SSTI Digest

Research collaboration between companies and academia has grown tremendously over the past two decades and is recognized as one of the key elements of building tech-based economies (see the National Governors' Association, Using Research and Development to Grow State Economies, 2000 or the Milken Institute, Blueprint for a High-Tech Cluster, 2000). Many states' science and technology programs have dedicated significant financial resources to encouraging the growth of these research partnerships. The National Science Foundation funds several programs to foster industry-university cooperative research, including among others, the Science and Technology Centers and the Engineering Research Centers.  Surprisingly, little has been written on the impact of these initiatives from the perspective of the industrial client, customer, or constituent. Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRCs), written by James Adams, Eric Chiang, and Katara Starkey, presents one of the first independent econometric analyses of the effects of university-industry centers on industrial R&D…

The Department of Education has posted its selections under its FY 2000 Phase I and Phase II solicitations in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. There are 50 new Phase I awards, for a total of nearly $2.5 million, and 14 new Phase II awards, for a total of more than $3.4 million. Specific information concerning each awardee is available on the ED SBIR website: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/SBIR/  The distribution of proposals and awards by state are presented in the following table: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/082500t.htm

The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) of the U.S. Department of Education is currently embarking on a new and challenging agenda designed to enhance the quality and usefulness of educational research for improved teaching and learning. To help shape and lead this effort, the agency is seeking exceptionally qualified individuals to direct four of its five National Research Institutes. The positions fall within the classification of Supervisory, Education Research Analyst (GS 15) with an annual compensation range of $84,638 to $110,028. Each Institute Director reports directly to the Assistant Secretary of Educational Research and Improvement. More information can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/dirvacancies.html 

Despite the stock market's rocky ride last Spring, the PricewaterhouseCoopers MoneyTreeTM survey for the second quarter of 2000 found investments of $19.58 billion, climbing 14 percent over the first quarter results. The total number of deals only rose by one percent to 1,432, resulting in the average investment size growing by 13 percent to $13.67 million.  The stock market or the maturation of the Internet business sector may explain one phenomenon in this quarter's results: total investments in Internet companies were relatively flat while deals with technology companies overall continued to climb. Internet companies, representing 68 percent of tech-related funding in the first quarter of 2000, captured 63 percent in the second quarter. According to the MoneyTreeTM report, three categories of Internet companies saw decreases in investments over the last quarter: content sites, business-to-business e-commerce sites, and business-to-consumer e-commerce sites.  SSTI has prepared the accompanying table presenting the 2nd quarter results on a state-by-state basis. The…

Saying Congress is threatening to stall "our progress toward our shared national goals and toward balance in a healthy R&D portfolio," Neil Lane, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, has issued a mid-summer status report on the FY 2001 R&D appropriations. The report outlines the effect of the current appropriation scenario on the President's civilian R&D goals, collectively marketed as the 21st Century Research Fund. An agency-by-agency break out is provided of congressional funding levels versus the President's FY 2001 requests. The brief report and accompanying letter from Lane can be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/OSTP/html/00810.html  Congress will consider the budget appropriations when it returns after Labor Day from its August recess.  (thanks to American Institute of Physics FYI for the lead on this story) 

Using the microsystems industry in the Southwest as a model, Ross DeVol, Director of Regional and Demographic Studies of the Milken Institute, has written Blueprint for a High-Tech Cluster, a 40-page policy brief on one of the hottest trends for tech-based economic development. Recognizing the importance of technology and knowledge in the New Economy, and that "knowledge is generated, transmitted and shared more efficiently in close proximity," DeVol asserts that those regions with leading clusters in key technologies will enjoy greater economic growth and stability. "Success in creating high-tech clusters is now the distinguishing determinant in regional vitality," states DeVol.  Blueprint outlines and describes ten specific strategies for developing a high-tech cluster:  "tech transfer policies should be made part of research facilities' charters  create public/private organizations to foster commercialization success  avoid competing spheres of influence  team with related industries for joint-development  invest…

