier this week, the European Commission presented its strategy to respond to the March 2002 Barcelona European Council's call to raise research spending to 3 percent of the European Union's (EU) average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2010. Today, Europe is at 1.9 percent on average across the member countries.

The Communication More Research for Europe looks into Europe's under-investment in science and technology and its harmful consequences for EU competitiveness, growth and employment. R&D investment (private and public) in the U.S. now exceeds EU expenditure by more than €120 billion every year. In 2000, in the U.S. €288 billion was spent on R&D, while only €164 billion was spent in the EU.

Last week, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced the selection of 29 economic development projects to receive more than $3.1 million. Funding provided through USDA Rural Development's business opportunity grants and economic development loan and grant programs will assist over 455 businesses and create or save nearly 3,000 jobs, according to the grant proposals.

The awards were distributed to projects in 24 states: Alabama ($450,000); California ($50,000); Colorado ($9,500);  Georgia ($50,000); Indiana ($50,000); Kansas ($200,000); Kentucky ($48,360); Louisiana ($49,790); Maine ($13,000); Maryland ($50,000); Minnesota ($250,000); Mississippi ($431,687); Missouri ($222,000); Nebraska ($300,000); North Carolina ($50,000); North Dakota ($50,000); Ohio ($50,000); Pennsylvania ($15,000); South Dakota ($200,000); Tennessee ($50,000); Texas ($413,936); Vermont ($35,538); Virginia ($49,587); and Washington ($50,000).

The new Arizona Technology Council (ATC) has announced its vision and mission as a non-profit association committed to growing member companies and the technology industry in Central and Northern Arizona. ATC, formed in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Commerce, Southern Arizona Tech Council, various organizations and technology trade associations, will be led by former Phoenix mayor and ATC Chairman Paul Johnson, an appointed executive committee and a board of directors comprised of a cross-section of academic, private and public sector professionals.

When budgets tighten for state and local governments, as they have in nearly every corner of the country, legislatures and political leaders look for areas to reduce spending. Having a strong documented record of the positive impact of your technology-based economic development efforts and investments can help protect vital programs from the axe.

And, regardless of the fiscal environment, regular assessment and program evaluation also are good practices for honing your activities to maximize their benefits and payoffs.

But how do you start? What measures really matter? And how do you use the data once gathered?

Many areas of the country are experiencing a brain drain, an outmigration of recent college graduates leading to a decline in the available labor pool of entry level workers, young entrepreneurs and future civic leaders. A new initiative, however, hopes to reverse that trend in Northeastern Pennsylvania by strengthening the social, networking and professional relationships among young skilled workers in the Wilkes-Barre region.

Professionals Organized and Working to Enrich the Region (POWER) held its first meeting last week. Managed by the Great Valley Technology Alliance, POWER's organizational and promotional costs are covered by a $42,000 grant from the state's Stay and Invent the Future Initiative, run by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Federal research facilities can be a bit intimidating for a small- or medium-sized technology firm. But if a business is looking for solutions to technical problems, new technologies to commercialize or adopt, a research partner, or funding to perfect some technology, the vast resources of the nation's 700+ federal research laboratories could hold the key to commercial success.

Fortunately, since 1974, the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) provides an affordable, easy-to-access gateway to a nationwide network of federal laboratories. The FLC is the nation's leading source for maximizing collaborative research for transferring technologies and facilitating technical cooperation between the federal laboratories, industry, academia, state and local governments, and federal agencies. FLC services include:

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a nationwide network of not-for-profit centers in more than 400 locations nationwide. Their sole purpose is to provide the 357,000 small and mid-sized manufacturers in the U.S. help to succeed in a global economy. MEP centers are linked together through the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology — making it possible for even the smallest firms to tap into the expertise of knowledgeable manufacturing and business specialists throughout the U.S.

MEP centers help manufacturers with such issues as process improvement; quality management systems; business management systems; human resource development; market development; materials engineering; plant layout; product development; energy audits; environmental studies; financial planning; CAD/CAM/CAE; and electronic commerce/EDI.

The interim director for Cleveland's new Industrial Technology Institute will be Charles Alexander, dean of the College of Engineering at Cleveland State University.

Anne Armstrong, who in July resigned as president of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology, is returning to Federal Computer Week as its publisher. Armstrong was with the weekly publication prior to joining CIT.

Michael Finney, vice president for Emerging Business with the Michigan Economic Development Corp (MEDC), is leaving MEDC to become the first president and CEO for the Greater Rochester Enterprise in New York.

Otto Loewer is leaving his position as dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas to become the founding director of the university's new Economic Development Institute.

The interim director for Cleveland's new Industrial Technology Institute will be Charles Alexander, dean of the College of Engineering at Cleveland State University.

Anne Armstrong, who in July resigned as president of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology, is returning to Federal Computer Week as its publisher. Armstrong was with the weekly publication prior to joining CIT.

Michael Finney, vice president for Emerging Business with the Michigan Economic Development Corp (MEDC), is leaving MEDC to become the first president and CEO for the Greater Rochester Enterprise in New York.

Otto Loewer is leaving his position as dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas to become the founding director of the university's new Economic Development Institute.