SSTI Digest

Academic Indirect Cost Rates  Paying for University Research Facilities and Administration, a report released this week by the RAND Science & Technology Policy Institute, finds universities are already paying a significant share of the costs associated with their research partnership with the federal government. Pressures to increase that cost-sharing could lead to a slowdown in investment on research and research infrastructure and, potentially, to a decline in the partnership's contributions to health, education, defense, science and other vital research areas, according to the report's authors, Charles A. Goldman and T. Williams, with David M. Adamson and Kathy Rosenblatt.  Federal spending for scientific research at U.S. academic institutions amounts to approximately $15 billion each year. Roughly one-fourth of the total, around $3.75 billion, is for indirect costs or facilities and administration (F&A). Using two different calculation methods, the study's authors estimate that universities have been recovering between 70 and 90 percent of their federal project F&A…

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Sensors Directorate, Electromagnetics Technology Division (AFRL/SNH) at Hanscom AFB is soliciting proposals for basic research to advance the state-of-the-art and scientific knowledge in electromagnetics technology. The Technical Areas are: (a) Antenna Technology, (b) Electromagnetic Scattering from Targets and Terrain, (c) Optronics Components and Algorithms, (d) Image Exploitation of Infrared Cameras; and (e) Intrusion Detection. Proposals may be submitted any time through September 30, 2001. For detailed descriptions of these areas, email: zachary.white@hanscom.af.mil  Additional research and business opportunities with the Electronic Systems Command can be found at: http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil/rfp.asp  The deadline has been extended to September 30, 2000 for interested parties to submit proposals in response to the Broad Agency Announcement for the Navy's Smart Base Project Office initiatives . The Navy's Smart Base Project is tasked to identify and test innovative, commercially available technology and better business practices to increase…

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and its sponsors have more than $1 million available through several programs to support and recognize science students and teachers. Applications are currently available for the following programs:  Barrick Goldstrike Exemplary Elementary Earth Science Teaching Award;  Ciba Specialty Chemicals Exemplary Middle Level and High School Science Teaching Award;  Ciba Specialty Chemicals Exemplary Middle Level and High School Principal Award;  Drug, Chemical & Allied Trades Association Education Foundation's "Making a Difference"Award;  Distinguished Informal Science Education Award;  Distinguished Service to Science Education Award Distinguished Teaching Award;  Estes Rocketry/U.S. Space Foundation (USSF) Space Educator Award;  Gustav Ohaus Programs for Innovation in Science Teaching;  NASA Educational Workshops (NEW);  Robert H. Carleton Award;  Science Screen Report Award;  The Science Teaching Award; and  the Toyota/NSTA TAPESTRY Grants.  Visit the NSTA web…

Norman Y. Mineta has been confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as Secretary for the U.S. Department of Commerce.  Gary Bachula has joined Internet2 as Vice President for External Relations where he will focus on strengthening and enhancing relationships with government and not-for-profit organizations working to advance Internet technology.  Joel Bauman, Senior Policy Analyst with the Southern Technology Council, is leaving to attend the University of Texas - Austin. Joel has been a great resource for SSTI over the past few years and we wish him success in business school. 

Norman Y. Mineta has been confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as Secretary for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Gary Bachula has joined Internet2 as Vice President for External Relations where he will focus on strengthening and enhancing relationships with government and not-for-profit organizations working to advance Internet technology. 

Joel Bauman, Senior Policy Analyst with the Southern Technology Council, is leaving to attend the University of Texas - Austin. Joel has been a great resource for SSTI over the past few years and we wish him success in business school

While many state legislatures are in recess, the federal fiscal year draws to a close (resulting in few new R&D funding opportunities to report), and SSTI staff focus more activities on our 4th Annual conference -- Beyond the Hype: Tools for Building Tech-based Economies, the SSTI Weekly Digest will go to a biweekly schedule during the month of August. As a result, the next two issues will be released on August 11 and August 25. We apologize for any inconvenience this may present. Weekly publication will resume in September.  More information on Beyond the Hype, including a registration form, can be found on our web site: http://www.ssti.org/Conf00/conf--00.htm 

Wednesday evening, the bill to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program until the end of FY 2008 passed the full Senate by unanimous consent. The Senate version of H.R. 2392 varies greatly from the original bill passed by the House of Representatives last fall; however, months of negotiations between the House and Senate have reconciled the differences with the intent of expediting House passage of the modified bill before the SBIR program sunsets September 30, 2000.  Much of the bill approved by the Senate is as SSTI reported in March (see the 3/17/00 SSTI Weekly Digest for details), including the Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) Program, a five-year, $10 million per year initiative to support state assistance for small technology businesses. In addition, components of the House version of H.R. 2392, such as a National Research Council study and closed database of award applicants, have been reinstated from earlier Senate drafts. The full text of H.R. 2392 can be viewed at: http://thomas.loc.gov/ FAST program proponents now turn their…

A series of legislative recommendations to expand the "winners' circle" of the New Economy has been released by the Progressive Policy Institute’s (PPI) New Economy Task Force.  Tools for Growth: A Legislative Agenda for the New Economy defines four key New Economy policy areas: research and technological innovation; education and skills; e-commerce; and fostering digital opportunity. The 21-page document also gives eight, specific legislative recommendations that address the changes of the New Economy on a micro level, including the following:  RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION  Innovation is the driving force behind economic growth. Congress needs to affirm a bipartisan understanding that government support for basic and applied research is an investment in a public good with large payoffs for society.  Increase Federal Support for Research - Significantly Increase Investments in Federal Civilian Research - Increase Department of Defense Research 2 Percent per Year - Increase Federal Support for Information Technology and Productivity…

Concerned that it currently lacks the “critical mass” required to be a leader in biotechnology, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has prepared the Michigan Life Sciences Strategy, which outlines a plan to develop its universities, industries, and infrastructure to nurture biotechnology entrepreneurship over the next decade.  In developing the strategy, MEDC conducted three studies: a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis; a comparative analysis of competitor states and best practices in public biotech programs; and a situational analysis of Michigan's current portfolio of programs and activities related to life sciences. The best practices and comparison analysis are drawn from Maryland and North Carolina.  Specific policy recommendations are presented across four broad vision strategies for Michigan, including:  Foster a vibrant entrepreneurial culture to support the formation and growth of life sciences firms in Michigan.  Establish mechanisms to promote in-state industry-university collaboration…

With the goal of assembling “a consistent set of state-level data that approximates the ‘technology infrastructure’ of the states,” the Office of Technology Policy (OTP) has released on the web, The Dynamics of Technology-based Economic Development: State Science and Technology Indicators. OTP, part of the Technology Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, cautions repeatedly throughout the report that no attempt is made or intended to analyze, benchmark, or assess any state’s performance along any of the 37metrics included. Dynamics is meant to serve as a reference guide for policymakers and researchers to use as they develop, implement, and evaluate state science and technology policies and programs. Data has been normalized and ranked for ease of comparison or understanding a state’s relative position, however.  The 37 metrics are divided among five major groups: funding in-flows (10 indicators); human resources (9); capital investment and business assistance (5); technology intensity of the business base (5); and, outcome measures (8).  The report, prepared for…