Using patent filing and quality as a measure of innovation, “a dollar of venture capital appears to be about three times more potent in stimulating patenting than a dollar of traditional corporate R&D,” according to a July 2000 paper by Samuel Korton (Boston University) and Josh Lerner (Harvard University). The authors report in Assessing the Contribution of Venture Capital to Innovation that, although venture capital averaged less than three percent of corporate R&D from 1983-1992, it was responsible for almost eight percent of US industrial innovations during the same time period.  The findings are based on a study of the influence of venture capital on patent activity across 20 industries over three decades. The authors hope the study is the first of many to quantify the impact of venture capital on innovation. The paper can be found on line at: http://www.people.hbs.edu/jlerner/publications.html 

With the rapid expansion of the research budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the high profile role of biotechnology in the New Economy, concerns have been raised in Congress as to whether or not NIH was keeping up on licensing and royalties. At the request of Congressmen Tom Bliley and Fred Upton, the General Accounting Office (GAO) has reviewed NIH’s internal controls. The results, reported in Financial Management: Improvements Needed in NIH’s Control over Royalty Income (GAO/AIMD-00-210), are less than positive:  The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) only conducted one biennial audit of its licensees with sales that exceed $2 million. NIH has 1,204 active license agreements. Of the 13 licensees with annual sales exceeding $2 million, only one had provisions requiring an audit.  While NIH reported $45 million in royalty income in fiscal year 1999, the one audit conducted revealed previously uncollected royalty payments of $9.2 million and the expectation of an additional $1.2 million.  The office also did not enforce its…

Americans say they take pride in our nation's leadership role in science and technology and believe the U.S. needs to continue investing in scientific research and development (R&D) in order to remain at the forefront of discovery and innovation, according to a Gallup survey conducted on behalf of the Bayer Corporation in partnership with the National Science Foundation. At the same time, many Americans also expressed concern about whether our educational system is preparing students for the challenges that accompany new technologies.  The results of The Bayer Facts of Science Education VI: Americans' Views on Science, Technology, Education and the Future are consistent with the flurry of state S&T activities over the past twelve months and may help provide some directional push for future initiatives:  93 percent say students in their state need a stronger education in science to be prepared for the new inventions, discoveries and technologies that increased investment will likely bring   85 percent agreed that improving pre-college…

"How we view -- and treat -- the environment is a critical question for the 21st century," begins the letter from Eamon Kelly, chair of the National Science Board, that accompanies Environmental Science and Engineering for the 21st Century: The Role of the National Science Foundation. The study outlines the scope of the $600 million in current NSF environmental activities and conveys policy guidance for NSF to design a future $1.6 billion portfolio of programs and initiatives. Twelve recommendations are described in detail, including, in addition to the increased funding for NSF:  Creating a "suite of environmental research and education hubs, on the scale of present Science & Technology Centers and Engineering Research Centers"  Establishing a highly-visible, NSF-wide organizational focal point  Supporting educational activities and proposals that capitalize on student environmental interests  Enhancing and expanding disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and long-term environmental research  Increasing research on scientific assessment for prioritizing research…

The U. S. Department of Commerce Technology Administration (TA) has announced the establishment of a joint public-sector private-sector Technology Demonstration Center. The purpose of the Center will be to demonstrate state-of-the-art and future technological advances in a variety of technologies and to encourage future development. The Center is a joint activity, conducted under the auspices of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements between TA and one or more private sector parties. TA will not be providing financial assistance through the center. Nor will the center be used for sales of merchandise, solicitations, orders or for the advertisement of specific products or services. The Center will be physically located at the United States Department of Commerce's Herbert C. Hoover Building, in Washington D.C.  The Technology Demonstration Center is immediately available for interested parties. Prospective participants should send inquiries to, Technology Demonstration, United States Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, Attn: Ms. Jacki Pickett, Washington DC,…

Companies seeking venture capital investments through the Great Midwest Venture Capital Conference have until August 25 to apply for consideration. The conference, this year taking place October 30-31 in Knoxville, Tennessee, annually draws around 200 investors and other financial professionals. The tenth annual event is organized by the Indiana Business Modernization and Technology Corporation and Technology 2020, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  Additional information on the event can be found at: http://www.gmvcc.com