SSTI Digest

Less than two years into his first term, Illinois Governor George Ryan has made tech-based economic development a leading priority. The cornerstone of the state's new commitment to science and technology is the $1.9 billion five-year Illinois VentureTech initiative, which was profiled in the February 18, 2000 edition of the SSTI Weekly Digest (see http://www.ssti.org/Digest/2000/021800.htm)

SSTI will be closed October 2-4 to attend our annual conference, Beyond the Hype: Tools for Building Tech-based Economies. The offices will reopen on Thursday, October 5. Due to the conference, an abbreviated version of the SSTI Weekly Digest will be released on Friday October 6.

This summer, North Carolina joined a growing handful of states and regions that have completed innovation assessments or report cards to aid in the development and implementation of state’s science and technology policies. Tracking Innovation: North Carolina Innovation Index 2000 was released in conjunction with a high-tech cluster analysis and a new S&T strategic plan for the state entitled Mapping the Vision.

The first $90 million has been awarded through NSF’s new program Information Technology Research (ITR) initiative. The goal of the program is to build US leadership in information technology (IT) through support of fundamental research and innovative applications of IT. The ITR program is designed to strengthen the nation’s IT knowledge base as well as the IT workforce.

Earlier this week, Senator Conrad Burns from Montana led an effort to save the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Rural Outreach Program, which allows small businesses in rural America, with help from state and local assistance providers, to play an integral role in federal research programs.

An educated populace is a key ingredient for a state's success in competing in a knowledge-based economy. Workforce development, digital divide, and income inequalities are all tied to the educational attainment of a population or group within a population. Educational Attainment in the United States, a recent report by the U.S. Census Bureau, reveals several positive trends in this area:

The Department of the Navy and NASA have each announced three federally-owned inventions that are available for licensing. Invention titles and contact information for each licensing opportunity are posted at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/092200t.htm

Thank you! The overwhelming response to Beyond the Hype: Tools for Building Tech-based Economies has resulted in the conference being sold out. With attendees from 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, SSTI's fourth annual conference promises to be a great one. Please note, there will be no walk-in registration possible at the conference doors.

The Department of the Air Force will have an exhibit and representatives from two programs, the Dual Use Science and Technology Program (DUS&T) and the Commercial Operations & Support Savings Initiative (COSSI), at SSTI's annual conference. Each offers unique opportunities for technology-related businesses.

In a move designed to significantly improve access to higher education, California Governor Gray Davis signed legislation this week that will significantly expand the state's scholarship programs. Under the new legislation nearly one-third of high school graduates will receive scholarship assistance through the state's Cal Grant program, according to the bill's sponsors. The expansion means that students that maintain a high grade point average and come from middle to low-income families will have their tuition covered by the state of California for all four years of college. Additionally, a new scholarship program was created directed at the state's highest achievers in math and science.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy in the U.S. Department of Commerce has requested public comments on proposed changes to the rights to inventions made by non-profit organizations and small businesses through cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs) between government-owned and -operated laboratory and a collaborating party. 

One of the federal government's most potent programs for building tech-based businesses is two weeks away from expiration. Authorization for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is due to expire September 30, and as of today, no date has been set for a House vote to reauthorize the program.