SSTI Digest

Jack Sommer is the new executive director of the Rhode Island Technology Council. Sommer previously worked with Student Advantage in Boston.

The Indiana Technology Partnership named Jim Wheeler as its new president. A former partner with Andersen LLP, Wheeler takes the position vacated by Tom Miller last fall.

During the 1970s, Canada routinely topped the U.S. in terms of real growth in gross domestic product per capita. As recently as 1990, Canada enjoyed the fourth highest standard of living in the world but slipped to seventh by 1999.



The two long-term initiatives launched in the last two weeks by the Canadian National Government — a National Innovation Strategy and the Trudeau Scholarships — and the $2.7 billion (CND) Fuel Cell research program created last year reflect the country's commitment to reversing these trends.



Canada's Innovation Strategy

Unveiled last week by Industry Minister Allan Rock and Human Resources Development Minister Jane Stewart, Canada's Innovation Strategy has two strategic thrusts that are expected to drive economic growth and social development in Canada over the next decade.



Federal expenditures on science and technology in 2001-02 are estimated at $7.4 billion, according to the Strategy. The report recognizes that a long-term national commitment and partnership is required to achieve make Canada's future economic potential in the global economy and performance even better and build a stronger, more inclusive society for all Canadians.



The specific economic and social goals of the Strategy are outlined in two separate papers.



"Achieving Excellence: Investing in People, Knowledge and Opportunity" examines the role of innovation in the Canadian economy and proposes specific targets and federal priorities in four key areas:

While Silicon Valley lost jobs last year — the first decline since 1992 — value added per employee, a measure of productivity, increased 4.6 percent to $170,000 compared to $56,000 nationally, according to the Index of Silicon Valley 2002 released in January by Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network.



The above figures and other economic data contained in the Index measure annual progress toward the long-term goals of an innovative economy, livable environment, inclusive society and regional stewardship established by Joint Venture in Silicon Valley 2010.



The Index suggests that while the Valley faces short-term economic challenges, its long-term prospects remain strong, given continuing innovation and productivity gains. Important progress also is being made on long-term goals.



Though the slowing economy has eased some pressure, people are still under strain, the Index observes. The gap between high income and low income households narrowed for the first time in seven years, although the standard of living for the region's poorest households has not increased over 1993 levels. Since then, the cost of living has increased 20 percent. Annual average pay in Silicon Valley fell an estimated two percent but remains the highest in the nation.



Innovation continued with the awarding of 6,800 patents to Silicon Valley inventors, eight percent of those awarded to U.S. residents. Though venture capital investment tumbled from a record high of $21 billion in 2000 to $6 billion last year, 2001 investment still topped the 1998 level.



The Index follows the December 2001 release of the Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network White Paper Next Silicon Valley: Riding the Waves of Innovation. The paper highlights several challenges facing Silicon Valley as it deals with a short-term impact of the boom/bust cycle, longer-term requirements of adjusting to new waves of innovation, and economic shocks from the September 11 terrorist attack.



Understanding opportunities presented by new innovation waves will be critical for the Valley's future success, according to the paper. Areas highlighted include:

Last week, Governor Gray Davis announced the award of three grants to support the creation of new Regional Technology Alliances (RTA) for the Inland Empire, San Joaquin Valley, and Sacramento/Capital regions. The three new non-profit organizations join existing RTAs in Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay area to provide decentralized business support services for innovative, California-based technology firms.



Because the RTAs are designed by the tech community within the particular service area, each RTA offers regionally-customized approaches to technical assistance, securing financing, and other business support.



The three new RTAs, expected to open by May, will receive $200,000 in state matching grants from the California Technology Investment Partnership (CalTIP). The RTA and CalTIP programs are administered by the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation.



More information is available from the Division's website. An eight-page SSTI Program Brief focusing on the California RTAs also is available at: http://www.ssti.org/Publications/online.htm

High school courses for advanced study in mathematics and science should focus on helping students acquire in-depth understanding rather than the more superficial knowledge that comes from covering too much material too quickly, according to a new report from the National Academies' National Research Council.



Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools concentrates on biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs in U.S. secondary schools. Although AP and IB have raised the level of mathematics and science education in the U.S., the report says, their efforts to emphasize the key concepts in science disciplines have not been realized because of the excessive number of topics covered in each subject.



Accelerated classes covering topics and final examinations that devote insufficient attention to important ideas cannot produce superior learners, according to the report. Furthermore, advanced study is almost the norm for secondary students seeking admission to the most competitive colleges — which view enrollment in demanding courses as an indication of a student's willingness to work hard — but access to such programs is limited for many students who are poor or minorities.



In addition to recommending that courses be designed for in-depth learning and numerous other recommendations, the report calls for several changes to boost quality and expand access:

An economic diversification package recently approved by officials in Orange County, Florida, is intended to offset some of the post-September 11 difficulties experienced by the local economy.



More than $1 million for the Orange County Economic Stimulus Package was approved in late January by the Board of County Commissioners. The initiative provides funding for five measures, including:

This is the final installment in this year's coverage of the Governors' State of the State and Budget Addresses highlighting issues of importance to the tech-based economic development community.



Illinois

George Ryan, State of the State/Budget Address and Supporting Press Materials, February 20, 2002

President Bush has nominated Major General Charles F. Bolden, U.S. Marine Corps to serve as NASA's next Deputy Administrator. A former astronaut, Bolden currently serves as the Commanding General, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Last week, David Allen began his tenure as Assistant Vice President for Technology Transfer at the University of Colorado. Allen was the Assistant Vice President for Technology Partnerships at the Ohio State University.

On April 1, Jerry McGuire becomes the first director of technology transfer for the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. McGuire currently is the director of technology transfer and licensing for the University of Buffalo.