SSTI Digest

You know that feeling you get when you've done something nice for no apparent reason? Or at least the grounds for being good are hidden so deeply within you that you aren't aware of the potential payoff?

Well, the annual readers' survey for the SSTI Weekly Digest presents another one of those opportunities to ignite or rekindle that warm inner glow that made the Grinch's heart grow three sizes that day.

Think we're overselling the potential positive impact of completing the survey? Only one way to tell: http://www.ssti.org/digestsurvey02.htm [expired]

State fiscal conditions continue to deteriorate dramatically, according to a report released Wednesday at the 2002 Annual Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

In April, 43 states reported budget gaps totaling $27.3 billion collectively. By June 30, the end of the fiscal year for 46 states, the gap had risen to $35.9  billion. Budget gap estimates for FY 2003 show an increase to $57.9 billion. However, because of balanced budget requirements, gaps have been or will be resolved by the time states officially close their books.

2002 State Budget and Tax Actions showed widespread fiscal problems, according to NCSL:

Vermont’s high-tech businesses now can take advantage of new tax credits with Governor Howard Dean, M.D.’s signature on H. 239. The bill creates a set of five incentives for high-tech businesses in industries including computer hardware or software, information and communications, microelectronics, semiconductors, digital communications, medical devices, energy technologies and electric vehicles.

The high tech credits are applied to investments in machinery and equipment, renovations to provide cable, fiber or telecommunications access, workforce development, and a sales and use tax exemption for personal computers and software. Applying to investments made on or after July 1, 2002, the High Tech Tax Credit effects taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2002.

The 20 states with the least total R&D expenditures increased their share of the total pot in 1999 to 5 percent, according to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) latest InfoBrief. In 1998, NSF found the lowest 20 states captured only 4 percent of the nation's R&D investment.

To those who argue the nation's R&D investment should be more evenly distributed across the country — particularly expenditures made by the federal government — the finding may suggest progress has been made.

Or has it?

NSF also reported, and titled the InfoBrief accordingly, that the 1999 data revealed half of the nation's total R&D investment occurred in only six states, up half a percent from 1998. The share captured by the top 10 states grew from 85 percent in 1998 to 86 percent in 1999, according to the InfoBrief.

The importance of strong academic R&D capabilities in building state and regional tech-based economies cannot be overstated. Subsequently most states, either independently or in partnership with federal EPSCoR programs, are making investments toward strengthening their academic research enterprises. Some also have invested in programs to attract, leverage or match federal R&D investments.

One of the latest InfoBriefs from the National Science Foundation outlines trends over 30 years in federal and non-federal support for academic R&D. While federal spending for academic R&D grew by an inflation adjusted 180 percent between 1972 and 2000, the findings reveal federal support played a diminishing role compared to non-federal sources, which grew by nearly 350 percent during the period. Federal R&D expenditures represented only 58.2 percent of total academic R&D support in 2000.

While Albany securing Sematech North has captured national attention in the TBED community for the past week, area leaders have been working for more than a year to forge a partnership toward regional technology-based economic development. That effort came to fruition in June when leaders of the Albany-Colonie Regional, Rensselaer County Regional and Schenectady County Chambers of Commerce announced the formation of the Tech Valley Chamber Coalition. Combined, the three chambers have nearly 5,000 members employing more than 174,000 individuals in the region.

The Coalition will focus its efforts in three areas: promotion of the region as Tech Valley; development of programs that will enhance the business climate for members of all three chambers; and advocacy on issues of importance to each organization, as well as the greater business community. Each of the chambers is taking the lead on one of the three focus areas.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) recently posted the abstracts for award selections from the FY 2002 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I solicitations. For DOD, abstracts are for 02.1, the first solicitation of the fiscal year.

With information provided by the agencies and their websites, SSTI has prepared a table presenting the number of proposals submitted, the number of firms involved, the number of awards, and the proposal-to-award conversion percentage. For USDA, the total award amounts were also available by state. The table is available at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/072602t.htm

The Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation (CATI) Partnership Board and the Gateway Technical College Board of Directors recently held a groundbreaking to begin construction of the new 40,000-square-foot facility located in Sturtevant’s Renaissance Park.

The Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation (CATI) of Racine County was formed to promote business development, workforce development, and technology innovation in southeastern Wisconsin. CATI is a partnership among more than a dozen local and regional educational institutions, business development  organizations, and local industries. The effort is spearheaded by the Racine County Economic Development Corp.

Once completed, the new facility will allow CATI to offer students and entrepreneurs:

Forty-four research universities in 28 states and the District of Columbia will receive $80 million from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to help address the challenges of the rapidly changing and increasingly interdisciplinary nature of undergraduate biology education. The grants will support programs that encourage graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to hone their teaching skills in undergraduate courses.

Other programs will bring emerging scientific disciplines such as genomics and computational biology into the undergraduate curriculum and encourage minorities to pursue careers in science.

The four-year grants range in size from $1.2 million to $2.2 million each. A panel of scientists and educators reviewed proposals from 189 institutions.

Anne Armstrong, president of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology since 1999, has resigned from the position effective the end of this month. Virginia Secretary of Technology George C. Newstrom will serve as Interim President during a search for a new president.

Michael Anastasio is the new director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, effective July 1. He was serving as deputy director of strategic operations for the lab.

Ken Berlack, formerly communications director for the National Commission on Entrepreneurship, has joined KCCatalyst, a regional organization dedicated to encouraging technological innovation and entrepreneurship in the Greater Kansas City area.

Anne Armstrong, president of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology since 1999, has resigned from the position effective the end of this month. Virginia Secretary of Technology George C. Newstrom will serve as Interim President during a search for a new president.

Michael Anastasio is the new director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, effective July 1. He was serving as deputy director of strategic operations for the lab.