SSTI Digest

Convergence Group Formed in Silicon Valley Joint Venture: Silicon Valley, the lead regional economic development organization for the well known valley, helped announce the formation of the Technology Convergence Consortium. Outlined in Joint Venture's Next Silicon Valley strategic plan, the new group's purpose will be to provide a forum enabling the valley's entrepreneurs to take advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of the fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology. Florida Losing Regional Tech Council Ten years since its creation, a regional nonprofit tech council serving the Orlando area will officially cease operations in October. Launched in 1995 as an initiative of Enterprise Florida, Central Florida Innovation Corporation's mission has been to create and build high wage, high growth potential companies in Central Florida. In recent years, CFIC has operated in a self-sufficient financial structure, without dependence on government grants or charitable contributions. Two Trade Associations Created in Georgia More than two years in…

Overall retention rates for female engineering graduates has remained steady over the last few years, and according to the latest survey from the American Society for Engineering Education, a significant percentage of women are focusing on the less traditional fields of engineering. A New Look At Engineering reports that in 2003 women accounted for 20.4 percent of all Bachelor degrees in engineering, a slight decline from 2002, which reported 20.9 percent. In 2001, women represented 19.9 percent of engineering graduates, a slight decrease from 20.8 percent in 2000. Tennessee State University had the largest percentage of female engineering graduates with 41.6 percent, followed closely by Alabama A&M University with 41.2 percent. The report also indicates women accounted for 22.3 percent of all Master’s degrees and 17.4 percent of all Doctoral degrees in engineering. Of the many fields of discipline within engineering, the highest percentage of female graduates was found in environmental engineering with 42.1 percent. Biomedical engineering graduates were the next highest with 40.4 percent…

The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) recently held its 18th International Conference in Atlanta, honoring excellence in business incubation programs, graduates and client companies. NBIA, a nonprofit organization, works to advance incubation and entrepreneurship. This year’s recipients include: The New Century Venture Center (NCVC) of Roanoke, Va., a nonprofit mixed-use incubator, was awarded the top honor, the Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year award. NCVC has assisted more than 75 technology and service companies since 1996, and its 25 graduates have created nearly 200 new jobs in the Roanoke region. The University of Central Florida (UCF) Technology Incubator was named Incubator of the Year in technology. During the incubator's four years of operation, client companies have created more than 400 jobs and generated $140 million in revenues. The Howard County Economic Development Authority of Columbia, Md., received the Incubator Innovation Award for its Sustainable Business Excellence process, which provides quantitative measures of business…

The National Science Foundation has released a new statistical report entitled Federal Funds for Research and Development: Fiscal Years 2001, 2002, and 2003. Included among the 112 tables are 10 presenting the 2001 data by geographic distribution, performer and federal agency. Federal obligations for research and development in 2001 totaled $78.078 billion. One-fourth of the total was for intramural R&D -- research activities taking place within many federal labs, research centers and military installations. With $5.435 billion, Maryland captures the greatest share of federal intramural research. California, the District of Columbia and Virginia make up distant second, third and fourth place finishes, respectively. The extramural, or external, portion of federal R&D expenditures is performed by industry, academia, federally funded R&D centers (FFRDCs), other nonprofit institutions and state and local governments. These funds, in excess of $58.5 billion in 2001, are awarded through a variety of competitive and noncompetitive methods. It is important to note, the FFRDCs include R…

In SSTI's final look at the 2004 State of the State and Budget addresses, the importance of building tech-based economies continues to be emphasized by governors across the country. Below are excerpts from speeches given in Alabama, Maryland, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, State of the State Address, Feb. 3, 2004 "Recently President Bush announced his plan to send Americans back to the moon and then on to Mars. We must unite as a state to ensure that Alabama is the first stop on that journey. Tonight I am proud to announce the Alabama Space Exploration Initiative which will create a partnership between state government, Marshall Space Center, our colleges and research universities, and industry to strengthen our capabilities in support of our nation’s new space policy. By working together we will continue to expand the economic potential of the space industry in Alabama." Maryland Gov. Robert Erlich, State of the State Address, Jan. 29, 2004 [not available online] "...we must help our State achieve…

G. Michael Alder has been named executive director of the Biotechnology Association of Alabama.

John Harrison is Governor Bob Riley's pick to serve as director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Harrison was the Mayor of Luverne, Alabama for the past 14 years.

SSTI continues a series begun in last week's Digest, highlighting key economic development and science & technology positions being filled by some of the nation's 24 new governors. Many of these individuals are expected to help set the state's tech-based economic development agenda and determine budget cuts, reorganization plans or program eliminations. In addition, President Bush has announced Charles McQueary of North Carolina will be his nominee to be undersecretary for science and technology at Homeland Security. Dr. McQueary is the retired President of General Dynamics and a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Defense Industrial Association. Alabama Neal Wade, vice president of economic development for a Florida real estate corporation, has joined the cabinet of Alabama Governor Bob Riley as director of the Alabama Development Office. Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, Jr. is appointing Aris Melissaratos to be the new secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. Melissaratos is a venture capitalist…

Jim Hayes is serving as interim president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama as the group works to fill the position. Hayes was a former director of the Alabama Development Office.

Jacque Shaia, director of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, is leaving to pursue a doctorate degree at the University of Alabama.

Last week, Governor Don Siegelman signed Executive Order Number 71, which establishes the Alabama Research Alliance, a partnership among Alabama’s research universities, the business community and state government. The mission of the research alliance is to foster economic development in Alabama by investing in existing and new research initiatives at Alabama’s research universities. The research alliance will focus on investing in and promoting research in areas including, but not limited to: space, science, technology and defense; automotive manufacturing and production design; agriculture; biomedicine and cancer research; and aviation computer electronics. The new Executive Order amends a 1999 Executive Order by Gov. Seigelman by changing the name from the Alabama Research Institute (ARI) to the Alabama Research Alliance and by expanding the Board of Directors. The board will consist of 13 members, including the governor, who will serve as chairman, the chancellor of the University of Alabama System, the presidents of Auburn University, the University of South Alabama,…

Economic downturns have a way of encouraging states, universities and communities to assess, refine and re-invigorate their strategies to promote growth and prosperity. The current recession is no exception. With the widely recognized roles played by science and technology in economic success, the news of changes and additions to tech-based economic development strategies from across the country is not too surprising. Here are some recent highlights: Alabama The Alabama Dept. of Economic & Community Affairs (ADECA), in partnership with BizTech, Huntsville's technology-based business incubator, has launched an e-mentoring program for SBIR applicants. The program, funded in part through the state's FAST award, is a web-based coaching program to help SBIR and STTR applicants increase their competitiveness and create better proposals with help from previous SBIR winners called E-Mentors. Experienced entrepreneurs and SBIR veterans, the E-Mentors provide strategic guidance, advising, and counseling but not consultation-type services like writing proposals or work plans. Arizona…